Marriage and Family Honor

Missionary Activities - Bible Studies

Requirements

1. Understand the purpose for which God created woman to live with man, according to the plan of creation. (Genesis 2:18-24)

   Answer: In Genesis 2:18, God says 'it is not good for the man to be alone' and creates the woman as a SUITABLE HELPER ('ezer kenegdo' — an equal and corresponding companion, not inferior). Purpose: companionship, complementarity, spiritual partnership, procreation, forming a family. The two become ONE FLESH (v.24). — 'Ezer kenegdo' in Hebrew does not mean 'servant' — 'ezer' is used of God in Psalm 121 as HELPER. 'Kenegdo' means 'opposite, corresponding' = equal in value but distinct in function. The original marriage was one of full EQUALITY, before the sin of Genesis 3 that distorted all of this.

2. Know how marriage is described in the Bible. (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:6; Hebrews 13:4)

   Answer: Gen 2:24: the man leaves father/mother, unites with his wife, and the two become ONE FLESH — an indissoluble union. Mt 19:6: Jesus reaffirms it — 'what God has joined together, let no man separate' (against divorce). Heb 13:4: marriage must be HONORABLE in every aspect and the marriage bed WITHOUT IMPURITY. Marriage is an exclusive sacred covenant. — The 3 texts together form the biblical basis of Adventist marriage: union (Gen), permanence (Mt), purity (Heb). Jesus in Matthew 19 contests the easy divorce of His time, returning to the original plan of Eden. Hebrews 13:4 condemns adultery and any sexual impurity outside of monogamous heterosexual marriage.

3. Understand what the relationship between husband and wife should be according to biblical principles. (Ephesians 5:21-33)

   Answer: Eph 5:21 teaches MUTUAL SUBMISSION 'to one another in the fear of Christ'. The husband loves his wife AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH — sacrificially. The wife respects and submits to her husband as to the Lord. Both become ONE FLESH in a partnership of love, respect, and mutual care. — Paul balances it: the man has GREATER responsibility (to love as Christ, to lay down his life) and the woman demonstrates respect. It is not an oppressive hierarchy — it is a partnership with complementary roles. 'Mutual submission' (v.21) precedes EVERYTHING in the text, indicating reciprocity as the basis. Christ washed the disciples' feet, serving, a model of leadership.

4. Identify how long a marriage should last, according to God's plan. (Matthew 19:6; Romans 7:1-2)

   Answer: Mt 19:6: 'what God has joined together, let no man separate' — marriage is INDISSOLUBLE. Rm 7:1-2: the woman is bound to her husband while he lives. God's plan: marriage lasts FOR ALL OF LIFE, ending only with the DEATH of one of the spouses. Divorce is an exception to this original divine pattern established. — Jesus in Mt 19:9 allows a single exception (porneia — sexual infidelity). Paul in 1 Cor 7:15 allows another (abandonment by an unbeliever). But the biblical IDEAL is 'until death do us part'. Adventists follow this principle — divorce is handled pastorally on a case-by-case basis, without automatic punitive judgment.

5. Explain the consequences that marital infidelity brings to the family, showing how it violates the seventh commandment of God's Law. (Exodus 20:14; Proverbs 6:32-33)

   Answer: INFIDELITY causes: emotional betrayal, loss of trust, possible separation, trauma in the children (depression, poor performance), financial division, social shame, spiritual harm. It violates the 7th Commandment ('you shall not commit adultery' — Ex 20:14), which protects the sanctity of marriage as an exclusive covenant between faithful spouses. — Studies show that children of parents who separate due to infidelity have 3x more risk of depression (APA study, 2018). The 7th Commandment is not an arbitrary rule — it is divine protection. Jesus expanded it in Mt 5:28: even looking with lust is already adultery in the heart. Restoration after infidelity requires time and sincere repentance from the couple.

6. Memorize and recite 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

   Answer: Memorize and recite to the instructor: 'Love is patient, love is kind; love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not behave improperly, it does not seek its own interests, it is not easily angered, it thinks no evil; it does not rejoice in injustice, but rejoices in the truth; it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.' — 1 Cor 13 is called the 'hymn of love' — Paul wrote it to the conflicted church in Corinth. The 16 qualities of love serve as a MIRROR for any relationship. Reciting it from memory helps internalize it. Christian weddings often use this text in the ceremony precisely because it describes the love that sustains a full union.

7. Share with a friend how it is possible to be truly happy in marriage, following the teachings of the Bible. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

   Answer: Talk with a friend about biblical marital happiness: open communication, sacrificial love (Eph 5), daily forgiveness (Mt 18:22), shared spirituality (praying together), mutual respect (1 Pet 3:7), avoiding destructive attitudes (Ecc 4:9-12). Share relevant biblical texts and examples of happy biblical couples (Aquila and Priscilla). — Aquila and Priscilla are an NT model of a Christian couple — Paul mentions them 6 times (Acts 18, Rom 16, etc.). Open communication is the #1 reason for divorce when it is lacking (Gottman study, 4 decades). Happy marriages do not happen by chance — they require continuous work guided by the biblical principles of respect, forgiveness, and sacrificial love.