Page 16 - Family Life Student Textbook

Study Section 3: God’s Prescription for Marriage

3.1 Connect
There seems to be a general confusion over what marriage is in our society. Since our culture has
universally rejected God’s plan for marriage, the partnership of two individuals has been
readjusted. Marriage has been expanded to include the union of two males or two females. In
fact, our culture allows for the partnership of individuals without the commitment of marriage
vows. “Give it a try and see if it is going to work!” is their cry. There basically is no restrictions on
the arrangements between two consenting adults. And now, in the courts, there is a push to allow brothers
and sisters to marry, and for a husband or wife to have more than one partner. Once God’s design is
dismissed, there is no end to what “marriage” will become!

3.2 Objectives:
1. The student should be able to describe the passages of the Bible where God lays out the
foundational rules for marriage.

2. The student should be able to apply the rules of marriage to all marriage relationships and teach
these principles to others.

3.3 God’s design in Marriage
In the first few chapters of Genesis, God defines marriage as a covenantal bond for the rest of our
physical lives between a man and woman.

Genesis 2:24–25 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife,
and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no
shame.

Homosexuality:

People in our culture today are trying to expand marriage to include two people of the same sex, or even
more than two people. Because God is the creator of the whole universe and of the marriage covenant, and
because he has given us clear direction in his word, we do not have the freedom to change his definition of
marriage and who can be involved in marriage. We need to follow his clear teaching, regardless of how
some people might feel. God’s word teaches that homosexuality is a sin and is against God’s created design.

Some children grow up with attraction for someone of the same sex usually due to sexual abuse and/or a
reversal of marital roles they observed in their parent’s relationship. When a child experiences a physical
relationship with a person of the same sex, they often can come to believe that they were created this way
and that they are homosexual beings because of the intense sexual feelings they experienced. Our world is
trying to force us to accept homosexuality as normal and to encourage this homosexual behavior rather
than calling it sin.

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