Purpose of Marriage 1

“The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.’ 

Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air.

He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living

creature, that was its name.   So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the

beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.  So the LORD God caused the man to fall

into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with

flesh.  Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to

the man.  The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, '

for she was taken out of man.’  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his

wife, and they will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:18-24).

“neither was man created for woman, but woman for man” (1 Corinthians 11:9).

Christian young people need to understand the clear reasons and purposes for "why they should get married."  Genesis 2:18-24 and 1 Corinthians 11:9 both state that God created woman with the purpose of being a suitable helper for man.  As a result, men and women naturally have different orientations – men needing help and women having the need to provide that help.  Marriage is not simply about men and women coming together to love each other and live happily.  The reason God joins us in marriage is so that the two individuals, as a united body, can fulfill the divine mission of marriage and collaborate in carrying out God's will.

Husbands should recognize the need for help from their wives, while wives should clearly understand the need to help their husbands.  God's intention in bringing two individuals together in marriage is for them to cooperate in fulfilling the divine purpose of marriage.  Couples should acknowledge that mutual help is crucial – husbands recognizing the need for help from their wives, and wives understanding the importance of helping their husbands.