The Suitability of Marriage

On the first day of mankind, God established the great covenant of marriage between man and the “helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:20-22). Through the naming of the land animals (vs.19-20), God enabled the man to understand that the woman He created was the only one “suitable” for him. In Hebrew, “suitable” means the opposite side of two pieces that fit together. Not only was the woman “suitable,” she was connected to man in creation. Physically, men and women are two pieces made to fit together. A man and a woman are both needed to “be fruitful and multiply.” This compatibility is seen in Adam’s statement concerning her, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man.” There is a unique connection from creation between man and woman.” (v. 23)

God then adds to what Adam’s stated in verse 23 by saying, “For this reason, a man shall leave father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” This connection between the man and woman in creation leads naturally into God’s great covenant of marriage. In Matthew 19:4-6, Jesus quoted this as He taught what God desired in marriage from the beginning. Marriage has had various names, ceremonies, and traditions attached to it throughout history, but it has always been between a man and a woman. Woman is the only suitable helper for man in marriage. This was God’s intent and design from the first day of mankind.

While marriage has always been between a man and a woman, over the past few years men have endeavored to change God’s definition of “suitable” and alter His design in marriage. They say that people love each other and should be able to be married. Marriage was not established on love, it was established on suitability and helping one another (i.e. helper suitable). The suitability of man and woman is at the core of what marriage is about. Love is not even mentioned in the Bible as a part of marriage till Isaac and Rebecca (Genesis 24:67). That was over 2,000 years after the establishment of marriage. Just because two people love each other does not mean that they are suitable to be married. Men were not made from creation as pieces that fit together and they have no ability to “be fruitful and multiply”. This statement is also true about women. Men and women were made for each other and they are the only opposites that fit together among mankind in this creation. Therefore, such are the only ones that fit God’s definition of marriage.

The apostle Paul was referring to this natural state of creation when he wrote in Romans 1:26-27, “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” Notice Paul’s use of the word natural regarding the function of a man and a woman. There was never suitability between two men or two women. Such was not natural because they were not designed for such behavior. They do not fit naturally together as God designed them in creation.

Marriage has always been between a man and a woman by God’s decree. No court or man can change what is natural, true, and right. Marriage is and can only be between a man and a woman because they were created to be suitable for each other.