Marriage

Today rounds out the first nine years of marriage with my loving wife. Oh, the things I have learned. I praise God that He has sustained us through all things.

Therefore shall man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh. – Genesis 2:24

The world is attacking the act of marriage from every possible angle today. Declaring it a useless, antiquated system. Defiling it through homosexuality. Promoting promiscuity and divorce. Why does this sinful world hate marriage so much?

Because marriage is a reflection of the relationship we have with Christ, and ultimately points to Him. And considering the serpent, the world, and all men in their unregenerate state hate God, we hate the sanctity of marriage.

So what should a godly marriage look like? Let us look to the Scriptures for the answer.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the wife’s head, even as Christ is the head of the Church, and the same is the Savior of his body. Therefore as the Church is in subjection to Christ, even so let the wives be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, That he might sanctify it, and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word, That he might make it unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy and without blame. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies: he that loveth his wife, loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourished and cherisheth it, even as the Lord doth the Church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh. This is a great secret, but I speak concerning Christ, and concerning the Church. Therefore every one of you, do ye so: let everyone love his wife, even as himself, and let the wife see that she fear her husband. – Ephesians 5:22-33

Do our marriages look like this?

Husbands, are you as Christ unto the Church with your wife? What is Christ unto the Church? Christ is our Provider. Christ is our Protector. Christ is perfectly Humble. Christ is the perfect Servant. Christ is the perfect Sacrifice. Christ is our Prophet. Christ is our High Priest. Christ is our King. (I find far too often I am none of these with my wife.)

Wives, are you as the Church unto Christ with your husbands, or what the Church should be? Are you obedient? Are you loving? Are you concerned with bringing honor to your husbands? Do you ridicule? Are you a servant?

These lists are not comprehensive, but are meant as examples to cause us reflection. If you are considering marriage, first look to Christ, for in Him are all of the answers.

A godly marriage will always point towards Christ. When our children, parents, friends, and neighbors see our marriage they should see Christ in it somehow.

I pray that we will honestly reflect on our relationships with our wives and husbands; that the Holy Spirit will reveal the truths of ourselves to us and will prick our conscience; that He will reveal the truths of Scripture to us; that we will be obedient as a Church.

If you are reading this and have doubts, look to the Scriptures. God has revealed Himself to us, He is accessible, He is loving, He is forgiving.

May the Lord be with you all. Amen.