Christians believe that men and women are equal in God's eyes. Some Christians believe that within marriage the husband is the head of the wife. In the New Testament of the Bible in Ephesians chapter 5 verses 22 - 23 <http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=Ephesians+5:22-23&language=english&version=NLT> it says, "You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church". Some Christians believe that this means the wife must obey her husband. Others believe that this is an idea of how a marriage relationship is supposed to be in relationship with Christ and the Church. As Christ came to serve, care and even die for others, so husbands are commanded to love their wives. (Ephesians Chapter 5 verse 25). In other words, their leadership of the family is to be selfless, putting their wife's needs before their own. This opinion would be have been a ridiculous idea 2000 years ago.
Children are seen as a blessing from God. Christians believe that when God made the world, he did not want it to be empty (Isaiah chapter 45 verse 18. In Genesis chapter 1 verse 28of the Bible, Adam and Eve were the first humans and were commanded by God to multiply and fill the earth, so having children is part of God's plan. In the Ten Commandments (The Bible, Exodus chapter 20 verse 12 , children are told to honour their parents. This commandment is repeated in the 5th Commandment, where children are told to HONOUR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER also in.
Christians believe that marriage is really a life long commitment. Christians say this because God created marriage and that God made this to symbolise the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Holy Church. Christians believe that is part of God’s plan for humanity.
There are different ways in which Christians get married; the most common method is getting married at church. Wedding customs in Christianity vary according to the family’s culture, race or ancestors. The reason they believe that marriage should be for life is that it’s the best environment for the family to have children.
In marriages the bride and groom would get married at the church with either sides family at the wedding to witness the marriage. The bride would usually wear white to symbolise purity and would be accompanied by maybe bridesmaids who would hold her long dress and throw confetti around her and the groom would wear black. The bride and groom would make vows and promises to comfort and to love each other through sickness and through health and to never part each other till death.
In Christian marriage men and women are thought to have different roles in their relationship within the family. God says that men and women are equally valuable to God, but they were created for different reasons and purposes. In the book of Genesis it says that Adam was created first and Eve was created later because God believed that says it’s not good for man to be alone, as he needs a companion. '' It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'' (Genesis 2:18). This is why some Christians believe that women should be the helper of men by staying home and letting the man work; everything now is modern women do not believe that they should stay home and believe that they are equal to work as much as a man. In my opinion I believe that men and women should both be aloud to work and are equal. "Wives ........... be submissive to your husbands ..........Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner." (1 Peter 3: 1, 7). They say that women are weaker because Eve was the first to sin and she also encouraged Adam to the same. Women still have more backups to support them from the bible and other sources. "There is neither............................male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galations 3:28). In my opinion men and women were created equally; they were made "In the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Therefore there is no real difference between them and they both should have equal opportunities.
Marriage is a sacred institution established by God for the primary purpose of bringing Him glory. It's main purpose is not, as some think to have companionship or to fulfil sexual needs. Its main purpose is to bring glory and honour to God. This mission by God can only be properly completed in marriage when the husband and wife are faithful, some Christians believe relationship purpose is to glorify God by having children, raising them in a godly fashion, and sending them out into the world having trained them in the ways of the Lord. This is what marriage is for. It is outward focused (for God's glory), not inward centered (for comfort).
This is the way that Christians believe that a family should be run. They believe it starts with the Men. They believe that they are responsible for the family. They are the ones who are the heads of the families. This is how God set the family structure up. God made the first married couple in a certain order and gave them certain duties.
Adam was made first and God put him in charge of the Garden (Genesis 2:7,15). Adam looked for a helpmate from among all the animals and found none suitable (Genesis 2:19-20). So, God made Eve to aid him in the commission God had given Adam (Genesis 2:22). It was Eve's purpose to aid Adam in completing the duties of God. Therefore, the responsibility of the family falls on the man. That is how God set up a family. The healing of the Christian family begins with the head: the husband. The husband needs to take the lead of the family in spiritual matters. He can't be perfect at it and that's okay, but he is responsible for carrying out his duties as a husband and for loving his wife as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25). It is love in the family that sets the up the marriage. He is responsible for the well being of the family. Beside from where women must lead due to divorce, widowhood, separation, etc., if the woman is the leader in the family it is because the man has not taken his proper place.
This is the role of the wife, her responsibility in marriage is to simple respect, honour, and supports her husband. She is to encourage him to be the leader. Many women will not like it, the woman's primary responsibility is to take care of the home (Tit. 2:3-5) and to make it a suitable place for the family to live in as she helps her husband and nurtures the children with love.
Of course, the husband and wife are both responsible for helping each other as they love each other but the primary duty of a husband is to love and provide. The primary duty of a wife is to nurture and respect. Bringing children into a family is perfectly OK in Christian’s view as long as they are nurtured in the way of Christian beliefs.
