Biblical Requirements for Men Seeking to Marry, pt 1
- Ephesians 5:25-33
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
- The qualifications for the President of the US state that the candidate must be a natural born citizen, at least 35 years of age, and a resident of the US for at least 14 years. (US Constitution)
- To become an astronaut, you need to be a U.S. citizen, possess a master's degree in a STEM field, and have at least two years of related professional experience or 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time. Additionally, you must be able to pass the NASA astronaut physical examination. (NASA Astronaut Selection Board)
- To get married in the US, generally, both parties must be of legal age to marry in the state they are getting married in (typically 18), not already married, have the mental capacity to consent to marriage, and be free from any legal impediments to marriage, such as being too closely related, or lacking legal capacity. (State and Federal law)
- Just as we discover the laws of physics (we don’t author them because we did not institute matter and energy), we can only discover the requirements of marriage.
- While many focus on what the bible doesn’t say, focusing on what the bible does say will clear much confusion.
What does the bible require of the husband?
- Leave your father and mother and cleave to her
Genesis 2:23-24
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.” 24Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
- Live with them based on understanding them (as equals with different functions/strengths)
1 Peter 3:7
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
- Don’t be bitter toward her, but instead be joyful with her
Colossians 3:19
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
Ecclesiastes 9:9
9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
- Be to Christ what you expect her to be to you
1 Corinthians 11:3
3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
- Go in for life
Matthew 19:6-9
6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
- Render sexual rights to her
1 Corinthians 7:3a
3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her...
- Be satisfied (not content) with who you have
Proverbs 5:15-20
15 Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well. 16 Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets? 17 Let them be only your own, and not for strangers with you. 18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth. 19 As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and always be enraptured with her love. 20 For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, and be embraced in the arms of a seductress?
- Provide for her needs in this world
1 Timothy 5:8
8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
- Love her like yourself and if ever you have to choose…she wins
Ephesians 5:25-29
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
- ‘The world’s love is always object-oriented. A person is loved because of physical attractiveness, personality, wit, prestige, or some feature or trait that we find appealing. This type of love is fickle, however. For once the trait that is found lovable is diminished by age, or someone more talented or gifted comes along, this fickle love ceases.’ - https://harvest.org/know-god-article/the-role-of-the-husband-in-the-marriage/
- While this certainly applies to marriage, it first describes Christ and His bride
Ephesians 5:32
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
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