God’s Word says that a husband and wife become “one flesh.” But it doesn’t say anything directly about prenuptial agreements.
So does that mean Christians should never have one?
A prenuptial agreement, or prenup, is a legal contract a couple enters into before marriage. It typically establishes how assets, property, and other financial matters would be handled if the marriage ended in divorce.
For some couples, that may seem like practical planning. But Christians should consider more than whether a prenup makes financial sense. We should also ask what it communicates about marriage and whether it supports—or undermines—the unity God intends.
Marriage Is Designed for Oneness
Genesis 2:24 establishes the biblical foundation for marriage: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
Marriage is not merely a legal partnership between two individuals who continue living otherwise separate lives. God joins a husband and wife together in a unique covenant relationship. Paul takes that picture even further in Ephesians 5:31–32:
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”
Christian marriage is meant to reflect Christ’s covenant love for His people—a relationship characterized by love, sacrifice, grace, faithfulness, and mutual care.
That pursuit of oneness should shape the way a couple thinks about every part of life, including money.
What Can a Prenup Communicate?
Dr. Art Rainer, Founder of Christian Money Solutions and the Institute for Christian Financial Health, has identified several important concerns Christians should consider when thinking through a prenuptial agreement.
It may communicate distrust. If one person feels the need to protect certain possessions from the other before the marriage has even begun, the other spouse may reasonably wonder whether they are truly being trusted.
A prenup may communicate uncertainty about the marriage itself. Because these agreements typically establish what happens in the event of divorce, they can feel like planning for the marriage to fail before the covenant has even begun.
It may be harder to pursue the financial unity marriage requires. A couple can begin thinking primarily in terms of “mine” and “yours” when marriage should increasingly move them toward “ours.”
Those concerns should not be dismissed. A legal agreement intended to provide financial protection can unintentionally introduce fear, suspicion, or division into a relationship.
However, that does not necessarily mean every prenuptial agreement represents a lack of biblical commitment.
Are There Situations Where a Prenup May Be Helpful?
Consider a couple entering a second marriage when one or both spouses already have children.
Perhaps each person has accumulated assets that they hope eventually to leave to their children. In that situation, a carefully constructed agreement may help clarify expectations and reassure family members that the marriage is not motivated by financial gain.
Rather than creating division, the process could potentially encourage greater transparency by forcing the couple to discuss difficult questions before marriage.
The important issue is not simply whether a legal document exists, but why it exists and what posture of heart stands behind it.
Is the agreement primarily about self-protection?
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