Why Marriage Is Important

• 1960: 67% of 20-somethings married
• 2010: 26% of 20-somethings married
• September 2014: 124.6 million single adults = 50.2% of adult
population (16 and older)
Why Marriage is Important to God:

1. CREATES A HEALTHIER SOCIETY
   Between 1960-2010 (span of 50 years):
   • BIRTHS OUTSIDE MARRIAGE INCREASED 500%
   • CHILDREN LIVING IN SINGLE PARENT HOMES INCREASED
   300%
   • VIOLENT CRIME INCREASED 500%
   • CHILD ABUSE INCREASED 340%
   • TEEN SUICIDE INCREASED 200%
   Statistics Broken Down by Race:
   • 70% of all births are outside marriage in Black families
   • 47.7% of all births are outside marriage in Hispanic families
   • 25.4% of all births are outside marriage in White families
   • 16.2% of all births are outside marriage in Asian families
   • 35% of Black children live with 2 parents
   • 66% of Hispanic children live with 2 parents
   • 76% of White children live with 2 parents
   • 84% of Asian children live with 2 parents
   Genesis 1:26-28 NKJ
   Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our
   likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the
   birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every
   creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His
   own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He
   created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be
   fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over
   the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing
   that moves on the earth.”
   Genesis 2:18-25 NKJ
   And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I
   will make him a helper comparable to him.” Out of the ground the
   LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air,
   and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And
   whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So
   Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every
   beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper
   comparable to him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on
   Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the
   flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from
   man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And
   Adam 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.”
   Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to
   his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked,
   the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
   Romans 1:18-32 NKJ
   For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
   and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in
   unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in
   them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the
   world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by
   the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so
   that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they
   did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in
   their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to
   be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the
   incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds
   and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also
   gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor
   their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for
   the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the
   Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave
   them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the
   natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving
   the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another,
   men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in
   themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as
   they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them
   over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being
   filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness,
   covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evilmindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent,
   proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
   undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who,
   knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such
   things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve
   of those who practice them.
2. CREATES A MORE MATURE SOCIETY
   1 Corinthians 13:11 NKJ
   When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I
   thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish
   things.
   Matthew 19:3-6 NKJ
   The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is
   it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” And He
   answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made
   them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ 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’? So then, they are no
   longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let
   not man separate.”
3. HELPS ESTABLISH THE KINGDOM CULTURE IN SOCIETY

7 Things Satan Does to Attack Kingdom Culture:

1. DEVALUING SEX
2. SAME-SEX ATTRACTION
3. PEOPLE LIVING TOGETHER
4. ABORTION
5. DIVORCE
6. HAVING CHILDREN OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE
7. COMPROMISED PARENTING
   Joshua 24:15 NKJ
   “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves
   this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers
   served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the
   Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we
   will serve the LORD.”