Marriage Is Honorable

By

Shelby G. Floyd

The value of marriage is to be held in honor and high regard. It is not to be lightly esteemed nor treated with disdain. From the beginning the marriage relationship has been highly exalted by God and God-fearing people. Almighty God honored marriage in the very beginning of creation when he joined man and woman together:

Genesis 2:21-24

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to 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 a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

NKJV

The book of Hebrews speaks of this venerable institution: “Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). We notice that marriage is to be held in high honor and great respect, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). Paul instructed young Timothy that marriage should not be forbidden but should be received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4: 3).

Christian people should value their relationship with their spouse by not defiling the marriage bed with any kind of unlawful sexual relationships. This would include fornication with unmarried individuals and adulterous relationships with married individuals. Sodomy, prostitution, and homosexual acts all fall within the definition of fornication and will be judged by God: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders” (1 Corinthians 6:9). Fornication and adultery are identified as the works of the flesh and those so engaged who are not repentant of such actions will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19, 21).

Our world of lascivious and lewd behavior may seem to be rewarded by worldly and shortsighted individuals. But just as surely as such behavior was judged by the flood in the days of Noah, so also will those be judged who dishonor their marriage vows before God (2 Peter 3:3-12). Copyright © 2011 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved