1. Preparing for Marriage in God’s Plan: Friendship, Chastity, Dating

2. The Benefits and Purpose (pgs. 76-77)
What is the purpose of Marriage?
Procreative
Unitive
Top 10…for marriage? (Maggie Gallagher)

3. Marriage in the Bible (pgs. 78-81)
“Man and Woman are made “for each other.” “The Lord God said: ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him’” (Gn 2:18)
Man and Woman are created as a communion of persons, equal to one another, and complementary as masculine and feminine. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two become one body” (Gn 2:24)
“Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth (Gn: 1:28)
Introduction of Sin and Influence of the Law.
Dowry?!

4. Marriage in the Bible (pgs. 78-81)
The New Covenant and Marriage.
What God has joined together, no man must separate. (Mt 19:6)
Marriage is permanent
Marriage is challenging
Connectivity to Christ is the foundation to build on and lean on
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Eph 5:25-27)
The wife should serve her husband in the way the Church is of service to Christ.
The husband should love his wife with the same depth of love that Christ has for the Church.