Christians believe marriage is a gift from God. In the marriage ceremony, a couple make a public declaration of lifelong commitment to love each other, com what may. The Bible compares married love with the love that Jesus has for his followers. He expressed his love by being prepared to sacrifice himself, even to die for the people he loved. This is amazing, unconditional love.

Jesus never said, ‘I love you …. but.’ So, in our marriages, we can try to follow his model by loving our partners in a self-sacrificial way, putting their needs before our own. The marriage ceremony gives you a new legal status as husband and wife, and a new stability within which your relationship can flourish and grow.

Christians believe that marriage offers the right place for the fulfilment of our sexuality, and that it proves a stable and secure environment for bringing up children.