What is God's way to make a marriage not just work, but thrive? Keep Reading…
Read Ephesians 5:21-33 - Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church– for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery–but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Meditate This passage is often quoted in wedding ceremonies. Actually, the quote usually begins at Ephesians 5:22 - "Wives, submit to your husbands….. And husbands love your wives." But really, the foundation for a godly marriage relationship begins in Ephesians 5:21 - "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." A marriage built on mutual submission out of reverence for Jesus will last. In our day, the words of "submission" and "love" can get very twisted. In many democratic societies, individual rights are raised up as the highest value. We will only submit to our leaders if they support our cause. At the end of the day, we can pick and choose to whom we want to submit. In a similar way, love is not always defined as the self-sacrificial love of Jesus. We might love up to a point. But, when a person crosses our will one too many times, the love quickly runs out. We forget that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 If a husband was leading his family through personal self-sacrifice… being the first to ask forgiveness, the first to wash the dishes, the first to lay aside personal interests (loving like Jesus loves), I believe most women would readily follow that kind of husband. There would be a lot less bickering and vying for respect if Jesus was raised up in the home as the ultimate model of both submission and love. When we submit to and love our spouses in honor of Jesus, the home becomes a place of joy, free from contention. Jesus loves his body, and he wants us to build it up through love and submission one to another.
1 Comment
Carl Butler
15/5/2021 07:09:09 am
Brother, this has been so refreshing as we continue to seek Gods heart for marriage and family inside of ministry and work.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
CategoriesAll 10 Commandments Alertness Of Spirit Anger Anxiety Authority Beauty Calling Celebration Character Of God Church Contentment Courage Creation Dealing With Rejection Discipleship Dress Like Jesus Ephesians Evangelism Exodus Faith Father Heart Of God Fear Of Man Freedom In Christ Give Thanks Glory Of God God's Will Hearing God's Voice Holiness Holy Spirit Humility Hunger For God Identity Idolatry Insecurity Intercession In The Waiting James Jesus Jesus Is Coming Back Joy Justice Leadership Life Of Abraham Life Of David Life Of Isaac Life Of Jacob Life Of Joseph Life Of Moses Lordship Of Jesus Love Love Of God Loyalty Marriage Meeting With God Missions Names Of God Obedience Overcoming Fear Parenting Peace Prayer Promises Of God Psalms Purpose Questioning God Relationships Repentance Rest Revelation Romance Romans Salvation Sexual Purity Sin Spiritual Authority Spiritual Fitness Spiritual Warfare Suffering Temptation The Fear Of The Lord The Lying Tongue Thought Life Unbelief Where Is God Wisdom Word Of God Work Worship Cliff WrenerMissionary. Teacher. Worship Leader. Deeply desiring to make God's Word accessible and understandable to all. May you be transformed as God's Word fills your life. CategoriesAll 10 Commandments Alertness Of Spirit Anger Anxiety Authority Beauty Calling Celebration Character Of God Church Contentment Courage Creation Dealing With Rejection Discipleship Dress Like Jesus Ephesians Evangelism Exodus Faith Father Heart Of God Fear Of Man Freedom In Christ Give Thanks Glory Of God God's Will Hearing God's Voice Holiness Holy Spirit Humility Hunger For God Identity Idolatry Insecurity Intercession In The Waiting James Jesus Jesus Is Coming Back Joy Justice Leadership Life Of Abraham Life Of David Life Of Isaac Life Of Jacob Life Of Joseph Life Of Moses Lordship Of Jesus Love Love Of God Loyalty Marriage Meeting With God Missions Names Of God Obedience Overcoming Fear Parenting Peace Prayer Promises Of God Psalms Purpose Questioning God Relationships Repentance Rest Revelation Romance Romans Salvation Sexual Purity Sin Spiritual Authority Spiritual Fitness Spiritual Warfare Suffering Temptation The Fear Of The Lord The Lying Tongue Thought Life Unbelief Where Is God Wisdom Word Of God Work Worship Archives
November 2020
|
HOME | ABOUT | TODAY'S STEP |
|
© 2022 stepstudyteach.com
All Rights Reserved. You are encouraged to use this content for personal devotions, small groups and church groups. It may not be re-published or sold at any time. |