Marriage and Dating:
A Biblical Perspective
What is Marriage?
• Marriage is a Covenant
– A Covenant is a PROMISE
• 1 Samuel 18:3/ 2 Samuel 9
• Genesis 15:9-17/Jeremiah 34:18-19
• God is the the ultimate Covenant Keeper; He is the ultimate
Promise Keeper; Our promise keeping should reflect God’s
covenant, promise keeping character
– The Reason we take PROMISES seriously is
because God does (everything we are/have is by
promise)
– The Marriage Covenant is not just a declaration of
present love but a PROMISE of future love; it is
unconditional
Do you, John, take Jane whom you
now hold by the hand to be your
lawful and wedded wife, and do you
promise in the presence of God and
these witnesses to be to her a
faithful, loving and devoted husband,
in plenty and in want, in joy and in
sorrow, in sickness and in health, so
long as you both shall live?
Do you, Jane, take John whom you
now hold by the hand to be your
lawful and wedded husband, and do
you promise in the presence of God
and these witnesses to be to her a
faithful, loving and obedient wife, in
plenty and in want, in joy and in
sorrow, in sickness and in health, so
long as you both shall live?
What is Marriage?
• Marriage is a Covenant
• A Covenant creates predictability in an
unpredictable world, therefore providing
true security
The Purpose of Marriage
• Marriage is created for the welfare and
happiness of mankind
– Marriage is an ordinance given by God for the
promotion of man’s happiness and God’s
glory
– Genesis 2:24: Joy is experienced in an
Intimate Union
Though Adam had God, it was not
good that he was alone with just God.
Though God may satisfy our deepest
longings, he does not satisfy all of our
longings. God does not exclusively fill
the human heart. He made humankind
to need more than himself. The
staggering humility of God to make
something that was not be fully
satisfied with the Creator and the
creation is incomprehensible.
The Purpose of Marriage
• Marriage is created for the welfare and
happiness of mankind
– Marriage is an ordinance given by God for the
promotion of man’s happiness and God’s
glory
– Genesis 2:24: An Intimate Union
• Marriage sanctifies us
– Ephesians 5:25-27/1 Peter 3:1-2; 2:21-25
– Through the husband’s Christ-like leadership
– Through confrontation
– Through its’ permanence
The Purpose of Marriage
• Marriage is to reflect the relationship of
Christ and the Church to the watching
world
– Unconditional, permanent love of Christ
(Romans 5:8 love)
– Beyond the “Just-Us” Mentality: Shared vision
For Dating
• Marriage is a covenant
– You need to get to the point where you know
enough to commit because you’ll never know
everything.
• Vision, Character, Spiritual Maturity/Life Maturity, Chemistry
(Personality/Physical)
• The Purpose of Marriage
– Joy in Oneness
• Don’t date out of emptiness
• Beware of Counterfeit Oneness (Emotional,
Spiritual, Physical)
For Dating
• The Purpose of Marriage
– Sanctification
• Through Husbands Leadership:
– Find a man who can lead you
• Through Confrontation and Permanence
– Find a person rooted in the Gospel
– Help each other grow in the Gospel
– Reflect Christ to a watching world
• Starting now seek to be a couple that serves