Marriage is a type of relationship between a man and a woman who are married, either in a church or in a civil ceremony. In a Christian wedding ceremony the man and woman promise to love each other ‘for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part’.
This means that marriage is meant to last a lifetime and that the couple are committed to being faithful to each other always.
According to the Bible, marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. When we enter a covenant with someone we commit ourselves to do the best for the other person in every situation, even if the other person can’t do as much back. This gives a security that no other type of relationship can offer, both for the partners and their children. The Bible says that sex is only allowed in the context of marriage between a man and a woman.