Marriage is the joining of an unmarried man with an unmarried woman to form a home of their own. Thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac . . . . And she said, I will go. . . . Whatever else we may conclude from these Scriptures, we can safely say that marriage is the joining of a man and woman in a lifelong bond. The man and woman leave the home of their father and mother and establish a home of their own.
Marriage is a covenant relationship for life.
Marriage is not only the joining of a man and woman, but it is also a covenant to be faithful in that union for life. We might note here that while this exclusiveness is prescribed in the Bible, it is also to a certain extent inherent in marital love. There is an unwritten but very evident expectation of faithfulness in the love between a man and a woman. In light of the covenantal requirement in marriage, such variations as trial marriages or contract marriages, which place limitations on time or responsibilities, violate what the Bible teaches about marriage. These contracts form a cooperative relationship, but fall short of the lifetime oneness and commitment required in marriage.