Love Your Spouse
ICS Daily Devotions
Ephesians 5:21-25, 31 (NKJV) Submitting to one another in the fear of God. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Saviour of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her… “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
In the Epistle to the church of Ephesus, God spoke through the Apostle Paul about how the husband should love the wife as himself. The husband is expected to lay down his life for his wife and love her as Christ loves the church. The husband and wife are to submit to each other in reverential fear of God. If we honour, love and worship God, we will want to walk in His will and His ways. Because it is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, the Word of God should guide us regarding everything in life, including the area of our marriage.
How we view marriage—as a covenant or a contract—will determine our behaviour. In the eyes of God, marriage is not a contract but a covenant. Therefore, as Christians, we should not believe in or practise individualism and contractual marriage as the world does. Instead, we have laid down our rights, privileges, conditions, and escape clauses. We will not ask to quit or divorce our spouse despite differences and challenges in the marriage. A contractual marriage mentality is not concerned about responsibilities because it is centred on the self.
The marriage covenant between two parties is the closest, enduring, solemn, and sacred of all contracts. When you enter a blood covenant with someone, you promise to give them your life, love, and protection forever, till death do you part. It is a binding, unbreakable agreement based on blood resulting in the absolute union of two parties in which all assets, talents, debts, and liability are mutually shared. A covenant is the only secure foundation for a happy, fulfilling, and permanent marriage. It is a lifelong commitment.
God is the witness at the marriage ceremony where the covenant vow is uttered. Therefore, He expects us to honour the vow of the marriage covenant seriously. God and His Word are One. Thus, our words should also represent us, and God will hold us accountable for the word of commitment and vow uttered. Love is the new commandment in the New Testament. Therefore, God expects us to love our spouse.
Sermon Series：Before You Say I Do
