God And His Word - A Question And Answer Approach To Understanding The Bible

PART IX. CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY LESSON 1: MARRIAGE IS A SACRAMENT 1. DEFINE THE MEANING OF "SACRAMENT."

A "sacrament" is a holy action performed in and by the Church to fulfill Christ's command. No sacrament was meant to be a lifeless ceremony. Jesus kept the commanded sacraments of Church to a bare minimum - knowing that the carnal man tends to glory in ritual more than in true consecration. When properly performed, the Bible sacraments are charged with spiritual reality and power. The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant publicly made a man, a woman and God for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family. God intends for such a

2. WHAT IS THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE?

covenant to be a lifelong union between husband and wife that can be dissolved only by death or unfaithfulness. Although couples legally may be united in marriage by civil authorities, Christians should

consider their action a sacrament of the Church. Standing before God's minister and proper witnesses, the couple publicly make a sacred act of their mutual troth to one another. "What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Matthew 19:6. The above triangle signifies the three-fold covenant of marriage. It illustrates that a man’s relationship should be as strong toward his God as toward his wife, and the wife's relationships should be equally strong. Children 219