1 John 4:7–16
Four “P”s to Keep in Mind Regarding Marriage
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Purpose: The glory of God
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Principle: The love of God the Father
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Pattern: The suffering of Jesus the Son
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Power: Communion with the Holy Spirit
More important than the marriage itself is recognizing God’s sovereign providence and work in the meeting of a man and a woman before the wedding takes place. A marriage that proceeds without having experienced God’s guiding hand, His goodness, faithfulness, and grace in bringing two people together according to His Word, is like setting a small sailboat adrift on a stormy sea.
The Bible testifies, “God is love.” Therefore, our marriage should be a process in which God’s love—shown to us—is applied and revealed. The principle of that love means that the husband and wife are committed to bearing the burdens of suffering together and walking the path of the cross that Jesus walked.
Only the kind of marriage that is built on a solid foundation—
one that vows to live for God’s glory by revealing His love,
one that resolves to walk together in the path of Jesus’ suffering,
and one in which the couple becomes one in the presence of the Holy Spirit and decides to walk in deep communion with God to fulfill His will—
can truly stand firm.