1. How does God define Family?
Start with Genesis 2:18-25

2. These Messages will include:
Original design
What is marriage
Dating
Romancing
Courting
Covenant vs. Contract What is a Family
Husband and Wife
Parenting
Divorce and Remarriage
Love, sex and marriage

3. I. Original design: Husband & Wife (and children)
Genesis 2:18-25
Matthew 19:4-6
Ephesians 5:28-31

4. Marriage is
Leaving‑‑No longer has authority over, Forsake, leave, loose
Cleaving—To cling, to cleave, to keep close
One flesh—One body, one in the same
Openness

5. Marriage & Family is God's Idea
Commitment is essential
Romance is important in marriage
Marriage is best for raising children (godly offspring)

6. God is for Marriage Marriage is to be permanent
Unfaithfulness breaks the bonds of trust
Death is the only breaker of marriage as God designed
Marriage is based on practice of love and not feelings Ephesians 5:21‑33

7. Marriage is a symbol of Christ and the church
For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Ephesians 5:23 ESV
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:32 ESV

8. III. Preparation for marriage:
Must be made starting back as infants
Children learn from parents greatly
Preparation for marriage

9. How do you keep the love alive
Commitment
Being the mate God wants you to be
Determine that you will not break that vow

10. 4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 ESV

11. Know definition of true love
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. JOHN 3:16. (KJV)

12. Know the results of Godly love
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. …
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13 NIV

13. Concentrate on Responsibility-NOT RIGHTS
I am responsible to Spouse
I am responsible to
treat her with love
him with respect

14. Dating: Always potential mate
Proper maturity
Established a standard and determined not to break them
Spiritually—Christian and determined to do God's will
Know that God owns your body

15. When is a person old enough to date?
Know what God says about marriage
Willing to follow God's truth
Willing to loose dates in order to not break that standard

16. Learn how to stay pure Find out where the other is spiritually
Must not be based on the physical
If physical becomes the foundation, all else will struggle

17. God's standard of human make up‑‑in that order
Spiritual
Soul
Body
satan always reverses God's order

18. Family is God’s Idea God created man and woman
When God made marriage, it is best
What makes up a family
When do you start a family?

19. What picture of Christ and the Church are you portraying?

20. What picture of Christ and the Church are you portraying?