Covenant as a foundation for marriage and family
The notion of covenant is among the primary themes in the biblical revelation. The covenant refers to a special link between that exists between God and humankind as well as between humankind themselves. The concept of covenant is deeply rooted in creation. Since the time of reformation, the consideration of marriage as a covenant has evolved and has been employed in the liturgies of prayer services in which marriage ceremonies are celebrated such as during the covenantal weddings. The concept of marriage as a convent remained a crucial part of the definition of marriage. Thus, this essay presents ideas of how covenant forms a necessary and appropriate foundation for contemporary marriage and family life.
The one aspect of covenant that has made it a basis for marriage and family is its central idea that lies in the vows of both couples to life-long commitment as well as responsibility differentiation in marital duties and obligations. While no one dies the chances of individuals diverging from these vows and commitments, most marriages have stayed strong and together as a result of fear for breaking the covenant. The covenant creates a bond among the families of the couples and the couples as well as between the societies where the couples originate, with the presence of God that blesses these relationships. According to (Parker 5), it is the primary knowledge shared and made available to every generation through public worship services. it is these worship events that these creational ad conventional relationships are recognized, consequently making marriage a network of mutual entrustment (Kohm 1).
The idea of marriage as a covenant represents the permanence of marriage. In this case, it can be followed from the books of Matt. 19:6 as well as Mark 10:9 confirming that indeed marriage should be considered as an institution of God that authenticates a permanent relationship between husband and wife. In this case, it is a confirmation that God is the creator of every marriage. It is also further confirmation that marriage leads to a serious commitment that should not be considered or taken lightly. It includes solemn promise and people do not just marry their partners; it is before God (Collins & Hugenberger, 267). In this scenario, covenant makes marriage authentic and permanent, it is an institution that is watched and guided by the fundamental beliefs set by God to bring Humankind close to Him. As such, these covenants create marriages that respect God and eventually having a family that loves God’s ways. Hence, it is clear that the covenant influences marriages and families.
It is also clear that as a result of its covenantal nature, marriage acquires its sacred nature. The marriage surpasses a mare agreement among two consenting individuals, but a link before and under God. The sacred nature of the marriage gives it more value and meaning, an institution that must be valued and respected (Kohm 2). In this case, covenant provides a foundation for strong marriages, respect within the marriages as well as the reasons for one to stay in a marriage.
The intimacy of marriage depends on its covenant. Consider the book of Genesis 2:23 concerning the nature and process of marriage. The phrase indicates that marriage includes leaving your family of origin and together with the spouse, move away and start a new family different from the two original families as indicated by Collins & Hugenberger (297). The marriage covenant talks of one flesh that does not only cover sexual intercourse but equally involves the formation of a new kinship link between two previously unrelated people through the most intimate of human links as demonstrated by M. Vorster. Thus, the concept indicates how the covenant becomes a basis for marriage and families.
The covenant aspect of marriage confirms the mutuality of the marriage. It is the ideology of self-giving of one individual to another individual as it is confirmed in the book of Eph: 5:25. The concept clarifies that the marriage partners are to be more concerned with the wellbeing of the other partner and committed to one another in everlasting love and devotion (Parker, 7). The idea in this concept indicates that all the commitments and devotions experienced in marriages and families are influenced by the covenant. It places covenant as the sole source of love and devotion among the married couples, thus as the foundation for their happening. Placing covenant at the heart of marriage shows that the interpersonal relationship of the couple, their unitive love, is what makes all other dimensions of marriage possible and, in some cases, bearable.
According to the Bible teachings, marriage and family are not human agreement grounded on the provisional agreement and a duration-based tradition. As opposed, the Bible confirms that family was God’s plan and that marriage is holly and not just a human agreement. In this case, it is clear that covenant is what defines the marriages and families since humans do not possess the authority to renegotiate or modify marriage and family in a manner they prefer, but they are asked to preserve and dignify what has been divinely unified. It is in line with the response of Jesus when he was asked about the ideas of divorce. The scripture indicates that no man can separate what God has joined, Matt. 19:6. Based on the claim, marriage and family are beyond the human social agreement, it is divinely created covenant.
Staying committed required more than just effort. Feelings and affections can change for a period of time. Situational conditions such as diseases, lack of jobs, or even family issues can be challenging to the extent of breaking marriage. The covenant in marriage keeps husband and wife together during such trying moments, making them excel such problems and come out more mature and loving. It is how covenant becomes a foundation of marriage and family. Seasoned couples will usually admit times in their marriage that only covenant and vows kept them together. When a covenant is kept, individuals understand what God’s commitment to His people looks like. When an individual remains faithful to their partners during hard tomes like sickness, good times, and even bad times, marriage changes to a beautiful definition of the Gospel itself as identified by M. Vorster.
Throughout the Bible, God usually describes His relationship with His people in terms of a spiritual marriage. This sheds light on how important marriage is to God. Being a crucial concept to God, the marriage has been valued through covenant. Being a valued concept, marriages have been united through vows, making it a special institution that is recognized by God (Collins & Hugenberger, 287). The fact that God makes His relationship known to the people as a form of marriage, covenant between people have equally been treated in the same manner. Through the covenant, the individual couples notwithstanding their physical separation, look for what they have lost: total solidarity. It appears that once a man and lady have participated in the agreement of marriage, they accomplish not just physical solidarity yet in addition solidarity of soul and flesh from that day onward. It is in this nature that covenant is considered a necessary and appropriate foundation for contemporary marriage and family life.
Conclusion
The biblical notion about marriage and covenant forms a strong foundation and powerful basis among Christian marriages. The possibility of marriage as a covenant not just indicates the profound spiritual character of the marital connection, however this thought and all that it involves gives the freedom to people to understand their relations as per their own desires and conditions as equivalents and talented hirelings of God. This idea, when theologically explained, runs against patriarchalism and androcentrism and enhances marital relations as perpetual relations of shared trust, stewardship, and love on an equivalent premise. Neither spouse nor wife is predominant. The possibility of marriage as a covenant gives rules to cutting edge marriage mentoring and attests to the significance of marriage for the strength of society and particularly for the church. Thus, it is, therefore, possible to conclude that covenant is a necessary and appropriate foundation for contemporary marriage and family life.