7 Bible Verses About Marriage That Reveal God’s Heart for Married Life

Statistically, 50% of all marriages in America will end or have ended in divorce. What’s even more staggering, is that a study done by The Pew Research Center found that out of a group of 4,752 Christian individuals, 51% of them had been divorced. Each year, over one million American children suffer through the divorce of their parents, while half of the children born to married parents this year will see their parents divorced by the time they turn eighteen.

These statistics are both shocking and sad, and perhaps the words of Jesus from Matthew 19:6 are flashing through your mind when it comes to marriage, “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (NIV)

Certain Bible verses about marriage show us God’s intention for marriage, and we’re going to dive deeper into what that intention is in today’s article. We’re also going to look at the negative effects of divorce on both adults and children, the seven most common reasons for divorce, and what marriage counseling looks like for those who may be considering it.

The Negative Effects of Divorce on Adults

The textbook definition of divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent body; to separate, disconnect, divide, disunite, or annul. According to the psychologist, Romeo Vitelli, adults who experience divorce face a variety of psychological issues including increased stress levels, lower life satisfaction, depression, increased medical visits, and an overall increase in mortality risk compared to those who remain married.

The legal process of divorce can be lengthy and incredibly taxing on a physical and emotional level. The negative effects of divorce on adults both physically and emotionally may include:

• Unhappiness
• Depression
• Health issues
• Substance abuse
• Loneliness or loss of social network
• Decreased contact with children
• Ongoing hostility with the ex-spouse

Now, it’s important to note that not everyone who faces divorce will face these negative side-effects because everyone’s experience is different. This is just a brief overview of what most divorced individuals have expressed.

The Negative Effects of Divorce on Children

Not only can divorce negatively impact adults on an emotional and physical level, but any children who are involved can feel similar negative effects. Divorce is a tough time for any family to go through, and the effects of divorce on children can vary. Some of the negative effects may include:

• Poor academic performance
• Loss of interest in social activity
• Difficulty adapting to change
• Emotionally sensitive
• Angry or irritable
• Feeling guilty
• Rebellious or destructive behavior
• Increase in health problems
• Loss of faith in marriage or the family unit as a whole

Now that we’ve looked at the most common negative effects of divorce on both adults and children, let’s transition to looking at the most prevalent reasons people get divorced.

The Most Common Reasons for Divorce

People get divorced for a variety of reasons these days, but according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, there are seven most common reasons why people get divorced. NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) conducted a study in 2014 where they decided to interview divorced individuals to find out the top reasons why they chose to get divorced.

In this study, the top seven most common reasons for divorce were:

• Lack of commitment
• Infidelity
• Too much conflict and arguing
• Marrying too young
• Financial problems
• Substance abuse
• Domestic violence

Now that we know the most common reasons for divorce, along with the negative effects of divorce, let’s look at what God’s intention for marriage is by studying a few Bible verses about marriage.

7 Bible Verses About Marriage

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. – 2 Timothy 3:16

God’s truth is absolute, and we can lean on it repeatedly trusting that even when everything else around us is changing, God never changes. His faithfulness never wavers, and His Word is true. So, when it comes to dealing with divorce, it’s wise to turn to the Bible to see what God has to say about marriage.

Let’s explore these 7 Bible verses about marriage to get a better grasp on God’s heart for marriage.

Bible Verses About Marriage in the Old Testament

Genesis 2:22-24

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.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. – Genesis 2:22-24

In this passage, we see that mankind was created not only for God but for each other. These verses show us Adam’s immense respect and awe for God’s creation of women in how he reacts to her when God brings her to him, “The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”

We see God’s heart mirrored in Adam’s response to God’s creation of women and of marriage. We also learn that marriage was created for a man and a woman and that God’s will for them in marriage is to become one flesh.

This doesn’t mean that they will lose their identity in one another, but that together, they become one flesh to bring glory to God. They now operate as one vehicle rather than separate vehicles. Our spouses are meant to be the new foundation of a family as we leave the habits of our old family life behind and embark on the journey of marriage together, as one, in the Lord.

Bible Verses About Marriage in the New Testament

2 Corinthians 6:14

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? – 2 Corinthians 6:14

Paul, the author of 2 Corinthians, is clear in his command that those who follow Jesus are to marry other believers. The foundation of marriage, as a Christian, should always be rooted in God. When you choose to marry someone who doesn’t know God, it is difficult for that foundation to be built as differing religious beliefs can begin to cause a rift.

Ephesians 5:22-24

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. – Ephesians 5:22-24

The word “submit” may leave a sour taste in your mouth. But Paul isn’t asking wives to be a doormat to their husbands in this passage. He is asking wives to show respect and love to their husbands in all circumstances to show ultimate obedience to Christ.

Disagreements are bound to happen, and there will be times when the husband doesn’t make the right decision. Wives are invited to be heard and to share their wisdom – to openly disagree – if it is done respectfully. God created men to be spiritual leaders in the home and their marriages. And when wives submit or surrender to the healthy authority of their husbands, they are submitting to the authority of Christ in their lives.

* If you are experiencing abuse within your marriage, please seek immediate help from the authorities or a licensed counselor.

Ephesians 5:25-28

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. – Ephesians 5:25-28

Husbands carry a very hefty responsibility on their shoulders – a responsibility handed to them by God Himself. Husbands are to be spiritual leaders in the home and their marriages. The ultimate call of a husband is to love his wife the way Christ loved us all by giving Himself up for the cleansing of our sins.

Husbands are to regard their wives as just as valuable as themselves. It is their responsibility at the end of their lives to present their wives to Christ radiant and without blemish. This means that the husband will need to rely heavily on God to lead his wife in the way of Christ while honoring and loving her with his actions and words.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

This may be one of the most common Bible verses about marriage, as it’s read aloud quite frequently at wedding ceremonies. This passage in 1 Corinthians teaches us what true, lasting love is supposed to look like:

• Patient
• Kind
• Secure
• Humble
• Selfless
• Not dishonoring
• No easily angered
• Forgiving
• Truthful
• Protecting
• Trusting
• Hoping
• Persevering

The Lord knows that we are not always going to act this way in our marriages toward our spouses. But this passage gives us great wisdom to model our love for our spouses after and it’s a wonderful way to keep our hearts in check with what God intended love within a marriage to look like.

Mark 10:9

“Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” – Mark 10:9

Jesus’ words in Mark 10 are very straightforward and show us that God designed marriage to last a lifetime. It was not meant to be dissolved or divided. Husbands and wives were created to enter marriage with the mindset that divorce isn’t an option. Marriage is a covenant between a man and a wife to honor and love one another, to bring glory to Christ, throughout their entire lives together.

Matthew 5:31-32

It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. – Matthew 5:31-32

In this passage, we see that sexual immorality, or infidelity, committed by a spouse is grounds for divorce. But divorce is not encouraged here, as two people are always encouraged to seek reconciliation and healing via other avenues. Divorce should always be treated as a last resort.

When to Seek Help

Now that we’ve uncovered God’s intended design for marriage by looking at 7 Bible verses about marriage, let’s look at some warning signs that your marriage might be in trouble.

These warning signs may be indicators that marriage counseling might be a good next step:

• You or your spouse have become indifferent to each other’s feelings
• Almost all communication is negative or leads to fighting
• There’s lying, unfaithfulness, or infidelity in the marriage
• Your marriage lacks intimacy
• There’s been abuse in the marriage
• Both of you feel empty in the marriage and that divorce would be the better option than staying

Speaking with a marriage counselor can help both of you feel safe and heard in the presence of someone unbiased. The marriage counselor’s responsibility is to listen, give wisdom and advice when needed, and provide actionable steps toward healing and reconciliation within the marriage.

God’s intention for your marriage is not for it to end in divorce. He wants you to be in a marriage that is fulfilling, growing, and glorying Him.

If you are struggling in your marriage and want to speak with a marriage counselor, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or another one of our counselors in the online directory.