當尊敬婚姻家庭生活

上帝用誡命來保護婚姻生活
首先,我們要確定地認識到:上帝非常地尊敬和贊美婚姻生活。因為祂用誡命贊成和保護它。祂在第四誡「當孝敬父母」之中就已經肯定婚姻生活。祂在這第六誡「不可姦淫」中,又建築籬笆保護婚姻生活。祂願我們尊重婚姻(來13:4),並作為神聖的、蒙福的生活,予以維繫和管理婚姻生活。

上帝供應物質保護婚姻生活
因此上帝祝福這種生活遠超過其他一切。祂要再加上這世界所有的一切,用來供應、掩護婚姻生活,使之可以得到豐富充足的供應。所以,婚姻生活並非玩笑、或遊戲。它是一件極好的事情,有著神聖的莊嚴。

婚姻生活的目的
從最初起,上帝就在一切制度之前,首先設立這制度。祂分別創造了區別明顯的男人和女人(創1:27)。祂這樣作,不是為了淫亂,而是吩咐他們在婚姻制度下生活,生養眾多,撫育兒女,並訓練他們榮耀上帝(創1:28、詩128、箴言22:6、弗6:4)。婚姻對上帝來說,有著至高的重要性,因為人是在家庭里得撫育成長的。他們可以服務世界,促進對上帝的認識,過敬虔的生活,培養各樣美德,對抗邪惡和魔鬼。—— 馬丁路德(《協同書》大問答,第六誡)


206 But this commandment is aimed directly at the state of marriage and gives us an opportunity to speak about it. First, understand and mark well how gloriously God honors and praises this estate. For by His commandment He both approves and guards it. He has approved it above in the Fourth Commandment, 「Honor your father and your mother.」 But here He has (as we said) hedged it about and protected it. 207 Therefore, He also wishes us to honor it [Hebrews 13:4] and to maintain and govern it as a divine and blessed estate because, in the first place, He has instituted it before all others. He created man and woman separately, as is clear [Genesis 1:27]. This was not for lewdness, but so that they might live together in marriage, be fruitful, bear children, and nourish and train them to honor God [Genesis 1:28; Psalm 128; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4].

208 Therefore, God has also most richly blessed this estate above all others. In addition, He has bestowed on it and wrapped up in it everything in the world, so that this estate might be well and richly provided for. Married life is, therefore, no joke or presumption. It is an excellent thing and a matter of divine seriousness. For marriage has the highest importance to God so that people are raised up who may serve the world and promote the knowledge of God, godly living, and all virtues, to fight against wickedness and the devil.

——Martin Luther  (Book of Concord, Large Catechism, Sixth Commandment)