God's Definition of Love
Marriage is an institution ordained and ordered by God. It is the only institution that was established before sin came into the world.
Marriage is not man’s idea, neither was it initiated by him. It was God himself who realized man’s need for a companion and addressed it. To understand why God instituted marriage, we need to go to the Bible for answers.
Genesis 2:21-25
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 And Adam said this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Five Fold Pattern of Marriage
1. One man/One woman
Genesis 2:22
And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
2. Leaving and Cleaving
Genesis 2:24
3. Companionship
4. Openness
There are 4 ways to be naked/open/transparent:
a) Historically e.g. past relationships, children
b) Financially e.g. debts, income, assets, obligations
c) Physically e.g. naked at home, sexual liberty
d) Spiritually e.g. aspirations in future, personal sins
5. Sex and Reproduction:
God’s plan for sex and reproduction is within the context of marriage. Sex and reproduction outside the context of marriage lead to all kinds of problems –step homes, step children, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Genesis 1:28
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Extract from Model Marriage - Best book on marriage counseling