For Better or For Worse

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

– Ephesians 5:21

America has transformed drastically over the last 100 years. There are the obvious changes — like the explosive growth of the suburbs, Walmart, and smartphones. And of course, our great-grandparents could never have imagined the Internet, Amazon, and artificial intelligence.

These transformations may be good or bad depending on your perspective. But one change that’s definitely negative involves our society’s attitude toward marriage and family. Just a few decades ago, news of a couple living together outside of marriage would have been scandalous in many communities. And in some states, it could lead to jail time for the offending parties!

What happens over time when a large segment of the population turns its back on committed marriage? With so called “no-fault” laws and the literal promotion of adultery in popular culture, it’s no wonder that over 40% of marriages these days end in divorce. It’s also no surprise that so many people now believe that marriage isn’t even worth the trouble. Living together has become a rational option. And one byproduct is today’s skyrocketing rates of out-of-wedlock births — now reported to exceed 40%.

The common denominator is that society has largely rejected Biblical values like marriage as well as the companion concepts of mutual sacrifice, intentional time, and habitual grace. Worse still is that too many people have refuted God and his teachings entirely — the ones he gave us for experiencing meaningful, fulfilled lives. What were once considered clear, black-and-white issues of right and wrong have blended over the decades into murky shades of gray. 

To many modern-thinking couples, living together without strings attached is a more-palatable and tolerant lifestyle choice. Moreover, they demonize words like commitment and accountability — the biblical hallmarks of marriage that demand responsibility, faith … and ultimate dependence on a much greater Power. 

The God who created us, and wants only the best for us, has a radically different notion about marriage between men and women. Let’s remember that marriage is a gospel witness. And as we read in Matthew 19:6, Jesus provides this familiar explanation for it: 

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”