Marriage - God's Design

Last week - "Marriage is designed" - not accidental, incidental, cultural invention

IF designed, Then there's a purpose!!  ie:  designed to achieve, accomplish, bring about an intended outcome.

Review:

So, WHAT is Marriage designed to eventuate?  deliver?

#1.  Provide Companionship.  "not alone" - no friendship is comparable to what God is trying to accomplish in marriage.

#2.  establish a Partnership - "help mete" - plus " - working together in life and against life - "subdue, rule, have dominion"

#3.  provide Courtship - (romance, passion, LOVE) - "this is bone of my bone"

#4.  effect Completion (compliment, Add to, Round out)  Doesn't mean you are incomplete if not married.  But means, the Union is incomplete without Both male and female.

#5.  create a Couple - a pair, a mating pair.  Gen. 4:1 (KJV - "knew") - intimacy, need, enjoyment
Doesn't mean this can't take place outside of marriage.  Obviously, it does.

BUT, that's not God's design.  His design is within marriage, with commitment

What else is Marriage designed to effect??

#6.  Procreation - ie:  babies!!!  Gen. 1:28  (creation out of His creation)
Doesn't mean can't do this outside of marriage, BUT, God's design is within marriage!!!
Procreation is far more than just having kids.

#7.  Child raising - nurture, development within confines of home and marriage.
This is more than perpetuation of species - Mal. 2:16
Doesn't mean incomplete without kids, doesn't mean singles cannot nurture, develop, etc.
However, IF there are kids, God's plan is the best plan - nuture, etc. within marriage.  God is preparing a Kingdom of Godly people - Eternal people

#8.  Melding Together - Gen. 2:24   - 2==>1
Doesn't mean individuality is erased.  But "knit together", so.....

#9.  Staying Together - Matt. 19:4-6
Old English = "put asunder".    Mal. 2:16
Doesn't mean no place for divorce.  Doesn't mean God hates divorcees.   God understands divorce perfectly, but that's NOT His design or desire.  Jer. 3:6-8

#10.  Glorifying God.   ie:  make Him know, reveal Him, manifest Him
Point = people should encounter God in a Christian marriage.

Eph. 5:31-32 - Christ & church = model  for marriage!  Marriage is to reflect/display Christ & church

Question:

if marriage designed for this, why isn't it producing more of it? 
Answer:  SIN  (next week).  Nothing wrong with the institution - wrong with the people in the institution

Note:  we tend to ask "is my spouse providing this for me?"
We ought to ask "am I providing this for my spouse?"

Before marriage can deliver what it is designed to do, you must ...
A.  Submit to the design
B.  Submit to the designer