Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:5,6
Robert R. Taylor Jr.

These two passages read respectively, And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 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. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed; And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:5,6).

Marriage is REAL in its basic, beautiful nature. It is just as real as God who instituted it in Edenic excellency; as real as Jesus who blessed it at Cana in John 2; as real as the Holy Spirit who classed it as honorable in Hebrews 13:4, as real as the two who enter it; as real as the state who licenses it; as real as the witnesses who observe the wedding vows exchanged. Marriage is DIVINE in origin. Genesis 2 so attests. So does
Matthew 19. God-not man-originated it. Therefore he-not man-is its divine regulator.

Marriage is INTIMATE in its relationship. Therein and therein ONLY may the sexual relationship occur with Heaven’s full smiles resting upon it and with approval by good men everywhere. This is the extra language of marriage and ONLY the married can speak (perform) this lovely language. Marriage is FAITHFULNESS to a vow-a vow mutually declared and honorably intended. This vow cannot be violated without reaping severe consequences indeed.

Marriage is PERMANENT in its duration. It is NOT just as long as love lasts; it is NOT just as long as we find each other attractive and desirable; it is NOT just as long as everything goes well; it IS “till death do us part” AND THIS SHOULD NEVER BE SOFTENED!!

Marriage is MATURE in its responsibilities. THIS is why little boys and little girls should not enter it. Marriage is for a man and woman who have the mark of maturity already present. Marriage is MUTUAL in its responsibilities. Paul makes this crystal clear in Ephesians 5:22-33. SO does Peter in 1 Peter 3:1-7.

Marriage is HETEROSEXUAL-not homosexual. It is not for two men, not for two women, it is for a man and woman. Yet the movement is widespread that it should be homosexual as well as heterosexual. If the deadly, diabolical ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) has it[s] infamous way, it will soon be that way-heterosexual or homosexual-in ALL fifty states.

Marriage is a THREESOME-not a twosome. It is not a straight line with just man and woman at each end; it is a triangle with God at apex angle and man and woman at base angles. Three were present in Eden- God, Adam, and Eve. Three were present at Cana-Christ, groom, bride. Marriage is GOOD; it is WISE; it is HONORABLE; it is IMPERATIVE to have decency in a world that is already sensually seeped in sins of the flesh.

What constitutes marriage? The couple must both be willing to enter it. Both must be free of any entangling ties from the past that would impede their marriage. Both must comply with the laws of the land which call for a license and either a religious or civil ceremony. When the religious or civil officiant pronounces them husband and wife, they are husband and wife right then-not when they are first joined in the sexual union. If this is not the case, then the officiant lies when he so pronounces them husband and wife. Marriage permits the sexual union; it does not make such into a rich reality.