Wyatt Graham

Faith | Books | Culture

Marriage

What Is the Meaning of Marriage?

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In Scripture marriage always points to union with God in Christ. In saying this, I want to be quick to affirm that Scripture by no means downplays marriage and family in its natural sense. Far from it, it elevates these things. But its elevation occurs because of marriage’s deepest meaning. From the beginning, marriage always signified God’s union with humanity in Christ.

This is a big claim. So let me cite and comment on a number of biblical passages that, I think, naturally lead to the conclusion that I have stated in my opening sentence.  [Read more…] about What Is the Meaning of Marriage?

Is It Okay to Be Single?

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In our day, we marry later and delay starting a family. Through selfishness, some North Americans have written off the institution of marriage altogether. In light of these realities, Christians rightly underscore the goodness of marriage and the family. 

But, on occasion, we emphasize marriage so much that we give the impression that singleness represents a lesser state. It does not. It is not just okay to be single, but for those so gifted with singleness, it also represents a much better state of living than does marriage.  [Read more…] about Is It Okay to Be Single?

Marriage and Family Existed before All Time

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Christians often maintain that marriage and family constitute foundations for society. From a biblical point of view, the argument goes like this. God created humanity. He instituted marriage through Adam and Eve. And through marriage, God founds the institution of the family that make up the backbone of society.

While true, this summary omits key realities that lie behind the two institutions. It tells us of the history of marriage and family but not the thing to which these institutions point nor their origin. Marriage and family are not originally human institutions. They belong to God by essence (family) and by promise (marriage) from before all time.

Families have their origin in the Father. Since he is Father, we have families (Eph 3:15). And the idea of marriage existed before the world’s founding because God promised to marry divinity to humanity in Christ and by the Spirit before the world’s foundation (Eph 5).

Here is what I mean.

[Read more…] about Marriage and Family Existed before All Time