Genesis 2:21-25 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man He made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
Is marriage a covenant or a contract?
Rights & Responsibilities
CONTRACT
COVENANT
Romans 5:8 (NKJV/NLT) But God demonstrates His own love toward us… while we were still sinners… by sending Christ to die for us.
Ecclesiastes 5:5 (NIV) It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.
In a covenant marriage, what rights do you give up?
1. The right of
What does the Hebrew word for covenant mean?
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave….
2. The right of
1 Corinthians 7:4 F*or the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.*
3. The right to
Insecurity and insensitivity are the two greatest causes of communication problems in a marriage.
What if your spouse isn’t willing?
Afterthoughts
If you’re married, answer this about your marriage.
If you’re not married, answer this about your closest friend.
If an outsider looked at your schedule, would they see that your spouse/friend is your priority? If not, how can you change that?
What possession do you hold too tightly? How can you let your spouse (or God if single) share that possession?
What part of your heart have you kept from your spouse (or God if single)? Why have you kept it hidden? Do you trust God enough to let both God and your spouse into that area?
Scriptures for additional study
Joshua 9
2 Samuel 21:1-2
Hosea 2:16-20
1 Corinthians 7:1-5
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Scriptures are pulled from Bible.com. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.