Austin Bible Church
A divine institution is a law or principle developed by God for the well-being and preservation of the human race and designed primarily for law and order and to keep the human race from destroying itself. The four divine institutions are; volition, marriage, family, and nationalism. See category on Divine Institutions.
The divine institution of marriage is the most basic and fundamental organization in the human race. Marriage is also a basic organization in any nation. The divine institution of marriage began at the creation of Adam and the woman in the Garden of Eden. The first marriage involved two perfect human beings – one man and one woman in perfect environment. Following their disobedience to God's single prohibition – the Fall, God has ordained the divine institution of marriage for both believers and unbelievers in every dispensation of human history.
The sin of Adam and the woman in the Garden of Eden changed the divine institution of marriage. Before the Fall, the purpose of sex was for recreation only. After the Fall of Adam and the woman and their subsequent spiritual death, a second purpose was added to sex in marriage - procreation for the perpetuation of the human race.
God has ordained marriage to be a man-woman relationship since the first marriage. The deity of Jesus Christ performed the first marriage in the Garden of Eden when He brought to Adam the perfect woman for Adam that He had constructed from Adam’s rib. Gen. 2:18; Gen. 2:22-23.
“Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."” (Genesis 2:18, NASB)
“The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."” (Genesis 2:22-23, NASB)
The first marriage of the human race continued after the Fall. The divine institution of marriage has never been cancelled by God in any generation. Marriage has always been a permanent relationship between one man and one woman. 1 Cor. 7:2-4; Eph. 5:22-23.
“But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.” (1 Corinthians 7:2-4, NASB)
“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:22-23, NASB)
The husband-wife relationship in marriage is the normal and legitimate expression of soul rapport love and sexual love. Eph. 5:28; Eph. 5:33; 1 Cor. 7:9; Heb. 13:4.
“So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;” (Ephesians 5:28, NASB)
“Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33, NASB)
“But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” (1 Corinthians 7:9, NASB)
“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” (Hebrews 13:4, NASB)
The husband is the leadership authority in marriage and the head of the home. Marriage is for believers and unbelievers. If the divine institution of marriage is violated on a widespread scale, a nation can be destroyed. Gen. 3:16; Col. 3:18-19.
“To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”“ (Genesis 3:16, NASB)
“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.” (Colossians 3:18-19, NASB)
Marriage is the basis for stability in society and for the formation of civilization. It is the protection for the home where the parents exercise authority over the children.
Satan’s Attack on the Divine Institution of Marriage
See category on the Angelic Conflict, Satan’s Strategies.