A Marriage Manifesto

I believe that every marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church to the watching world. Some marriages tell the Truth. Some marriages do not.

I believe that the definition of marriage is one man plus one woman united to make one flesh, and that any other kind of union fails utterly to tell the truth about Christ and the Church.

I believe that when a woman submits to her husband, honoring him because this is how she honors God, she tells the truth about Christ and the Church.

I believe that when a man loves his wife because this is how he loves God, he tells the truth about Christ and the Church.

I believe that when a man and woman stay married, they tell the truth about Christ and the Church.

I believe that when a man or a woman leaves the marriage, for anything other than unfaithfulness or voluntary abandonment by an unbelieving spouse, they break the covenant and they lie to the world about Christ and the Church.

I believe that God hates divorce.

To that end...

I will stay married.
I will submit to my husband.
I will protect and nourish my marriage covenant.
I will esteem your marriage covenant.
I will encourage you, wife, to submit to and honor your husband--even when he is not honorable--because this is how you honor God.
I will encourage you, husband, to love your wife--even when she is not lovable--because this is how you love God.
I will rejoice alongside you in the blessed times.
I will weep alongside you in the difficult times.
I will exhort you to stay faithful to your covenant.
I will challenge you if you are unfaithful to your covenant, even if that means losing your good opinion of me.
I will build you up in your faithfulness.
I will grieve over your unfaithfulness.

No matter how you have entered into your marriage covenant,
Whether you were a believer or an unbeliever,
Whether you got your parents' blessing or you wed in rebellion,
Whether you had children first or got the order right,
Whether this is your first marriage or your fifth,
Once you say, "I do," you did.
And I will be a friend of your covenant.

May the Church be a friend of marriage.
May the Church tell the Truth to the watching world.
May it begin with me.