In his book, This Momentary Marriage, John Piper describes western culture in this fashion:

“…where the main idol is self; and its main doctrine is autonomy; and its central act of worship is being entertained; and its three main shrines are the television, the Internet, and the cinema; and its most sacred genuflection is the uninhibited act of sexual intercourse.”

It is within this culture that God’s design for marriage is not only under attack and losing ground daily. But it is not a losing battle. God’s design for marriage will endure to the end of this age. He gives us his strength and his might so that we can stand firm against the schemes and forces arrayed against the church, the home, and the marketplace.

Piper maintains a strong emphasis throughout the book mentioned above on the way the union between husband and wife reflect the union between Christ and his church. This Pauline doctrine has been integral to my marriage counseling–both pre-marital and in crisis–and Piper’s instruction has served to undergird that even further. It is an excellent book and I would have every husband and wife and prospective husbands and wives read it.