Young people in the United Kingdom are increasingly choosing not to get married. Living together without getting married is becoming ever more popular. A Times article stated, "The proportion of Britons choosing to marry is at the lowest level since the figure was first calculated in 1862" (March 27, 2008). First marriages are experiencing the biggest decrease.

Moreover, the average age for tying the knot has increased by about five years. Both men and women are now around 30 when they choose to marry—about age 31 for men and close to 29 for women. Another disturbing fact is that "of the 244,710 marriages in 2005, only 34.4% were religious ceremonies, with the remaining 65.5% being civil ceremonies" (Scotland on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008) .

We are increasingly leaving God out of our marriage plans and marital lives. Yet we should all remember that He created the first man and woman and instituted marriage in the first place.

The predictions for the state of modern marriage are grim indeed. According to another Times article, half of newlywed couples are predicted to split and "one in ten will not make it past five years" (March 28, 2008).

If you would like to protect your marriage, or if you are single and would like to learn how to choose a spouse wisely, request or download our free booklet Marriage and Family: The Missing Dimension. As it reveals, we live in a moral universe ruled by God, and we ignore His spiritual laws at our peril. (Sources: Scotland on Sunday, The Times[London].)