God created man in His own image,
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27)
When God created the human race, He created us male and female, such that a man and a woman together reflect the image of God.
Marriage is the institution through which a man and a woman become one being (Genesis 2:24) with Christ as their head, just as God is one being with three parts and the Father as the head (1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 5:23)
God made woman an equal being with man (Genesis 2:23) such that he could share his life completely and intimately with her, as the three persons of God share their lives completely and intimately.
Though equal in nature, men and women are designed to function differently, corresponding to each other to make the couple more complete than either individual (Genesis 2:18)
The husband is given the responsibility of leadership in marriage. He is not to force his wife to follow him, but rather is to lead by his own example, showing her how to live. He is to love his wife, to protect her from harm and to give himself for her. (Ephesians 5:25, 1 Peter 3:7, Colossians 3:19)
The wife is given the responsibility to accept the husband's leadership, submitting to him and providing support for him in all that he does. She is to respect him, following his lead and helping him grow and learn the ways of the Lord. (1 Peter 3:1-2, Ephesians 5:24)
Through these seperate responsibilities, the married couple has a unified direction and functions like God Himself.
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