ABOUT MARRIAGES

MARRIAGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN REGARDED as the most sacred and purest bond shared between the bride and the groom—an institution that is so central to human experiences. Getting married is even regarded b many as the ultimate badge—a way to show relatives, associates, and friends that one has a successful personal life.

            How one approaches marriage and fulfills it is extremely important to his/her welfare; it will either yield great joy and fulfillment or heartache and disappointment. Truly, it is too easy for someone’s emotions to overwhelm his/her wisdom and strength thereby leading to bad decisions in life. Time and time again, individuals face social pressures to conform to popular customs in clothing, speech, thinking, and even marriage. But, it should not surprise anyone to know that many customs popular in this world are not in harmony with God’s teachings. People should not allow pleasing men to become more important than pleasing God.

            So, how does one please God and, consequently, become happy and successful in marriage? The Savior Jesus Christ Himself answers, thus: “and the two will become one. So they are no longer two, but one. Man must not separate, then, what God has joined together” (Mark 10:8-9, Today’s English Version).

            Marriage is in essence an institutional union of two people joined by God that no human being must separate. A life relationship with an oath that they will be next to each other in good and bad times. This union must be governed by God’s laws (Rom. 7:2-3), and its binds the spouse to the husband “as long as he lives”, hence, the oath “till death do us part”.

            If the couples fully realize that they are one, they will put everything they have into pleasing, encouraging, helping, and standing by each other or, simply put, loving each other. They have one life together—they are one.

            Sociologists and various experts may offer ways, teachings, and methods in choosing a “soul mate”, but the very best one can possibly have comes from the Lord (Prov. 19:14). Indeed, a wise, understanding, and prudent wife is good thing—a blessing from the Lord (Prov. 18:22).

            God, then, must be involved in man’s choice of a would be partner in life, nay, even in everything he does as the servant of God declares: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way. Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong: (Prov. 3:5-7, Ibid.).

            Man must lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all his heart and mind that God may crown his efforts with success. And who would not wish for oneself a happy and successful marriage? God’s teachings and commandments must be central in the relationship between the husband and the wife.

            Surely, when God instructed: “