Preparing for the Big Day: Bible Verses about Marriage

A wedding includes so many details that it is easy to get caught up in the planning stage. Many couples want a church, minister, rings, flowers, candles, reception, food and drinks, party savers, photos, groomsmen, and bridesmaids. But how much time are you putting into planning your marriage? Are you studying Bible verses about marriage?

The wedding and reception will last less than a day, but your marriage will hopefully last for the rest of your life. Yet, we place more emphasis on the wedding than the marriage. The Bible speaks of the union of a man and a woman, the partnership, and the intimacy.

Studying Bible Verses about Marriage

Pick a time when you and your significant other can sit down and study Bible verses about marriage. Consider seeking out a counselor for premarital counseling. It may be a much more beneficial investment than the wedding and honeymoon combined.

Making Christ the center of your marriage and your family will help when times get tough, knowing that in God’s strength you can strive to be the godliest and most loving spouse possible. If you want the same for your partner, make sure they know where you stand.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” – Genesis 2:18, NIV

God created the union of a man and a woman with the creation of Eve. God had already made the animals and saw that Adam needed a companion, a helpmate. God thinks so highly of marriage that the church is referred to as a bride waiting for her groom (the return of Jesus).

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” – Genesis 1:28, NIV

Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. – Malachi 2:15, NIV

God commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. He expected them to have children and raise them to love God. God knew that for this to happen, Adam and Eve would need to share intimacy, not just physically but emotionally.

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” – Mark 10:7-9, NIV

Unfortunately, many marriages lack emotional intimacy, and some spouses look for it elsewhere. The second half of Malachi 2:15 states, “So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.” (Malachi 2:15, NIV)

He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come – sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” – Mark 7:20-23, NIV

God yearns for a relationship with you. He created marriage to reflect that intimacy. It is supposed to be a permanent union. The union of you and your spouse should not include anyone else in the picture. This is why the Bible warns strongly against adultery. Guard your heart and be vigilant about what you see and hear.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NIV

Marriage demands respect and building each other up. It is like having someone who knows you inside and out by your side, ready to stand with you or support you in your endeavors. A healthy marriage chooses love and kindness over ego and pride.

They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. – 1 Kings 11:2, NIV

For lasting happiness in your marriage, be careful about the spouse you choose. Do not only consider issues such as financials and parenting but also whether they are a Believer. Non-Christians may underestimate the importance of your faith or lack the same values.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? – 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, NIV

The longer you are married, the more likely that you both will find things that irritate you about the other. This is normal when two people live together for years. This will only increase as you bring more people into your family when you begin having children. Just try to remember that God blessed you with your spouse. Concentrate on the wonderful things they bring to the marriage.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. – Hebrews 13:4, NIV

It is too easy in today’s society to see a way out of marriage at the slightest offense or simply out of boredom. But marriage is a commitment. If you, as a couple, vow to stay married and work through all the problems that eventually surface, you will find yourselves pushing through to the other side. Do not go running to other people and situations, thinking that things might be better elsewhere.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. – Ephesians 5:24-28, NIV

Love and commitment are the keys to a long-lasting and happy marriage. Loving your spouse the way God loves you keeps God at the forefront of your marriage while making it easier to work through problems.

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15, NIV

Speak to your significant other before the wedding and consider taking these Bible verses about marriage with you to a premarital or couples counseling session. You should both be on the same page regarding the crucial issues and topics, but also faith and how you plan to raise godly children.

Premarital and Marriage Counseling

Marriage should not be taken lightly. It is a covenant between a man, a woman, and God. God thinks highly of marriage, as we should. If you are planning a wedding, consider premarital counseling. A Christian counselor can help the two of you prepare for problems you may face during your marriage.

If you are already married, whether for one year or fifty years and are having problems, think about giving marriage counseling a try. Your Christian counselor specializes in the struggles couples face during different seasons of marriage and can help you relate to the Bible verses about marriage and God’s view on your union.