You can summarize this wedding charge in one sentence. Character builds trust, trust builds friendship, and friendship builds the marriage.

This comes from the text in Proverbs 31:10-12:

“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.”

Reg, today I serve as your best man. But from this day forward your closest friend on earth must be your wife. She is more than your lover. She is your intimate confidante. She’s your companion. She’s your friend.

The missing ingredient in many marriages is friendship. Companionship has disappeared, though it’s among the central purposes of marriage. We’ll return to this in a moment. But first, what are some other purposes of marriage?

Marriage is for Reflecting the Gospel

One purpose of marriage is reflecting the gospel. The way a husband loves his wife demonstrates the way Christ loves the church. The way a wife submits to her husband reflects the way believers submit to Christ. Your marriage may be the only picture of the Good News others people see. Continue reading →