Marriage

“The early church father Tertullian wrote of the connection of Christ’s love to the marriage relationship: How beautiful, then, the marriage of two Christians, two who are one in home, one in desire, one in the way of life they follow, one in the religion they practice. . . . Nothing divides them either in flesh or in spirit. . . . They pray together, they worship together, they fast together; instructing one another, encouraging one another, strengthening one another. Side by side they visit God’s church and partake of God’s banquet; side by side they face difficulties and persecution, share their consolations. They have no secrets from one another; they never shun each other’s company; they never bring sorrow to each other’s hearts. . . . [S]eeing this Christ rejoices. To such as these He gives His peace. Where these are two together, there also He is present.”

Quoted in Bryan Chapell, Each for the Other: Marriage As It was Meant to Be (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1998) p. 55.

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Brian Hedges is Senior Pastor of Fulkerson Park Baptist Church in Niles, MI.