Article - Fidelity in Marriage
In a marital atmosphere where trading spouses is almost as easy as trading a used car or buying and selling a new home, Christians need be seen as people who still believe in the sanctity and permanence of marriage. The Shulamite said of Solomon in the long ago, “My beloved is mine & I am his” (Song of Solomon 2:16). Oh, how every person who enters into marriage needs to not only say but mean those words! What does it take to maintain fidelity in marriage? Consider these ingredients for faithfulness in marriage.
Fidelity in Marriage must transcend the exterior. While all of us have attractions (likes and dislikes), our foundation in marriage must be based on more than just the exterior attraction we have to our mate. The Holy Spirit said, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Prov. 31:30). If one’s marriage is built on more than just the physical attraction it has something much deeper to build its foundation on. Yet, if all two people have in common is a physical attraction, what happens to that marriage when the “new” wears off or the physical isn’t as appealing as it once was?
Fidelity in Marriage is founded on God. God said, “Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain” (Ps. 127:1). For marriage to last God must be the epicenter of every marriage. All that is said and done, all the goals and dreams, everything in marriage must emanate from a strong conviction that only God can make marriages last. If a couple will make it their aim to put God’s kingdom (Mt. 6:33) and God’s will above all else, then their marriage is truly built on a sturdy foundation.
Fidelity in Marriage is built on the Golden Rule. I am convinced that The Golden Rule will impact marriages as much as it does any other relationship it is applied to. Do you remember this rule? Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Mt. 7:12). The golden rule is so unique because it challenges us to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. It makes us ask, “How would I feel if my mate treated me the way I treat them? How would I feel if my spouse put other things before me? Would I want to be treated the way I treat others?” Considering this rule in marriage is destined to make us less selfish and more selfless, which is what marriage is all about. Remember what God said? “So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself” (Eph. 5:28). May God help each married couple to strive for fidelity in marriage!
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