Marriage Commitment
Our traditional wedding ceremonies are all about formalizing a covenant relationship. In this type of covenant, the parties are identified by typical phrasing “Do you … “ and names the people involved. The obligations are then given both generally and specifically, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish …” . These vary in completeness of aural declaration by the one performing the ceremony but are understood to be total in dedication to each other. As with all covenants, the design of the covenant is for the benefit of both parties.
Marriages have roots originating in the Bible and the covenant agreement is spelled out in many passages. Mal. 2:14 …Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, … she is your companion and your wife by covenant. A covenant binds two into one and one way to look at this is to recognize that two people join themselves together through a covenant to one entity – a family, instead of remaining as two people.
Husband and wife caring for each other is mentioned by Paul in 1 Cor. 7:33-34. … “he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife…she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.”
Provisions for remembering the covenant have specific reminders that they are bound to each other. Rings verify the existence of the covenant and anniversaries are the periodic reminders. The marriage covenant is a permanent agreement – for the life of the couple. Rom. 7:2-3
Because the covenant is mutually beneficial, both the husband and the wife must work at making the marriage work - Ephesians 5:33. Marriage is a covenant relationship between a man and woman that takes two lives and forms them into one; two people just living together doesn’t make a marriage. Marriages are and always will be special.
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