Love matters in marriage. But Pastor Henry Cotton asks a deeper question:
Is love alone enough to decide that someone should become your spouse?
In this St. James MBC podcast, Pastor Cotton examines how strongly the Word of God should shape the decision to marry.
Why Do You Want to Get Married?
One question Pastor Cotton asks couples in premarital counseling is simple:
Why do you want to get married?
“I love him” or “I love her” may be sincere answers, but marriage requires more than affection.
Believers should consider purpose, commitment, compatibility, faith, and whether the relationship is consistent with God’s Word.
Dating Should Have Direction
Drawing from 1 Corinthians 7:8–9, Pastor Henry Cotton explains that Paul’s counsel about marriage assumes a serious relationship with direction.
Dating should help two people determine whether they can build a godly life together.
That means learning how the other person thinks, lives, practices faith, approaches family, and handles responsibility.
Pastor Cotton cautions against allowing a relationship to grow increasingly intimate without clarity about whether marriage is truly the intended destination.
The Word of God Comes Before Preference
Practical issues matter.
Finances matter.
Family matters.
Compatibility matters.
But Pastor Henry Cotton emphasizes that none of these should become more authoritative than Scripture.
For believers, the question is not simply whether two people want to marry.
It is whether both are willing to let the Word of God shape the relationship and the decision itself.
Listen to the Full SJMBC Podcast
This summary captures only part of Pastor Henry Cotton’s discussion.
Listen to the full podcast with Pastor Henry Cotton for the complete teaching.
