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Marriage: Creating A Family Unit

Genesis 2:18-24

I. CREATING A MARRIAGE:

A. LEAVE FATHER AND MOTHER: GEN 2:24

1. OT meaning: forsake, leave destitute, refuse

2. NT meaning: to leave behind:

a) a place 6x: Heb 11:27, parents 3x: Mt 19:5, something behind 8x: Acts 2:31

B. CLEAVE TO WIFE/HUSBAND: GEN 2:24

1. OT meaning: adhere, be joined, follow close

a) dirt clods: Job 38:38, Israel to nations: Josh 23:8-12, sword to fugitives Jer 42:16

2. NT meaning:

a) Kallao to unite, join firmly: I Cor 6:16

b) Proskallao: to stick to; one's wife Mt 19:5; to a leader Acts 5:36

c) sunzugos: to yoke together; man & wife Mt 19:5; team of oxen: Lk 14:19

C. TWO BECOME ONE FLESH: GEN 2:24

1. OT meaning Only used in Gen 2:24

2. NT meaning:

a) Mt 19:6 yoked through cleaving, permanent relationship

b) 1 Cor 6:16 non-covenanted relationship, not permanent or marriage

(1) Here, one flesh is not equivalent to marriage but rather the sexual union

c) One flesh does not denote some undividable thing like sperm and egg

D. MUST BE MUTUAL AGREEMENT OR COVENANT:

1. Married by agreement or Covenant: Prov 2:17; Mal 2:14; Gen 24:51-58

2. Both must agree to specific terms:

a) Relationship is permanent: Mt 19:6; Rom 7:1-3

b) Sexual monogamy in marriage: Prov 5:15-23

E. COMPLIANCE WITH LAW & CUSTOM: (THE ONLY VARIABLE)

1. Civil law: Rom 13:1-4; 1 Pe 2:13-15 (Marriage is provincial & state jurisdiction, not national)

a) Most require a government ordained official to oversee legal paperwork

b) In Florida, anyone can perform the marriage, even foreigners!

c) Historically, many cultures have had no civil law regulating marriage

2. Social custom: 2 Cor 8:21 Every society and culture in history has had some social custom

a) We have a "wedding" which has a broad range of variation within itself

b) former US southern slave culture: couple must jump over the broom stick

c) ancient Jewish custom of betrothal

d) Isaac and Rebecca: Gen 24:63-67 mother's tent

e) Gen 37:2 Judah took her

3. Marriages may be arranged by parents

II. HOW A MARRIAGE IS NOT FORMED:

A. MERE SEXUAL CONTACT (FORNICATION):

1. Requires agreement and commitment

2. 1 Cor 6:16

3. Gen 34:1-7,13,31 esp v4

B. LIVING COMMON LAW: (PROTRACTED FORNICATION)

1. Requires agreement and legal sanction

2. Jn 4:16-19 "The man you now have is not your husband"

3. Most governments consider couple married after 3 years in regard to property ownership

a) They are still not married because they have never agreed by covenant to marry!

C. MERELY BECAUSE CIVIL AUTHORITY PROCLAIMS THE TWO "MAN AND WIFE"!

1. Mk 6:17-20 Herod had married her, but John said, "it is not lawful for you to have her"

III. THREE PURPOSES OF MARRIAGE:

A. COMPANIONSHIP AND HELPER:

1. Gen 2:19 It is not good for the man to be alone

2. Prov 2:17 leaves the companion of her youth...forgets the covenant of her God

3. Mal 2:14 wife of your youth...your companion and wife by covenant

B. PROCREATION:

1. Gen 1:28 Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth

C. SEXUAL FULFILLMENT:

1. Because of immoralities, let each man/woman have own wife/husband: 1 Cor 7:1-2

2. Heb 13:4 Adulterers and fornicators God will judge but the marriage bed is undefiled:

a) Any sexual activity outside of marriage is sin

b) Any sexual activity within marriage is undefiled

IV. CONCLUSION:

A. Prov 18:22

B. Eccl 9:9

Steve Rudd

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