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[[Image:Bride and groom signing the book.jpg|right|275px]]

[[Image:Bride and groom signing the book.jpg|right|275px]]

'''Marriage''' is the divinely ordained [[covenant]]<ref>Marriage between the sexes is a covenant, not a [[contract]]. Since time immemorial, some men disposed of a wife (woman) after her childbearing years to pursue a younger female consort. God, being a defender of women, ordained marriage by his perfect will to protect women's rights and not allow a man (male) to abandon them to homelessness and poverty with no marketable job skills other than homemaking or child rearing. This however, is not the only reason the covenant of marriage evolved between the sexes.</ref>  between one man and one woman, and is intended to be for life. (Genesis 2:24)<ref>See also [[Perfect will of God]] vs [[Permissive will of God]].</ref> This is recognized by the majority of churches.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm Article 7, "The sacrament of matrimony"]</ref><ref>[http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/basicbeliefs.asp "Basic Beliefs," Southern Baptist Convention]</ref><ref>[http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/topics/relations_04_marriage.cfm "Marriage"]</ref><ref>[http://www.studylight.org/com/bnb/view.cgi?bk=39&ch=19 [[Albert Barnes]], Matthew 19]</ref><ref>[http://live.e-sword.net/app/ [[Matthew Henry]], Matthew 19]</ref>   

'''Marriage''' is the divinely ordained [[covenant]]<ref>Marriage between the sexes is a covenant, not a [[contract]]. Since time immemorial, some men disposed of a wife (woman) after her childbearing years to pursue a younger female consort. God, being a defender of women, ordained marriage by his perfect will to protect women's rights and not allow a man (male) to abandon them to homelessness and poverty with no marketable job skills other than homemaking or child rearing. This, however, is not the only reason the covenant of marriage evolved between the sexes.</ref>  between one man and one woman, and is intended to be for life. (Genesis 2:24)<ref>See also [[Perfect will of God]] vs [[Permissive will of God]].</ref> This is recognized by the majority of churches.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm Article 7, "The sacrament of matrimony"]</ref><ref>[http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/basicbeliefs.asp "Basic Beliefs," Southern Baptist Convention]</ref><ref>[http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/topics/relations_04_marriage.cfm "Marriage"]</ref><ref>[http://www.studylight.org/com/bnb/view.cgi?bk=39&ch=19 [[Albert Barnes]], Matthew 19]</ref><ref>[http://live.e-sword.net/app/ [[Matthew Henry]], Matthew 19]</ref>   

The unity between a man and a woman in marriage is an expression of the spiritual relationship that God desires His creation to realize with Him. The first marriage occurred nearly 6,000 years ago in the [[Garden of Eden]], in the area of the world that we now know as the Middle East. The first couple was Adam and Eve, and the Lord Jesus specified that it was male and female that God joined together in marriage for life. (Matthew 19:4-6)  See also: [[Christian marriage]]

The unity between a man and a woman in marriage is an expression of the spiritual relationship that God desires His creation to realize with Him. The first marriage occurred nearly 6,000 years ago in the [[Garden of Eden]], in the area of the world that we now know as the Middle East. The first couple was Adam and Eve, and the Lord Jesus specified that it was male and female that God joined together in marriage for life. (Matthew 19:4-6)  See also: [[Christian marriage]]

Marriage has been practised as such in most cultures across geography and time.<ref>"Because there is a natural complementarity between men and women - sexual, emotional, temperamental, spiritual - marriage allows for a wholeness and a completeness that cannot be won in any other way. ([[Bill Bennett]], ''The Broken Hearth'', Page 197)</ref>

Marriage has been practiced as such in most cultures across geography and time.<ref>"Because there is a natural complementarity between men and women - sexual, emotional, temperamental, spiritual - marriage allows for a wholeness and a completeness that cannot be won in any other way. ([[Bill Bennett]], ''The Broken Hearth'', Page 197)</ref>

Marriage is a lifelong commitment, and typically this involves a public ceremony (a [[wedding]]) in which vows are exchanged by the parties and before God. Approximately half of all traditional marriages in America end in [[divorce]],<ref>Divorce is within the permissive will of God, Deut. 22:13; divorce however, is due to sin entering the world, which God is willing to redeem. God himself in fact is divorced from Israel ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%203:8-14&version=KJV Jer. 3:8-14]; see also [http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/isaiah/passage.aspx?q=isaiah+54:5-15 Is. 54:5]), or for that matter, all unredeemed sinners.</ref>  many due to [[Facebook]] and other [[liberal]] activities.

Marriage is a lifelong commitment, and typically this involves a public ceremony (a [[wedding]]) in which vows are exchanged by the parties and before God. Approximately half of all traditional marriages in America end in [[divorce]],<ref>Divorce is within the permissive will of God, Deut. 22:13; divorce however, is due to sin entering the world, which God is willing to redeem. God himself in fact is divorced from Israel ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%203:8-14&version=KJV Jer. 3:8-14]; see also [http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/isaiah/passage.aspx?q=isaiah+54:5-15 Is. 54:5]), or for that matter, all unredeemed sinners.</ref>  many due to [[Facebook]] and other [[liberal]] activities.

==Biblical marriage advice==

==Biblical marriage advice==

1 Corinthians 7:1-16:

1 Corinthians 7:1-16:

{{cquote|Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

{{cquote|Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. But this I say by way of concession, not of command. Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?}}

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?}}

==Modern marriage licenses==

==Modern marriage licenses==

==Modern history of marriage law==

==Modern history of marriage law==

*1724 - blacks, with permission of their slave owner, given the right to marry (formerly, under [[British]] law, only whites could legally marry)

*1724 — blacks, with permission of their slave owner, given the right to marry (formerly, under [[British]] law, only whites could legally marry)

*1769 - women no longer considered property of their husbands

*1769 — women no longer considered property of their husbands

*1899 - polygamy outlawed in the US

*1899 — polygamy outlawed in the US

*1967 - interracial marriage legalized in all states

*1967 — interracial marriage legalized in all states

*1981 - rise of community property laws as men no longer seen as the sole owner of all marital assets

*1981 — rise of community property laws as men no longer seen as the sole owner of all marital assets

*2015 - same-sex marriage legalized

*2015 — same-sex "marriage" legalized

==Attacks on the institution of marriage==

==Attacks on the institution of marriage==