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Chapter 6

Iftheyaremutuallysubmissive,thehusband
andwifearecommittedtotheinstitutionof
marriageandtoeachotherasindividuals.
Thebiblicalmodelofmarriageisexemplified
bygrace.Thismeanstwoindividuals
recognizetheirfallibility.Theyfallshortof
God’sidealofperfectloveandrealizethey
mustrepentandaskforforgiveness—from
Godandfromoneanother.
Partnersinabiblicalmarriagedonot
makedemandsononeanother,nordothey
becomepossessiveoutof fearof rejection.
Instead,theyempoweroneanotherto
becomewhatGodcreatedthemtobe.This
resultsintrueintimacy—withoneanother
andwithGod.Inabiblicalmodelof
marriage,marriagepartnershaveapositive
mind-set.Theyarevitallyconnectedto
God,Whocreatedthemtobetogetherand
Whocontinuallyregeneratesandrenews
theirrelationship.Figure6.1isthe

Balswicks’depictionof

thetheologicalbasisfor

Christianmarriage,

whichincludescovenant,

grace,empowerment

andintimacy.Inthe

figureyoucanseehow

thesefittogetherto

developamature

covenant.

There is much

ongoing discussion

in churches regarding a

Christian perspective

on marriage.One

organization,Christians for Biblical

Equality (www.cbeinternational.org

{accessedJune23,2009}),has many

scholarly resources on gender roles in

marriage and careers.While some

theologians maintain traditional gender

roles protect the family,others find much

biblical support for mutuality in marriage.

Family Planning

One of the most important choices a

couple faces is whether or not to have

children.In nearly all cultures,

childbearing is a vital function of

marriage.However,in recent

industrialized cultures,childbearing has

become a choice,and some couples are

choosing not to bear children or to delay

childbearing for many years.This means

Figure 6.1

Theological Basis for Marriage

Balswick,J.and Balswick,J.2006.A model for marriage.

Downers Grove,IL: Intervarsity Press.pg 39.

Degree of Commitment

Degree of Empowering

Initial Covenant

Degree of

Intimacy

Degree of

Grace

Mature

Covenant