April 21, 2025

The First Commandment of Marriage: Exclusivity

The first of the Ten Commandments is simply this, as found in Exodus 20:3,

“You shall have no other gods before Me.”

What is God saying in this commandment? That He wants to have an exclusive relationship with you. He wants to be your one and only. He will not settle for flavor of the month.

And how appropriate in marriage as well. We are to have an exclusive relationship with our spouse.

It’s been said that Henry Ford, on his golden wedding anniversary…50 years of marriage…was asked, “What’s the secret of your success in marriage?” And he said, “The secret of my successful marriage is the same secret that I have in business: I stick to the same model.”

In traditional wedding vows, the man and woman pledge their devotion until death parts them. For life. There is no competition.

My wife has no competition. I am not shopping for a new model. I do not want to trade in the old model. I will not be shopping in the future. One is all I need.

When God made man, He said it is good. But then He said, “It is not good that he is alone. I am going to make a helper suitable for him.” And the Bible says God took one of Adam’s ribs, and He formed a woman, Eve, and brought her to the man.

God did not take four or five ribs and say, “Okay, Adam, here is Eve, and here is Lois, and here is Samantha, and here is Rachel.” No, it was just one. And to have a healthy marriage relationship, that is it.

I am committed for life. An exclusive relationship. I am not shopping, not even window-shopping. One God. One wife. That is enough.

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