Lots of good responses and warnings in the marriage advice thread. Anyone getting married in this day and age needs to look at marriage in the context of God versus the culture/state.
The attitude of a person going into marriage will make or break it. If they think it’s a terrible idea, then it is a terrible idea because it will eventually manifest poorly.
A husband that is afraid that he may have everything taken away from him will not act rationally in his best interests in terms of the Biblical roles and responsibilities. What I mean by this is if a husband is in fear that his wife will divorce him, he will not be able to love her through sanctification. He will not be able to call her out and correct her when she is off course. He won’t be able to lead the marriage effectively due to being afraid of the potential consequences of her unhappiness. He won’t be able to stand firm during her moodiness and eventually capitulate. He’ll have a difficult time pushing back against a culture and and the churchians who suggest that “love” is “making his wife happy.”
This is not to say that those going into it with good attitudes will have godly and successful marriages. That certainly is not the case in every circumstance. Everyone has free will and even many people who were following or disciples of Jesus rejected him when the going got rough (e.g. John 6). However, it is true that it is likely that a bad attitude with corresponding responses will eventually lead to marital ruin.
In this context, we can say that a husband who does not fear his wife but only fears God stands a much better chance at having not only a godly marriage but a successful marriage as well.
Each man must count his own cost, and also evaluate whether he has the capacity to stand strong on the Biblical roles and responsibilities of marriage. He must also evaluate whether the woman he has chosen has the qualities and attributes necessary to do the same. He should read the Scripture about the nature of women, pray, fast, and consult wise counsel.
If any man has any any reservations or wavering convictions, it would be unwise to marry.
I do not have them. Therefore, I will get married.
