Marriage is a sacred covenant before God. It was first seen in the Garden of Eden between Adam and Eve, in which they became one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Marriages seem to be on the rise today and are popular within the culture. Christian culture especially promotes the idea that all people should get married.
Some forms of teaching within churches have stretched the concept of marriage to be a spiritual discipline or even goes to the point of believing one cannot be a spiritually mature Christian if they are not married. But is this true? Does God give the promise of marriage to us in the Bible?
What Are God’s Promises?
God does not give promises of marriages to us in the Bible. Jesus tells His Disciples that there will be people who will not get married (Matthew 19:10-12). There is not a sentence, paragraph, or book of the Bible that tells us all people will get married. God does not promise any person they will get married in their life.
It is not a lack of discipline or spiritual knowledge if a person never gets married. Many people will never become married, and they will make great impacts on the world for Christ, nevertheless.
Some well-known Christians who never got married were Lottie Moon, Amy Carmichael, and Gladys Aylward. Each of these women did great things for the Lord despite not being married.
God does not promise wedding bells for each believer; however, He does give far greater promises in the Bible to us. In the Bible, God promises all believers forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and the indwelling Holy Spirit when they place faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (John 3:16-17).
Another promise God gives in the Bible is that as believers, we will never be alone (Hebrews 13:5). God is always there with us, no matter where we go or how old we grow (Deuteronomy 31:8). God is with us through every single second of each day.
God also promises to give us rest if we turn to Him (Matthew 11:28-29). There are many more promises made to us in the Bible from God, but none of these promises are of marriage.
What Does the Bible Say about Marriage?
As earlier stated, God created the concept of marriage. He created Eve for Adam as He saw it was not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). Eve was created to be a helper to Adam. Both Adam and Eve are equal in God’s eyes; however, they both have different roles as male and female.
Since the fall of man, marriage has also been affected. God wanted Adam and Eve as well as all people to have perfect marriages, but since there is sin in the world, marriages have problems. There are fights, arguments, and divorces within marriages — believers and unbelievers alike.
Some Christians will get married, while others will not. Being married is not wrong and not being married is not wrong either. Paul tells us very clearly that whether a person gets married or not, they are still beloved children of God (1 Corinthians 7:1-40).
This is because God never promises anyone marriage. God is more concerned with your relationship with Him rather than your relationship with a potential spouse.
To Be Married or Not to Be?
If you are to be married, it will happen. People who get married will face many challenges (1 Corinthians 7:8), which single people will not have to face. If a person remains single, he or she will have more time to devote to God and be completely focused on serving Him (1 Corinthians 7:34).
Married men and women will be first focused on their spouse rather than being completely devoted to serving God. It is a great blessing to remain single since you will be able to do many more things for God. Nobody is a lesser Christian for not being married.
As believers, we are all the bride of Christ. The church is referred to as the bride of Christ many times throughout the Bible (Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:7-9). This means that we are all unconditionally loved by God. It is a beautiful thing to be loved by the Creator of our souls.
It is important for all Christians to know that marriage is temporary. When believers die, they are no longer married and there are no marriages in Heaven. Jesus tells us,
“The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection” (Luke 20:34-36).
Therefore, if you get married or if you don’t, God is still sovereign. If you get married, great. If you don’t get married, that’s even greater (1 Corinthians 7:8). Despite the pressure from the Christian culture to get married, not all believers are destined for marriage.
God is more concerned with your relationship with Him and your growth into Christlikeness. Nothing makes God happier than to know that His children are growing in their faith. Marriage is a good thing God created; however, believers should be wise about not idolizing marriage.
Anything can become an idol if we place it above God — even marriage. God doesn’t promise believers they will get married, but He does promise that all believers will be His bride at the wedding feast of the lamb.
Thus, God does not give promises of marriage to us, but He does give promises of forgiveness of sins, eternal life, the eternal indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us, the promises of a new heaven and a new earth, and many more great things!
In 1 Corinthians 2:9, the Apostle Paul tells us, “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ — the things God has prepared for those who love him.” God has a great future for you in Christ Jesus.
For further reading:
How Can Believing in Soulmates Ultimately Ruin Your Marriage?
What Is the Biblical Definition of Marriage?
Is Singleness a Lesser State Than Marriage?
Love from the Garden to the Silver Screen
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