There is no more powerful or poignant way of describing marriage than to say that the husband and the wife share each other's ribs. O ur society today has largely forgotten that marriage is not a specifically Christian institution, but rather it is what Martin Luther called one of the orders of creation. Many people believe that you aren't really married unless you have your wedding in a church building. A marriage before a justice of the peace, for example, or a judge, is not as valid as a marriage before a Christian altar. B ut that is wrong.
Marriage happens when a man and a woman decide to become husband and wife.
Our church believes and teaches that marriage exists as a possibility, regardless of one's religious persuasion. Marriage is simply a gift given to us by God. And it is to be enjoyed and appreciated as the good gift it is, regardless of what form our faith in God takes. Y ou see, marriage is a secret gift God has built into the structure of human civilization. Many people participate in marriage and enjoy it without ever realizing that it has its origin in God.