When Wrong Has Been Done

God calls some Christians to marriage and some to lifelong singleness (1 Corinthians 7). So, as you think about the possibility of marriage in the future, there are some important truths to keep in mind.

Most importantly, realize that a future spouse will fail you, but Jesus Christ never will. We were created to know God—to find our worth and strength in Him and to build a community around worshiping Him (Matthew 22:36-40; Colossians 1:18; 1 John 4:11; Revelation 21:1-5). Our worth and identity are rooted in Jesus, not in how others view or treat us. Therefore, when people— even marvelous spouses—fail us in this broken world, we know we are secure in Christ because He died for our sins and He rose again from the grave to give us freedom from death and the promise of eternal life with Him and His people.

Related to this, don’t marry someone who doesn’t know Jesus (1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14-16). Some key purposes of marriage are to strengthen and encourage each other, to reflect God’s character and unconditional love, and to teach the next generation about God. If your identity and future is in Jesus, why pursue a deep, romantic relationship with someone who doesn’t know Him and won’t value the reasons God created marriage?

Finally, marriage is intended for one man and one woman for life (Matthew 19:4-6). This one-flesh, covenant union pictures the way Jesus sacrificially loves His church (Ephesians 5:21-33).

Marriage may seem far down the road, but you are already becoming the person you will be within your future marriage. Use these years to dig deeply into God’s Word and to grow in your knowledge of Jesus, your Savior. Then, if it is God’s will for you to get married, you’ll be rooted in the gospel when you meet your future spouse. • Michelle Isenhoff

• What do you expect marriage to be like? What examples have you seen?

• Why did God create marriage? How does marriage show Jesus’ love for His people?

“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?†Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ “ And he said, ‘ “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.†Matthew 19:4-6 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Matthew 6:14-15; Luke 17:3-4; Ephesians 4:32