Marriage 101: Marriage is a Covenant Pt. 2

(Part 2)

“Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”-Matthew 22:37-39

The covenant model for marriage is best illustrated using the above diagram patterned after Matthew 22:37-39. Each line in the model represents a relationship. You have a relationship with God and a relationship with your spouse. Both relationships are important in marriage, however God should always occupies the top spot! This makes the relationship between you and God and your spouse and God the most important relationship in your marriage. 

In fact, structurally speaking you can remove the bottom line and still maintain structure; but remove a side and the whole model collapses. If our relationships with God are strong they provide a covering for the relationship between you and your spouse. That is why 2 Corinthians 6:14 declares: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” If you do not have a relationship with God, it will be impossible for the covenant model for marriage to stay healthy. 

A covenant, as we defined last week, is an unbreakable commitment between two individuals that provides for the mutual benefit of both. So, how do we benefit from the marriage covenant? The marriage covenant creates a holy space in our relationship. A space where God blesses a couple with divine provision, protection, spiritual intimacy, life-long companionship, godly offspring, and sexual intimacy. 

According to the model, however, we are also in a covenant with God! How does He benefit from our marriage? 

“But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one?

He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.”-Malachi 2:15

He desires Godly offspring! He desires for couples to have children and to raise them to God-fearing homes. Offspring, however, are not always biological. This might include adopting, fostering, or even volunteering and ministering to kids in need. In this way we honor God with our marriages. 

Marriage is a sacred institution that we should not enter into lightly. When we marry we are establishing a covenant with each other and with God. A covenant that He fully expects us to honor. God’s word gives us the parameters for marriage; if we choose to establish covenant with our spouse and God, we need also to be prepared to live out His word. 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church