Contrary to what many people believe, marriage was not man's invention or discovery, Nor is it a subject to be treated with shame, guilt or suspicion, Thus, you must understand several things about this divine institution.

The Divine Origin Of Marriage: Marriage is a human activity but it is not man's discovery. It is God who saw that man had no companion suitable for him. Further, it was God who proclaimed that it is not good for man to be above.

What's more, it is God himself who created the first woman and brought her to man. Thus, in every way marriage is an activity having its origin in God.

Though the modern education and mass media have made love and marriage a topic of open discussion, many families still consider it wrong or improper to discuss these subjects. Thus even today many young men and a larger number of women enter matrimony with a greater or lesser degree of guilt, many no Christian philosophies that consider the human body as evil have added to this guilt, you must understand the mistake of this viewpoint.

Since marriage originated with God, and since He has declared that this is an activity honorable above all, every person entering this relationship can do so with confidence and without guilt.

The Divine Reasons For Marriage: God has definite reasons for doing anything, and marriage is no exception. In the garden of Eden itself He proclaimed that man needed a companion to help him. Scattered throughout the Scriptures we discover several other reasons behind the establishing of the marriage relationship.

God created man as a social being and therefore he needs a companionship that is lasting, permanent, and not easily affected by external factors. Marriage fulfills the requirements of that type of companionship.

Two persons walking together is better than a n individual walk, according to proverbs. If one falls down, as often happens in life, the other one can always lift up and nurse. What is more, two like-minded companions provide synergy that no single person can have.

Synergy refers to the combined effect of more than one thing 0working together. The effect tends to be more than the sum of the individual effects. Thus when two complimentary medicines are given together, a stronger effect is noticed. Similarly, two complimentary persons working with each other can produce a synergistic effect that far surpasses what any individual can achieve.

Whether they are willing to accept or not, every individual needs help and protection from others. Since none is perfect, they need interaction with others to grow t perfection. Animals are able to take care of themselves immediately or soon after they are born. Humans, however, are not so endowed. They need care and protection for almost 25% of their total life before they stand upon their feet. A stable and committed marriage life ensures that kind of a provision.

The Divine Outworking Of Marriage: Every marriage manifests itself in an event_ the great marriage ceremony_ but that is only a brief portion of a prolonged event. Marriage is a lifelong process which grows at the physical, relational, and spiritual levels.

At the physical level, the couple experience sexual relationship, followed by childbearing(or childlessness). As they grow in the Lord, each of these physical phenomena become more meaningful and satisfying for them. Sexual relationship and childbearing need a lot of experience and growing. So is childlessness.

Sex, Childbearing, or childlessness are not static processes, None of the promise permanent bliss or permanent delusion. As you grow, the Lord will guide you into ever more meaning in these physical aspects of marriage.

The marriage outworks not only at the physical, but also at the relational level. Once you enter matrimony, you enter into a vast network of relationships. You relate with your spouse, children, cousins and relatives, and friends. Each relationship brings certain expectations from you, some of which might not be easy. Also man's sin nature will complicate some of these relationships to the extent of pain and even delusion. Yet all of this has a place in God's plan for marriages.

Proverbs says that as iron shapes iron, so does one man shape another. This is very true of marriage. The interaction of two persons shapes both of them onto what they could not have done by themselves.

Marriages outwork at yet another level; the spiritual one. Scriptures make it very clear that all believers spiritually benefit from each other. Marriage outworks at he spiritual level to produce maturity, tolerance , unity and growth, committed couples learn to distinguish between the essentials/non-essentials and majors/minors of spiritual life.

The outworking of marriages at the physical, relational, and spiritual level brings blessings not only here but also in the world to come.

The Divine Consequences Of Marriage: Marriage life is not an end in itself. God has designed it as a process that culminates in things far greater than anyone could achieve with personal efforts, Just as sharp and potentially hurtful pieces of stones falling into rivers rub against each other to eventually become smooth, rounded, and even useful creation s, the fusion of two persons in marriage eventually produces two lovable persons closer to the image of God than what they started .

Divine results in marriage manifest at two levels: personal and public. Though marriage is basically an affair between two persons,God uses this relationship to influence numerous people.

Personal results manifest at the physical, relational, and spiritual levels. Physically they learn to give themselves to the other partner without guilt or shame. They learn that their body is no longer solely under their control to be used as they see fit, but to be yielded in love so that both of them are benefited. The strong sexual attraction God built into humans helps this process of unselfish giving away at physical level, contrary to the normal selfish human nature.

Everyone needs personal relationships, and everyone chooses people with whom he or she is going to be bonded personal affection. However, since personal choices are often colored by sin and selfishness, God, makes every married person to relate to a number of persons without choosing them individually for such a relationship.

The former is the relationship of choice the latter the relationship of commitment.

In relationships of choice, we relate with people who fit our tastes and abandon others, reinforcing our selfishness. In marriage one has no such choice. The person acquires a whole set of in-laws, who may or may not suit one's choice. yet commitment ensures that one would learn to abandon selfish choices to love people as they are .

At spiritual level, when two young people brought up in godly families are bonded together, the reinforce each other. Each person learns to control one's selfish desires that the other one is not spiritually hindered. This in turn greatly blesses both persons. Even the most innocent and self-giving person continues to live under the spell of sin and selfishness, yet, when two such persons are bonded together by God, they learn to abandon their selfish? desires at physical, relational, and spiritual levels. Like sharp stones falling into rivers, they enter this institution and emerge eventually as persons much better at all planes of life.

Divine consequences are seen not only at personal but also art public level too. their joyful relationship with each other and with members of their newly extended family helps them now to relate better with outsiders. This brings great blessings to others of all age groups with whom the couple interacts. What is more, their life serves as a great witness for Christ.

The God-honoring family life of believers is an important withes to the life-giving and transforming power in the world today, specially a world dominated by sin and selfishness. The love, peace, and mutual commitment reigning in a Christian family has great persuasive power to bring other people into the family of God.

The actual divine consequences are far more than what I have mention. Yet what has been said gives an authentic glimpse of what it can be in a God-honoring marriage, each person changes at the physical, relational and spiritual level, it not only makes them better persons, but also pours great joys to the lives of many others, bringing a new life to them and glory to God.