Why Not Covenant Marriage?

Inside Edition interviewed my husband and I recently about our covenant marriage. The question about whether or not covenant marriage should be mandated honestly caught me off guard. I still stand by my answer of, "No." The answer has a little more nuance than what I said in the interview, though.

As my husband and I discussed the question, we processed the idea that legislation cannot create morality. We entered into a covenant marriage because of what we believe about marriage. Forcing people to enter in to a covenant when they don't believe in it is pointless. Laws cannot make people commit. That is a heart thing. Also, as my husband pointed out, legislating covenant might actually make less people enter into marriage. That would not be good, for people, or for society, because like it or not, marriage makes families, and families are the backbone of society (Marripedia, n.d.). Ideal marriages last for a lifetime, as they should, but even when they don't, I would argue that marriages still provide benefits to society. 

Do I still believe in the merits of covenant marriage? Yes, yes, I do. Premarital counseling (required for a covenant marriage) has great benefits for marital satisfaction (Demaris, Sanchez, & Krivickas). The benefits of safety and security in a covenant commitment are huge. Entering into a covenant demonstrates before men what we believe God says about marriage, that it is forever. As Christians, we pray that our covenant marriage points to Jesus, the bridegroom of the church, with whom he has engaged in eternal marriage.

Should covenant marriage be required? No. Should Christ followers who believe in a biblical definition of marriage enter into covenant, though? I would ask those people, "Why NOT?" In my opinion, covenant marriages are for believers. While still not mandatory because God gives free will, believing couples should consider covenant marriage, because when the power of God is behind something, who should stand against it?

Reference:

Demaris, A., Sanchez, L. A., & Krivickas, K. (2012). Developmental Patterns in Marital Satisfaction: Another Look at Covenant Marriage. Journal of marriage and the family, 74(5), 989–1004. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.00999.x

Marripedia. (n.d.) Effects of marriage on society. https://www.marripedia.org/effects_of_marriage_on_society