Spend enough time around married people, and you are sure to hear some humorous one-liners or witty wisecracks about the institution of marriage.

One of the most famous zingers is the one where married people lament “going home to the old ball-and-chain.” Most people have heard that classic joke comparing marriage to a prison sentence many times — but apparently it isn’t a joke anymore.

“So God created man in his own image, male and female he created them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.”

Last week, a 70-year-old married man in Kansas City, Kansas, decided to rob a bank. But instead of taking the money and running, Lawrence John Ripple took a seat in the lobby. When authorities arrived, the gray-haired gunman was taken into custody and questioned. The police didn’t even need their interrogation lamp.

Ripple confessed that the reason he committed robbery was because he was so frustrated with his wife, he would rather go to jail than go home to be with her. In the end, his tragic wish came true. He believed his marriage was a prison — so he voluntarily exchanged his figurative jail cell for a real one.

While most stories of failed marriages are not as drastic as this one incident, these are dark days for marriage in America.

Young people are avoiding marriage in record numbers, preferring premarital sex and co-habitation. Millions of middle-aged Americans are breaking their vows through illicit affairs and no-fault divorces. Even among seniors, fewer marriages are reaching the magic mark of 40, 50, or even 60 years of faithfulness.

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There’s been an undeniable shift in our nation’s mindset regarding traditional marriage — and it has not been a positive one.

What should we think about marriage? Is it a prison? Is it only for religious elites or social conservatives? Why is marriage still good for every society, including America?

As I study the Bible, I see three timeless truths about why marriage still matters:

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1.) Marriage produces flourishing nations.
Have you ever stopped to wonder why human beings continue to flourish on this planet? Why has the human race never been in danger of radical extinction, like the dodo bird?

The answer is that at the dawn of creation, God brought man and woman together in marriage, that they might reproduce offspring, populate the earth, and cause humanity to flourish. Genesis 1:27-28 says, “So God created man in his own image, male and female he created them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.'”

While the Bible does not demand that married couples have children, God wisely knew that where there is husband and a wife, children will generally follow.

Marriages lead to families, and families lead to communities. Growing communities ultimately become prospering nations. So marriage still matters — for American society and every society — because it is the solid bedrock upon which all healthy nations are built. Lose that foundation, and the whole structure topples.

2.) Marriage promotes personal joy and satisfaction.
I have an elderly friend who loves jokes about marriage. He knows that I speak on marriage, so he always has a fresh one ready. But despite the teasing we do about marriage, the polls continue to reveal that the majority of married people are quite happy.

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Generally speaking, married people report feeling very satisfied — not only experiencing basic feelings of companionship and love, but emotional and sexual satisfaction, too. In many cases, this joy reaches epic heights as spouses experience the delights of children, family vacations, Christmas mornings, and eventually — grandchildren.

God understood that it wasn’t good for people to be alone (Genesis 2:18), so Eve was brought to Adam, and marital delight arrived with her. Americans continue to search for happiness in their careers, cars, and gadgets — but nothing can compare to the long-term, soul-satisfying joy that comes through traditional marriage.

3.) Marriage puts Jesus’ love and gospel on display.
Earlier this year, I took a favorite photograph of my wife and sent it to a gifted artist who used it to create a hand-drawn, pencil portrait. The end product was remarkable, and it hangs in our living room as a symbol of my love.

While many people think about marriage only in secular ways — such as sharing bills or jointly filed taxes — the Bible says marriage is actually a living portrait of Jesus’ amazing love. Jesus sacrificed himself for the church, and the church serves Jesus wholeheartedly.

When husbands give everything to love their wives, and wives return respect to their husbands, something beautiful and spiritual is on display. It is the Christian gospel lived out in real life — mysterious but marvelous (Ephesians 5:32). Married couples who embrace this spiritual truth find encouragement, even when their journey grows difficult.

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Traditional marriage has been on a downhill descent over the past five decades in America — but it isn’t too late to slow our progress or even reverse course.

Marriage can still make a comeback, but only as we reject secular notions and return to God’s timeless wisdom. He is the Divine Designer of marriage, and His insights are the only way to true happiness and lasting joy. With God’s eternal perspectives to guide us, we will see that marriage still matters. But without His truth, we will soon find ourselves among those sad souls who look down at their wedding bands and see a ball and chain.