<p>Christian Marriage – Summary 03/05/2006</p><p>I. The biblical concept of marriage  Marriage is a holy institution established by God  The otherwise sacred nature of marriage is seen as “dirty” only when humans violate God’s expectations of marriage</p><p>II. Marriage is a lifelong covenant  It is God that makes a couple “one” (Malachi 2:14-16)  If we consider marriage on the basis of the Bible, we will try our best to make the marriage work</p><p>III. The basic criterion of a spouse  He/She must be a Christian with a true faith  Biblical examples: Nehemia 13:23-28; 2 Corinthian 6:14  Choosing a non-Christian spouse sows seeds of danger for someone’s faith</p><p>IV. Examples of failed marriages  Differences in religious beliefs pose practical problems in a couple’s daily life  Jacob had a less-than-successful marriage because he only followed his own preferences  When a marriage fails, we are the ones who are hurt, not God. God’s will is done regardless of our choices  We should have a clear bottomline regarding how we choose our spouses in order to avoid temptations from Satan</p><p>V. Christians that are already in relationships  We should trust God: If someone is prepared for you by God, you two will be able to get married no matter what the obstacles are  Try to avoid starting relationships at a young age  We should have a habit of praying about our future marriage</p><p>VI. What else to consider..  Both sides should share similar backgrounds</p><p>VII. Physical contact in relationships  Treating physical contact in a conservative way does not mean being “close- minded” Scientifically speaking, the more intense the physical contact, the harder it is for one to control his/her sexual desire  Sexual loyalty is an important basis for mutual trust in a marriage </p>