WHAT MARRIAGE WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO MEAN

Living Stones Series: First Published in All Around Old Bridge Publication – February 2026, Pastor Lloyd Pulley

Marriage and family in America are in steep decline. For the first time in our history, fewer young adults are marrying, birth rates have fallen, and many now wonder if marriage is even necessary. In a culture built around personal fulfillment, “freedom” often seems more attractive than commitment. Lust promises satisfaction without the sacrifice that comes with commitment. Greed promises fulfillment without the cost of restraint. Yet neither delivers the lasting love the human heart was made for.

Scripture uses marriage as a picture of God’s covenant with His people—of Christ and His bride. It is a covenant, not a contract. And because it is covenantal, “Till death do us part” is not the finish line, it is the starting point! This kind of love lays the foundation for friendship love, the ultimate goal.

And earthly marriage reflects this far greater covenant relationship—our relationship with God. That relationship was broken by sin but restored through the gospel, through the death and resurrection of Jesus. He died for us, and when you trust in Him, you die as well—to the tyranny of self-pleasing. Self no longer sits on the throne of your life and now you are truly free!

Love is no longer living for oneself. Love does not seek its own. It is patient, willing to listen, and willing to work for the good of the other. But because we are still broken in many ways, the center of every relationship must reside in forgiveness.

Lust consumes. Love commits. Lust asks, “What can I get?” Love asks, “What can I give?”

Real love always costs something—and in its seeming weakness is its real power.