Specifically, Christian marriage reflects God as husbands love their wives "as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word" (Eph. 5:25).
Marriage based on needs and affection will struggle to endure when the needs change and the affection fades.
Any two people can partner together for support in childcare, housecleaning, finances, and sex. But it takes a true marriage to turn two into one all-giving whole.
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/05/30/the-new-purpose-of-marriage/
