What is marriage?

It can seem like a silly question perhaps, but I do wonder if we generally grasp the meaning of marriage in the church? We focus on commitment, faithfulness, prayer life, we understand the practical side of conflict resolution, money handling, raising kids in the faith and managing day to day life. But I believe when we look a bit deeper at scripture we can see that marriage is much more than all this, much more than just God's way to grow the human population in a healthy relationship.

When we look at marriage, what we are really looking at is a picture of Christ and his church. Christ, Holy, perfect, faultless, righteous coming to be with united with his bride for eternity. His bride who is so not like Christ, different, other than him. His bride who he shapes and forms through his love, goodness and by the power of his Spirit. Really, human marriage is something that points us towards this final union. Jesus even states himself that no one will marry in heaven of be given in marriage. Because the old has washed away.

When Jesus laid his life down for his bride, we no longer made sacrifices for sin. The Old system for dealing with sin was no longer relevant because the true reality that it pointed towards was fulfilled in Christ once and for all. The same goes with marriage. It points towards Christ as the head or his bride the church. All teaching and understanding of marriage needs to really grapple with this at its core. When we understand this we can also see clearly the echos of this in Genesis:

-Adam, the head (Christ), his bride, his helper, Eve (the church-through listening to Christ we do his work in the world).

-Brought together to rule the earth, fill it and subdue it (this points us to Christ's ultimate reign on earth at his return).

-We see in Adam, who was put to sleep (symbolic of dying) and Eve being made from a rib from his side (the earliest sign of Christ being pierced in his side to bring about the beginning of his church). From the creative act, we can see Christ and his church coming together.

-We are the body of Christ, Eve was made from the body of Adam.

-Adam was the firstborn of God's creation, Christ is the firstborn, so to speak, of the church, and is in fact described as a second true and perfect Adam (unpacked in Romans).

-Eve was made for Adam, the church is made for Christ.

Human marriage is all about Jesus. It points to him, his gospel, his life, death and resurrection and speaks ultimately of the final union of Christ with his church. This is why the Devil hates marriage, it speaks of the ultimate end of things, for the final union of Christ and his church is the final end of Satan and al those who follow him.

When we think about marriage, have marriage struggles, do marriage counselling and have/give marriage preparation. When we discuss marriage in the world, with all its differing and every changing opinions. Remember this, remember the significance of what you are doing when you say/said I do. You are declaring the union of Christ and his church, the final fulfilment of the gospel. Men in this union you represent Christ, live up to it! Women, you represent Christ's church, live up to it! When you read passages like those in Ephesians and there is crossover between teaching on marriage and teaching about the church, this is why! It speaks of the same thing.

Take joy in your marriage, whatever struggles you are facing, your marriage speaks of Christ, it really is Holy matrimony and means a lot more than just a good place to raise kids, and to gain stability etc. which are all the usual reason to invest in marriage. Your marriage speaks Christ and him crucified, and him who will be united to his bride, the church for all time. Forgive one another in Christ, love one another in Christ, yes, challenge each other (in love) in Christ, raise your children in Christ do it all through him and for him, this could be the most empowering perspective you may have for your marriage! Dwell in it-your marriage speaks Christ to the world-what is it saying?