GOD'S WILL FOR MARRIAGE IN GENESIS 2:18–23 AND MARITAL OUTCOMES AMONG NIGERIAN CHRISTIANS
Keywords:
God's will for marriage, biblical exegesis, marital outcomes, Biblical Covenant Theory, Genesis 2:18–23, Nigerian ChristiansAbstract
Contemporary Christian marriages in Nigeria continue to face challenges arising from marital conflict, declining commitment, cultural pressures, and divergent interpretations of biblical teachings on marriage. These realities underscore the need to re-examine God's original intention for marriage as revealed in Scripture. Although previous studies have examined Christian marriage from theological, sociological, counselling, and psychological perspectives, limited scholarly attention has been given to integrating an exegetical analysis of Genesis 2:18–23 with contemporary marital outcomes within the Nigerian Christian context. This study examined God's will for marriage through an exegetical analysis of Genesis 2:18–23 and explored its implications for marital outcomes among Nigerian Christians. The study adopted a qualitative exegetical research design, employing the historical-grammatical method to analyse the literary, historical, grammatical, and theological dimensions of the biblical text. The analysis was informed by a critical review of 10 peer-reviewed journal articles and five major biblical commentaries, interpreted within the framework of the Biblical Covenant Theory of Marriage. The analysis suggests that Genesis 2:18–23 presents marriage as a divine covenant founded on companionship, mutual dignity, complementarity, covenant commitment, and shared purpose. It further indicates that these theological principles provide an enduring framework for understanding and evaluating contemporary Christian marriages in Nigeria, particularly in relation to marital stability, relational unity, spiritual companionship, and covenant fidelity. The study concludes that Genesis 2:18–23 remains the foundational biblical text for understanding God's will for marriage and that renewed commitment to its theological principles provides a biblically grounded framework for strengthening Christian marriages within the Nigerian Church.
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