I. TEXTUAL THOUGHTS

1. Gen 2:23-24 – God instituted marriage.

2. Mat 19:4-6 – God intended for marriage to last.

3. Rom 7:2-3 – The marriage contract ends with the death of one partner.

4. 1 Cor 7:10-11 – Married believers are not to divorce.

5. 1 Cor 7:12-16 – God recognizes marriages that are not according to His will (believer married to non-believer), and sanctifies them.

II. MAIN THEME – Loyalty is the foundation of marriage. The marriage bond is to be more important than the bond to our parents and extended family. God ordained marriage, and marriage is a contract between a man and a woman to be faithful to each other as long as they both live.

1. God planned and instituted marriage, and intended for it to be a blessing to last throughout the life of the couple, Gen 2:23-24, Mat 19:4-6, Rom 7:2-3, 1 Cor 7:10-11.

2. Marriage is sometimes destroyed by disloyalty, Mat 5:32,19:9.

3. Marriage is sometimes destroyed by trouble from an unbelieving partner, 1 Cor 7:15-16, Ezra 4:4-5, 9:1-2, 10:3-4, 10, Neh 13:23-27.

4. Love and loyalty are the foundation for the marriage relationship, Mar 12:29-31.

5. A faithful marriage relationship is a blessing, Pr 5:15-20, 31:10-31.

6. God hates disloyalty between marriage partners, Mal 2:14-15.

III. PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. God hates divorce and disloyalty, but He commanded the separation of Israel from pagan wives whose people were trying to harm Israel. Loyalty to God comes before every other commitment. Ezra 10:3-4, 10, Neh 13:23-27.

2. God’s marriage laws have never changed, and are the same for all people, one man and one woman married for as long as they both live, Gen 2:18, Mat 19:4-6.

3. God commanded that a husband leave his family and cleave to his wife. This does not necessarily mean that he must leave the area where his parents live, but that he must count loyalty to his wife of more importance than other human relationships, Gen 2:24.

IV. MEMORY VERSES – Mal 2:14-15

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