Love through Obedience

Our marriage is an example of Christ and the church. Jesus loves us as his own. Which means marriage is more than a man and a woman becoming one. It stands for the relationship between Christ and the church. Point blank it is a living example of how Christ and the church relate to each other.

Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies, loving his wife as himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it, which relates to a man and wife becoming one. What he does to her he does to himself.

A pastor explained it well by challenging couples. Wives, let your fallen submission be redeemed by modeling it after God’s intention for the church! Husbands, let your fallen headship be redeemed by modeling it after God’s intention for Christ! Headship is not the right to command and control, but instead it is a responsibility to love like Christ did: to care, nourish, lay down our lives for each other, servant leadership, and submission. Be free, willing, glad and strengthened.

We are willing to live out our marriages according to Ephesians 5:21-33. God has given us specific instructions for our benefit. We gladly follow his commands by living out to love him with all our hearts, mind, strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves.