Bible teacher Derek Prince explains the Biblical covenants and tells us why marriage is a covenant.
Since it's a covenant, Derek points out that adultery is more serious than fornication—it is a broken covenant. The marriage covenant is based on a life laid down (Ps. 50:5) and only valid through death (Heb. 9:16–17).

The husband as well as the wife enter through the sacrifice of Jesus and each lays down his/her life. Each expresses life through the mate—“What will I give?”—not “get”. The ultimate purpose is unity, according to Derek. Each mate makes a commitment (marriage is not an experiment). This commitment releases grace. Eventually, the husband’s success is seen in his wife—the wife’s success is seen in her husband (1Cor. 11:7; Prov. 31:23).

Derek goes on explaining the husband’s responsibilities in marriage:
1. Love (Eph. 5:25)
2. Be head (1 Cor. 11:3)
3. Provide (1 Tim. 5:8)
4. Wash with God’s Word (Eph. 5:26)
5. Nourish and cherish (Eph. 5:29)

After that he explains the wife’s responsibilities in marriage:
1. Helper (Gen. 2:18)
2. To submit (Eph. 5:22)
3. To support/uphold
4. To encourage
5. Intercede

Derek concludes by taking the home (or the family) as a model of the Church, that is:
1. Husband—pastor/shepherd (1 Tim. 3:4–5)
2. Wife—deacon/helper
3. Children—flock/congregation (Job 21:11)

In addition, husband & wife have a prophetic responsibility: to portray the relationship between Christ and His Church (Eph. 5:22–23, 32). It's God’s original purpose that:
1. Man and woman together to exercise dominion on behalf of God (Gen. 1:27–28)
2. Two harmonizing in prayer are irresistible (Matt. 18:18–20)
3. Two can walk together only in agreement (Amos 3:3)

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Recorded in May 1989, Auckland, New Zealand

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