CHAPTER   1

INTRODUCTION

The first bond of society is marriage, the next our children,

                 then old family and all things in common.—Cicero 106-43Bc

          Marriage is an arrangement in which two adults of opposite genders have an emotional relationship and a legal commitment. Marriage has also been defined as involving the union between a man and another man and a woman and another woman.

          These two encourage gay marriage lesbianism and homosexuality. God is grievously against them as He did not institute them. God is the originator of marriage and He is the one that causes it to work. The Bible says “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.” (See Isaiah 48:17)

Reasons for Marriage

          Marriage is the first institution that God set up for man after creation. The following are the reasons for marriage.

1.  For Companionship:

“And the Lord God said, it is not good for a man to be alone, I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Genesis 2: 18). God established the first marriage in the Garden of Eden for companionship.

2.   For mutual love and sexual relationship.

 “Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman  nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let  each man have his own wife, and  let each woman have her own husband.  Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. (See 1 Corinthians 7: 1-3)

3.   For Procreation:

 “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, ….( See Genesis 1: 28).  The primary reason for marriage is to raise children and populate the world.

4.   For Orderliness and Proper Parenting

Marriage provides the platform for the guidance and direction of children and the society. Marriage provides the unit for leadership and management of crisis and enhancing peace, unity, orderliness and progress at the family level.

          God's standard for a honourable marriage is one man and one woman. Note that when God united Adam and Eve in marriage, there was no indication that their union would be temporary.  They were to be together for life no matter the circumstances or situation.  Success in marriage is not measured so much by smoothness or bitterness in the journey as it is by how the couples deal with them.

Marriage can be likened to a journey that presents many surprises. To some it is enjoyable, to others it is painful.  The joy is that many people make this journey successfully and happily.  To go through this journey successfully, there are secrets, principles and rules that are needed to be applied.  These principles and secrets are unfolded in this book.

Reasons For Failed Marriages

Marriage is good and honourable, but it is unfortunate that many have abused this institution today because of some reasons such as:

(a)      Lack of preparation before marriage

(b)    Failure of married couples to perform their assigned duties

(c)    Marrying a wrong partner (incompatibility)

(d)    Marrying for the wrong reasons

            -    Marrying because you want to satisfy your sexual urge only

            -    Marrying because you just want to acquire wealth

            -   Marrying because you just want to marry or because you are old enough.

(e)    Genetic and health problem

(f)     Interference of unhelpful third parties

(g)    Demonic manipulations

(h)    Lack of love and submissiveness

(I)     Selfishness

Factors That Determine True Love

Love is the manifestation of your feeling for another person. Love may be true or fake. Many persons run into problems in their relationships and marriage

because they do not know the status of their love. Now consider the following: