First Page
75
Last Page
90
Abstract
Marriage is one of the two institutions God ordained before sin entered this world and is God’s ideal for all people. The history of marriage begins along with the history of creation. The account of the first marriage is found in the Book of Genesis, which also contains the history of several other good and not so good marriages. Over the years, the purpose of marriage has been weakened so that today, many cultures have reinvented and reshaped marriage to suit their need. However, in God’s perspective, marriage is still the unchangeable foundation for human life. The apostle Paul says, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb 13:4).
Genesis 24 describes the various steps taken by Abraham as he planned for Isaac’s marriage. In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul warns church members not to be “unequally yoked” in marriage. Samson and Delilah (Judges 13-16) are an example of an “unequally yoked” couple. As a pastor, I often see young people who are not keen on following the biblical principles of marriage. The results of such marriages are cause for concern. Because some inter-denominational and inter-religious marriages result in divorce due to tensions with religions, it is important to address this challenge, so this is where the need for premarital counselling arises. In this article, the first section examines the biblical foundation for marriage and family life. God’s intention for marriage is discussed, Old Testament patterns of marriage are reviewed, and lessons are drawn. The apostle Paul’s writings contribute much to setting forth the principles for present-day marriages. Special attention is given to 2 Corinthians 6:14, which says, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”
Multiple examples of interfaith marriages are briefly looked at in this section. This article is not only about Adventists and their marital life. It deals with other people with different faith backgrounds. Therefore, part of this article discusses the principles other Christian writers have about marriage. Ellen White is one of the Adventist writers who wrote widely on the importance of following God’s principles in every aspect of one’s life. Her writings are used to help form a model for the family and her writings on preparation for marriage are used as the basis for an Adventist approach to premarital counseling. Other Adventist writers’ contributions in this regard are also dealt with.
The concluding part of this article looks at existing Seventh-day Adventist beliefs and practices of marriage. How the Seventh-day Adventist Church looks at this issue is discussed, followed by studies and materials within the Adventist Church that can help in forming a new strategy to influence people of other faiths through a premarital counselling approach. A biblical foundation for marriage is included as part of the discussion in the next section.
Recommended Citation
Grey, Daniel
(2024)
"Biblical and Theological Basis for a Premarital Counseling Ministry,"
Journal of Adventist Mission Studies:
Vol. 20:
No.
2, 75-90.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32597/1553-9881.1573
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/jams/vol20/iss2/7
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.32597/1553-9881.1573