“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Matthew 19:6 When a couple makes a covenant in front of God, family and friends, this verse is part of the ceremony. It IS a covenant, not a contract, and God is the One who has joined the couple together. In the first part of Hebrews 13:4 the Bible says "Marriage is honourable in all..." Another way of saying this is that marriage is to be honored, first by the couple but also those around them. The verse goes on to talk about defiling the marriage bed by having sexual relationships outside of the marriage--although sometimes emotional connections are even stronger and can be just as detrimental. Marriage is to be revered, respected and treated as a great treasure. That also means to me that since the covenant is between husband, wife and God that others are not to try to break that bond by influencing one to go against what God has to say about marriage. God sees marriage as a precious jewel. Those outside of the marriage who try to create trouble within the marriage of someone else are taking a great risk. Whenever one goes against what God teaches, trouble looms ahead.
In Ephesians chapter 5 beginning with verse 21, we are given the instruction to submit to one another. This is relational. Husbands and wives are required to maintain the same type of interaction with one another as God has with His Church. Nowhere in these scriptures are Christian instructed to be influenced by those outside of the marriage. It just frightens me today to see so often that people choose to put their marriage on the back burner and to put everything and everyone else first. A marriage like this is not what God designed. It is not what He planned. It is not what we should do.
So, what do you do if you realize you have fallen into this trap? Stop now. Return to your spouse and put the marriage first. Friends and family, whether older or younger, cannot be allowed to interfere with your marriage--the covenant that you made.
“And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” 1 Corinthians 7:10-11
Reconcile if you have strayed and ask God to help you to always put your marriage at the top of your relationship list under the relationship with Him. Everybody hits rough spots. But God commands us to maintain the relationship that you vowed to have and honor it above all else.
We often say only young people allow friends to get in the way, but that is not true. I see many long time married couples who spend much more time with friends than with their spouse. Be careful, regardless of how long you've been married, that you do not allow outsiders to influence you. If we follow along with God's plan, our marriages will be blessed.
Proverbs 5:18 “Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife *{and husband} of thy youth.” *brackets added by me
