Heb. 13:4 says, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” We live in an age where marriage is dishonored by many people in various ways. How can we be counter-cultural and show our faith by honoring marriage? Here are a few suggestions.

First, remember that marriage is God’s idea. The Lord instituted marriage for the well-being of mankind. He ordained it from the very beginning, in the garden of Eden. Gen. 2:24 says, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Jesus and the apostle Paul both quote this verse when they talk about marriage, so the Scripture consistently points out that marriage was instituted by God.

Second, we honor marriage by upholding its original definition. Gen. 2:24 describes marriage as a union between a man and a woman. With all due respect to the U.S. Supreme Court, no one has the right to redefine marriage. God’s definition has stood the test of time, and it will stand the test of eternity, so let’s honor marriage by retaining its God-given definition.

A third way to show our respect for marriage is to refuse to marry someone who does not share your faith in God. The Israelites, God’s chosen people in the Old Testament, were specifically told to choose a spouse from among the people of their own nation. Likewise, in the New Testament, Christians are taught to only marry someone who shares their faith. 2 Cor.6:14 warns us, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” This teaching has not been emphasized nearly enough in the church today, and those who fail to heed its wisdom have paid dearly for their mistakes.

Another way to honor marriage is to refuse to have sexual relations outside of marriage. 1 Cor.7:2 says, “But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.” Married folks must resist the temptation to break their marriage vows by having a sexual affair. And single people must flee from immorality also. 1 Cor.7:36 says, “If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married.” One of the greatest ways we can honor marriage is to refuse to have sexual relations outside of marriage.

Another very important way to show our respect for marriage is to avoid divorce. Marriage vows are to be taken very seriously! Jesus takes a hard line on divorce, although he does allow it if one spouse has broken the marriage vows (Matt.19:3-9). Let’s do everything we can to stay married to the spouse we have, and thus honor the institution of marriage.

Finally, let’s keep in mind that marriage is a beautiful picture of the relationship between Jesus and his church. The church is the bride of Christ, and the institution of marriage is designed to reflect the love and sacrifice that Jesus shows for his church. This is explained in Eph.5 and taken up again in Rev.21. Eph.5:32-33 sums up this idea— “This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” One of the greatest ways we can show respect for the institution of marriage is to constantly work on our own marriage so that it reflects the great love that God has shown us in Jesus.