Marriage and Family Life

A brief Seventh-day Adventist perspective

The increasing complexity of society and the stress this places on relationships leads to crises within many families. Lives and relationships are broken, dysfunctional or characterised by mistrust, conflict, hostility and estrangement.

What value do Seventh-day Adventists place on marriage and family life?

God instituted the family as the primary provider of the warm and caring relationships for which the human heart yearns. He blesses the family and intends that its members will help each other reach maturity and wholeness.

Seventh-day Adventists believe the closest, most tender and sacred of all family ties is the lifelong marriage of a man and a woman. Marriage mirrors the love, sanctity, closeness and permanence of the bond between Christ and His church.

However, some family relationships fall short of this ideal and recovery from damaging experiences is not always possible. Adventists will assist members of these families and address their spiritual needs. We regularly organise programs to promote healthy marriages, encourage effective parenting and enrich family life. We also offer counselling and mediation services.

Adventists believe where the love of Christ reigns, His Spirit will promote unity and harmony making healthy relationships channels of life giving joy and power in the community.

The worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church released statements on the family in 1990 and marriage in 1996.