Husbands and Wives and the Church
Eph 5:22-33
10-28-07

This passage gives us the proper instruction on how to have a godly marriage.  The instructions to husbands and wives are based upon the church’s relationship to Jesus Christ.  So, we will first examine what this passage has to say about the marriage between Christ and the Church.  And then once the pattern is clearly seen, we will comment on husbands and wives.

When Jesus Christ came to the earth, John the Baptist knew that he had come to get a bride, among other things.  In Jn 3:28-30, John identified him as the bridegroom.  After that, Jesus revealed that he was indeed the bridegroom [Mk 2:19-20].  Later, Paul tells us that he has espoused us to one husband so that he may present us as a chaste virgin to Christ [2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:27].  Hereby we recognize the bride as the church, who will one day marry Jesus [Rom 7:4].

As people get saved, they are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ [1 Cor 12:13], where they become literal members of Christ’s flesh and bones Eph 5:30.  Hence, we are one flesh with Jesus Eph 5:31.  Following the rapture, we come forth from the Lord’s body, like Eve came forth from Adam’s body [Gen 2:21-24] to be married to Jesus Rev 19:7-9. 

As Adam had to go through a type of death for Eve to be made, so Christ had to give himself in death for us in order to bring forth his bride, the church, Eph 5:25.  By his death, he demonstrated his great love for us [Jn 15:13].  As Eve was to be subject to Adam [Gen 3:16], even so in our relationship to Jesus, we are to be subject unto him, Eph 5:24, since he is the head of the church, Col 1:18, Eph 5:23.

It is Christ’s desire that his bride be sanctified, cleansed, glorious, spotless, wrinkle-free, holy and without blemish Eph 5:26-27.  Initially he gives us his Holy Spirit to wash and sanctify us [Tit 3:5; 1 Cor 6:11].  Then he gives us his word to keep us clean [Ps 119:9, Jn 15:3].  And finally he burns out any remaining impurities at the judgment seat of Christ [1 Cor 3:11-15].  That gets us ready for the marriage since the marriage takes place following the judgment seat of Christ.

From what we have seen, now we can understand the principles of a godly marriage. 

o       A man ought to marry a woman for what he can give her, not for what he can get Eph 5:25 – the motive then is not selfish but selfless, since Christ gave himself for the church – that defines the difference between lust and love

o       A man ought to only marry a woman who is submitted to the Lord Eph 5:22 – if she is not submitted to Jesus, she is not going to submit to her husband

o       A man ought to only marry once he has matured enough spiritually to really be the head over a wife Eph 5:23 – most men can’t keep their own lives in subjection [1 Cor 9:27] much less someone else’s

o       A man is not suited to be the head of his wife if he is not first submitted to Christ Eph 5:23 – since Christ is the head of the church, the man must be submitted to Jesus – it goes without saying that he is not going to be submitted to Christ if he is not saved Eph 5:23

o       It is natural for a man to care for his body – since his wife becomes one flesh with him, then he ought to care for her in the same way Eph 5:28-29 – if he doesn’t love himself enough to take care of himself, he’ll do a poor job of taking care of his wife

o       A woman should never marry a man to whom she is unwilling to submit Eph 5:22

o       A woman should learn to submit to the Lord so that she can submit to her husband Eph 5:22

o       A woman is to be subject to her own husband in everything Eph 5:24

o       Both the man and the woman should keep themselves chaste before marriage and should be faithful to each other after marriage Eph 5:26-27 – they should not allow anything or any unfaithfulness to defile them or their marriage

 

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