Why Marry: How To Know Why, When and Who To Commit To

By Gregory Fuller

Few issues trouble our society so persistently as how people choose the person they will spend the rest of their lives with in marriage. Why Marry? discusses the theological foundation of choosing a mate and having a lasting martial relationship. The principles presented in Why Marry? can help any and everyone avoid being part of the worldly epidemic of miserable relationships that often end in bitterness, regret and divorce. Why Marry? is the must read for all single individuals who are or wish to date and marry.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gregory Fuller
• Release date: May 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476120003

Gregory Fuller

Dr. Gregory Fuller is the pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia. He abtained his Bachelor's degree from American Baptist College, in Nashville, Tennessee; Master's degree from Morehouse School of Religion; and Doctor's degree from United Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He is also the author of THE SHIPS OF LOVE: A RELATIONSHIP MANUAL FOR DATING SINGLES. (Coming soon on Smashwords), and FROM BLISS TO A BLIZZARD: HOW GOD TURNS BURDENS INTO BLESSINGS. He has ministered to congregations and audiences in Japan, South Africa, Zambia, and Jamaica as well as the through out the United States. He is a noted pastor, counselor, author and leader. I am sure you will be blessed by the works presented via the Smashwords medium.

Book preview

WHY MARRY?

HOW TO KNOW WHY, WHEN, AND WHO TO COMMIT TO

DR. GREGORY M. FULLER

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Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2006 by Dr. Gregory M. Fuller

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, contact Dr. Gregory M. Fuller, 1828 Wrightsboro Road; Augusta, Georgia 30904.

Scripture quotations noted NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

Additional copies of this publication may be purchased by phone at [phone], or through the web site or e-mail address listed.

Published by: Pastfull Ministries, Inc., 1828 Wrightsboro Road, Augusta, Georgia 30904,

[phone]. E-Mail and web site addresses are as follows: [e-mail].

Cover Design by: Mitchell N. Stokes

E-Mail [e-mail]

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank all the members of the Macedonia Baptist Church for your love, support, patience and confidence in me your spiritual leader as I grow in Grace and Knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ.

Special thanks to Ms. Pamela Faye Baker, and Ms. Victoria Dickens for your time and expertise as editors for this work.

Most of all, all praise, glory, and honor to God for the grace given that has enabled this work to be birthed.

FOREWORD

Few issues trouble our society so persistently as how people choose the person they will spend the rest of their lives with in marriage. Throughout this world people take the vow of marriage without a clear understanding of what God intended marriage to be. Therefore they marry for all the wrong reasons and the results are the high divorce rate.

Of all people, Christians should be concerned about this epidemic that has a devastating effect on the well being of the family and individuals. We recall Jesus’ response to the question about divorce in Matthew 19:3 by repeating God’s intent, For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they will become one flesh (Genesis 2:24).

WHY MARRY? How To Know Why, When, And Who To Commit To discusses the theological foundation of choosing a mate and having a lasting marriage. Through careful study of the Bible and counseling experience, Dr. Gregory M. Fuller has put together practical theological principles that can help the Christian community and an entire world avoid being part of this worldly epidemic of miserable relationships ending in divorce. If persons who are dating would grasp these principles they would not marry for the wrong reasons. They would know what marriage truly is from God’s intent.

They will also discover what is expected from both the man and woman to have a Godly marriage.

I commend Dr. Fuller for his vision of reaching the population of those dating and married with this book. This is a must read book for counselors, ministers, those dating and married. The author’s passion to prevent couples from suffering the pain and shame of divorce can be actualized if persons would ask themselves these questions he has proposed before saying, I DO.

Ronald L. Owens

Pastor, Counselor

RELATIONSHIP MATTERS,

Founder and CEO

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE: WHY NOT MARRY?

CHAPTER TWO: WHAT IS MARRIAGE ANYWAY?

CHAPTER THREE: AM I READY?

CHAPTER FOUR: HOW TO KNOW WHO

CHAPTER FIVE: WHAT HE OWES HER AND SHE OWES HIM

CONCLUSION

NOTES

INTRODUCTION

Why Marry? This book is birthed from a burden due to the number of failed marriages each year in the United States, in particular, the number of marriages that fail among those who profess to be members of the Christian faith. As a pastor of a Christian church, I have seen many relationships begin with declarations of love and fidelity, and end in heartbreak, bitterness, and divorce. I have asked myself, and others who have lived through the painful experience of divorce, How does that happen? How do two persons who stand before the presence of God, one another, their family and friends, declaring vows of love, and making a covenant to remain together, ‘through the good times and bad, for better or for worse,’ end up standing before a judge fighting over child custody, child support, and mere material trinkets? Whatever happened to the love you once had? What about the covenant between the two of you? What happened to the vows of love you both proclaimed each to the other?

Though I never really received a satisfying answer to these questions, my spirit was troubled by the frequency and the simplicity by which two people can end their marital relationship legally. According to Gary Chapman, author of the book, The Five Love Languages, presently 40 percent of first marriages in this country end in divorce. Sixty percent of second marriages and 75 percent of third marriages end the same way.[1]

These figures are alarming. Yet, what is even more alarming is the number of persons who are married and miserable.

I have served as a pastor and counselor for over sixteen years. I presently serve as pastor of a growing church and I am blessed to be able to share in the lives of many people, married, divorced, widowed, and single who have never been married. In my years serving as spiritual leader and counselor, I have heard many confessions of hurt, anger, mistrust, betrayal, misery and frustration coming from persons who are married. Many of whom are quick to proclaim they made a mistake by either marrying when they married or marrying who they married. It is staggering to know that many people only remain married because of the children, or fear of financial insecurity if separated from their spouse. For many individuals, love and devotion to their spouse is not the basis of their unity. The reasons why these couples stay are for convenience, fear, security, and/or to keep from separating the family. As I lead single’s workshops across the country, I am quick to tell singles not to envy those who are married because, Everyone who is married is not happy.

Something must be done. Someone must put forth a work that answers questions such as How do I know the right person to marry? When am I ready to marry? Why should I marry? And What is marriage anyway?

Please understand, I do