Nothing is more important than making Christ the foundation of a strong marriage. Read or listen to this material from Your Marriage God’s Way to learn how to build a strong Christian marriage!

Table of ContentsThe Foundation of a Strong MarriageBuilding a Strong Foundation for Marriage Because the Storms Will ComeThe Daily Trials that Can Wear on a MarriageThe Importance of Obedience for a Strong Christian MarriageMoving Beyond Hearing (or Reading) to ObeyingResponse Determines OutcomeWisdom and Foolishness RevealedFootnotes

Soon after Katie and I moved from California to Washington, my parents moved so they could live closer to us. Pretty quickly, they found what seemed like the perfect house. It was beautiful, near us, and the price was low. I wondered how this house had remained on the market for so long.

I found out there was a crack in the foundation. The house was so unstable that no bank would offer a loan. On the one hand, I thought, how sad it is that such a beautiful house has lost so much value because of its poor foundation! On the other hand, I thought, How valuable is a house with such a poor foundation that it could fall at any moment?

Homes and buildings are not the only things that need strong foundations. Jesus taught an entire parable making this point:

Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall (Matthew 7:24-27).

The Greek word translated “house” is oikia, and it can refer to a physical dwelling or a family or household. For our purposes, think specifically of a married couple. Consider this parable for two reasons:

Jesus concluded the Sermon on the Mount with this teaching. He wanted to ensure that His listeners put into practice what they heard.

This teaching shows that there is only one proper foundation for healthy, joyful relationships: Jesus Christ.

The Foundation of a Strong Marriage

Let’s back up to get some momentum into this point. The Old Testament looked forward to Jesus:

Luke 24:27—“Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

John 5:39—“[Jesus said], ‘You search the Scriptures…and these are they which testify of Me.’”

There are many titles for God in the Old Testament, and the New Testament reveals Jesus is the true and greater fulfillment of them. For example, in the Old Testament, God is called:

Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-4; Ezekiel 34:11-24), and in John 10:11, Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

Redeemer (Psalm 19:14; Isaiah 41:14), and Galatians 3:13, says, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.”

Deliverer (2 Samuel 22:2; Psalm 144:2), and 1 Thessalonians 1:10 says, “Jesus…delivers us from the wrath to come.”

Judge (Genesis 18:25; Ezekiel 34:17), and in John 5:22, Jesus said, “The Father…has committed all judgment to the Son.”

The strength of His people (Psalms 18:1; 28:7), and in Philippians 4:13, Paul said he “can do all things through Christ who strengthens [him].”

There are plenty of other Old Testament titles for God that have their fulfillment in Jesus, and there’s one that is particularly relevant, and that’s Rock:

Deuteronomy 32:4—“He is the Rock, His work is perfect.”

1 Samuel 2:2—“…nor is there any rock like our God.”

Psalm 144:1—“Blessed be the Lord my Rock.”

In the New Testament, this title finds its fulfillment in Jesus. First Corinthians 10:4 identifies Jesus as the Rock with Israel in the wilderness: “They...