Marriage

Intro Thoughts and Questions:

Think about the good marriages you are aware of: Does God play a major role in all, most, some or none?

Describe one of the most Biblically-based marriages you know of.


Being in a God-centered marriage doesn’t mean you will be above challenges, but that you handle those challenges and issues in Faith, acting according to the Bible and not your feelings.

Describe a way you’ve seen this in your marriage (or another strong marriage).


Bible Questions:

Read Genesis 2:18-24; Matthew 19:4-6;

What are some of the lessons about God’s perspective on marriage, and his goals in marriage?


Dave said (quoting Gary Thomas in Sacred Marriage) that God’s primary goal in our marriages is not “to make us happy”, but to “make us Holy”. Discuss your reaction to that.


Read Romans 8:28-29

Dave cited Romans 8:28-29 as an indication that God’s goal may not be our temporary happiness, but rather, our long-term Christ –likeness.

What are some of the possible implications for this in YOUR life and marriage?

Remember James 4:1-4 from a couple of weeks ago…How would our ‘desires’ wage war against a Biblical Marriage?

How would “friendship with the world” harm God’s goal for our marriage?

Dave said that Biblical Marriage is actually a 3-step process:




Step # 1 is God moving toward you—God showing His grace, love, character to you.


Step #2 is you moving toward God—determining to live your life by faith, placing obedience to Him on a higher priority than your desires or feelings.

This is when you begin to notice “the Fruit of the Spirit” (read Galatians 5:16-25) as this passage relates to your marriage, what do you see that you’d want to eliminate?

What evidence do you see that the Holy Spirit is producing ‘fruit’ in your marriage?


Step #3 is you moving toward your spouse.

Why is it so crucial that we keep step #’s 1 and 2 in the right order if we want to have a closer relationship with our spouse?


Sharing Questions:

In what ways has God and your faith been ‘in the center’ of your marriage in the past?


What can you do to invite Him to have more influence over you?

…as an individual?

…as a couple?