While civil magistrates, courts, denominations, and congregations may legislate the certification, regulation, and licensing of domestic unions, partnerships, and friendships, even “defining” such unions as true “love” or “marriage,” only God Himself actually defines love and marriage by the covenantal decrees in His Biblical revelation.

It is God who has established, sanctified, and ordained Covenant Marriage (Genesis 2:18-25). Therefore, all things governing its definition, initiation, nature, purpose, sanctity, recognition, and perpetuation must be determined by His Word and by His Word alone (Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32).

Jesus declared,

From the beginning of creation, God made us male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together let not man separate (Matthew 19:4-6).

In the Scriptures we are instructed that all those who enter into this relation are to cherish a mutual esteem and love (Ephesians 5:21-33); to bear with each other’s infirmities and weaknesses (Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Pet 3:7); to comfort each other in sickness and trouble (1 Corinthians 7:36-38); in honesty and industry to provide for each other (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15); and for their household in temporal things (Proverbs 31:10-31); to pray for and encourage each other in the things which pertain to God (Ephesians 6:18); and to live together as co-heirs of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7).  This is the holy estate of matrimony. And, because Covenant Marriage is the Biblical model for true intimacy and sexuality, understanding its character, nature, and purpose is vital, not only for the family, but also for the Church and the wider culture (Ephesians 5:1-6:4).

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