How to Run a Home Based on Marriage Covenant!
A covenant is an agreement between two or more parties that may be vertical or horizontal.
It is vertical if it is between a senior and junior partner.
It is horizontal if it is between equal partners.
This agreement is reciprocal.
It stands on the condition of if, binding on both parties.
For example, the senior partner may agree to pay the junior a sum of $X on a condition that he works satisfactorily for 20 working days or, that he produces 10 gallons of paints on each working day.
In this case, the senior partner is bound to pay this junior if the condition is met.
The horizontal form of covenant which is also known as parity is an agreement between two or more equal partners such as between two clerks, directors or governors.
In some cases, the above covenant recognizes the superiority of one partner above the other.
In this case, the covenant becomes Suzerainty.
Suzerainty is a state where in above context, partner A is empowered to lord over B.
In this case, partner A becomes superior to B on the horizontal level.
By implication, partner A's covenant with B is more of a promise than a binding agreement to A whereas that of B with A is binding on B.
For example, partner A may agree with partner B to provide him with a car on the condition of a satisfactory completion of an assignment.
In Suzerainty, A is not legally bound by this agreement neither does B has any legal right to sue for a breach! One better illustration of this fact is the covenant relationship between a father and a son or a mother and her daughter.
Under Suzerainty, the son has no legal right to sue his father for his breach of agreement to buy him a car upon his success at the WASC or GCE examination.
The Marriage Covenant Covenant is vital and essential to a happy married life and peaceful coexistence as a family.
Each Christian couple ought to decide on the form of marriage covenant upon which their family should lay.
A vertical covenant places the husband above his wife as the relationship between a boss and his servant or subordinate.
A parity covenant makes both the husband and his wife equal partners with equal rights and responsibilities.
A Suzerainty covenant recognizes the husband as the head or ceremonial head as the case may be, of the home.
The couple or partners concept of marriage goes a long way in the choice of a covenant in marriage relationship.
The husband who views marriage as a relationship between a boss and a servant would have preference for the vertical covenant relationship with rights to Lord over his wife.
On the other hand, most women would prefer the parity covenant in marriage relationship, where the partnership is equal.
In a few, exceptional cases, some couples may prefer the parity covenant relationship where the husband plays the head with his wife as his deputy.
Although the suzerainty covenant relationship is more of a promise by a superior to his junior officer, most men and women desire it on the ground that he or she is not bound by terms of the agreement.
It encourages acts of indiscipline and irresponsibility.
Practical Application In most wedding ceremonies, each partner covenanted with one another "to love and care for him/her in wealth, riches, poverty and sickness, till death do us part".
The question emanating from this is how does this covenant affect a home? The answer is in the following observations.
If the couple had decided before this day to place their marriage covenant on the vertical axis, then, the wife is consenting to accept him as her Lord.
She is bound by his word without reversal.
Her husband has every spiritual legal right to determine her level on any matter that concerns the home and her life too, as a wife.
If their covenant relationship was placed on the horizontal axis, then, the husband has no such spiritual legal right to dominate his wife.
The agreement is reciprocal meaning that "one good turn or bad turn", as the case may be, "deserves another.
" For example, the wife is under an obligation to get dinner ready by 7.
00 p.
m on each day provided the husband gives sufficient money for it by 8.
00 am.
In another case, the wife is bound on oath to release her body for his sexual pleasure on the ground that she partakes in the act, to her pleasure too.
It should be born in mind that in a parity covenant that recognizes him as a superior officer, he has the benefit and privilege of being satisfied first before her complaint, if any.
If the covenant relationship is suzerainty, no partner is under any bond in view of the fact that though he is superior to his wife, she is in no way inferior to him.
This is because while God could do without Adam, Noah or David, the husband cannot do without his wife.
This implies that the wife, under a suzerainty covenant with her husband, could withdraw her vow, altering the terms of the agreement!
It is vertical if it is between a senior and junior partner.
It is horizontal if it is between equal partners.
This agreement is reciprocal.
It stands on the condition of if, binding on both parties.
For example, the senior partner may agree to pay the junior a sum of $X on a condition that he works satisfactorily for 20 working days or, that he produces 10 gallons of paints on each working day.
In this case, the senior partner is bound to pay this junior if the condition is met.
The horizontal form of covenant which is also known as parity is an agreement between two or more equal partners such as between two clerks, directors or governors.
In some cases, the above covenant recognizes the superiority of one partner above the other.
In this case, the covenant becomes Suzerainty.
Suzerainty is a state where in above context, partner A is empowered to lord over B.
In this case, partner A becomes superior to B on the horizontal level.
By implication, partner A's covenant with B is more of a promise than a binding agreement to A whereas that of B with A is binding on B.
For example, partner A may agree with partner B to provide him with a car on the condition of a satisfactory completion of an assignment.
In Suzerainty, A is not legally bound by this agreement neither does B has any legal right to sue for a breach! One better illustration of this fact is the covenant relationship between a father and a son or a mother and her daughter.
Under Suzerainty, the son has no legal right to sue his father for his breach of agreement to buy him a car upon his success at the WASC or GCE examination.
The Marriage Covenant Covenant is vital and essential to a happy married life and peaceful coexistence as a family.
Each Christian couple ought to decide on the form of marriage covenant upon which their family should lay.
A vertical covenant places the husband above his wife as the relationship between a boss and his servant or subordinate.
A parity covenant makes both the husband and his wife equal partners with equal rights and responsibilities.
A Suzerainty covenant recognizes the husband as the head or ceremonial head as the case may be, of the home.
The couple or partners concept of marriage goes a long way in the choice of a covenant in marriage relationship.
The husband who views marriage as a relationship between a boss and a servant would have preference for the vertical covenant relationship with rights to Lord over his wife.
On the other hand, most women would prefer the parity covenant in marriage relationship, where the partnership is equal.
In a few, exceptional cases, some couples may prefer the parity covenant relationship where the husband plays the head with his wife as his deputy.
Although the suzerainty covenant relationship is more of a promise by a superior to his junior officer, most men and women desire it on the ground that he or she is not bound by terms of the agreement.
It encourages acts of indiscipline and irresponsibility.
Practical Application In most wedding ceremonies, each partner covenanted with one another "to love and care for him/her in wealth, riches, poverty and sickness, till death do us part".
The question emanating from this is how does this covenant affect a home? The answer is in the following observations.
If the couple had decided before this day to place their marriage covenant on the vertical axis, then, the wife is consenting to accept him as her Lord.
She is bound by his word without reversal.
Her husband has every spiritual legal right to determine her level on any matter that concerns the home and her life too, as a wife.
If their covenant relationship was placed on the horizontal axis, then, the husband has no such spiritual legal right to dominate his wife.
The agreement is reciprocal meaning that "one good turn or bad turn", as the case may be, "deserves another.
" For example, the wife is under an obligation to get dinner ready by 7.
00 p.
m on each day provided the husband gives sufficient money for it by 8.
00 am.
In another case, the wife is bound on oath to release her body for his sexual pleasure on the ground that she partakes in the act, to her pleasure too.
It should be born in mind that in a parity covenant that recognizes him as a superior officer, he has the benefit and privilege of being satisfied first before her complaint, if any.
If the covenant relationship is suzerainty, no partner is under any bond in view of the fact that though he is superior to his wife, she is in no way inferior to him.
This is because while God could do without Adam, Noah or David, the husband cannot do without his wife.
This implies that the wife, under a suzerainty covenant with her husband, could withdraw her vow, altering the terms of the agreement!
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