“Some Marriage Advice Every Couple Can Use” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

What does NOT make a successful marriage? A nice wedding ceremony Accumulation of material goods Plenty of ease and comfort Plenty of spare time Marrying simply to satisfy sexual desire Lifelong financial support

What MAKES a marriage? … and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? Matt 19:5 (NKJV) Two people who have the right to be married (1 Cor. 9:5). They either have never been married (1 Cor. 7:8-9), any former spouse has died (Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:39), or any former spouse has been put away for fornication (Matt.5:32; 19:9).

What MAKES a marriage? … and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? Matt 19:5 (NKJV) A covenant or agreement. Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God. Prov 2:17 (NKJV) Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the Lord has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant. Mal 2:14 (NKJV)

What MAKES a marriage? … and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? Matt 19:5 (NKJV) Cohabitating DURING the marriage (not before)! The sexual union is the consummation of the marriage. (Compare verses 10-12) Paul taught husbands and wives to engage in this union to avoid fornication (1 Cor. 7:2-5).

What makes a marriage happy? “Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life” (Ecclesiastes 9:9) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (Colossians 3:14) The Greeks had several words for love. Three of them are: Eros or eran. Suggests the idea of the erotic, sensual, and physical. Eros is not used in the New Testament, but is used occasionally in the Septuagint Old Testament. Philia or phileo. Represents tender affection, brotherly, or friendly love. It is used of family love… The love which older people are to teach younger women to have for their husbands is phileo. Agape or agapao. This love is active good will… It gives all and expects nothing in return. The love which the Lord teaches husbands to have for their wives is agapao.

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NKJV)

What makes a marriage happy? Hope  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; Romans 12:10-12 (NKJV) … bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Cor 13:7 (NKJV) And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor 13:13 (NKJV) Happy marriages are ones that hold onto hope!

What makes a marriage happy? Hard Work Before God created the home, He placed man in the Garden of Eden and told him “to tend and keep it” (Gen. 2:15). Men need work in which to engage in (1 Thess. 4:11), and women need to spend their time working at home (Prov. 31:13) for the good of their family. A happy home will be one in which there is productive labor.

What makes a marriage peaceful? Unity (Ephesians 4:1-3) “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3) “Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” (Proverbs 21:9; 25:24) “Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman.” (Proverbs 21:19) “A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike; 16 Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.” (Proverbs 27:15-16). A marriage will be peaceful when the parties to the marriage are unified.

What makes a marriage peaceful? Kindness “What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar.” (Proverbs 19:22) “She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Proverbs 31:26) “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32). Acts of kindness can go a LONG way

What makes a marriage peaceful? The Golden Rule “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) “So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.” (Ephesians 5:28) We’d all be better off if we’d do what Jesus said to do.

What makes a marriage peaceful? Admit our faults to one another. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16) Ask your spouse (or even your children) to forgive you; and together ask God to forgive you.

What makes a marriage peaceful? Forgiveness "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25) “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) Forgiveness is a command!

What makes a marriage peaceful? Control the tongue The tongue can be full of deadly poison (James 3:8). Husbands and wives should be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1) “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9) Peace is more probable within the marriage when husbands and wives control their tongues.

What makes a marriage successful? Set goals! Be faithful in attendance to worship. Have family devotions. Make your home a spiritual atmosphere. Live as sincere Christians. Be absolutely devoted to God!