SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 47

TITLE: THE ROLE OF THE HUSBAND, PART III

TEXT: EPHESIANS 5:31-33

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE PLACE TO BEGIN IN ANY DISCUSSION OF MARRIAGE IS WITH THE FACT THAT MARRIAGE IS GOD’S IDEA AND THAT IT IS A GOOD IDEA.

* IT IS A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT COMES FROM GOD WHO NEVER HAD A BAD IDEA.

** IN FACT, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO HAVE A BAD IDEA FOR HIS WISDOM IS INFINITE AND HIS KNOWLEDGE IS PERFECT.

*** SO MARRIAGE IS GOOD AND GOD ORDAINED.

**** AND GOD ORDAINED MARRIAGE IN GENESIS 2:24, WHICH IS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL STATEMENT IN THE O.T. CONCERNING GOD’S GOOD PLAN FOR MARRIAGE.

(2) GENESIS 2:24 SAYS: “FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER, AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE; AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.”

* NOW LET ME SET THE CONTEXT OF THIS TREMENDOUS STATEMENT ABOUT MARRIAGE. UP TO THIS POINT IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS, GOD HAD BEEN CALLING EACH OF HIS CREATIVE ACTS GOOD.

** BUT WHEN HE FINISHED CREATION (EXCEPT FOR THE CREATION OF THE WOMAN) LOOKING AT MAN IN HIS ALONENESS, GOD SAID IN GENESIS 2:18 (READ IT).

*** NOW THE ONE THING IN ALL CREATION THAT WAS NOT GOOD IN GOD’S JUDGMENT WAS THE MAN IN HIS ALONENESS, WITHOUT THE WOMAN.

**** SO GOD’S CREATION OF THE WOMAN WAS THE COMPLETION AND PERFECTION OF HIS CREATIVE ACTS.

(3) MARRIAGE WAS THE GREAT “GOOD” THAT TOPPED CREATION.

* IT FOLLOWS, THEN, THAT MARRIAGE IS GOOD, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE MAKE OF IT.

** AND THAT FAILED MARRIAGES, WHICH WE SEE ABOUT US AND WHICH SEEM TO BE INCREASING, ARE THE RESULT OF OUR FAILURES RATHER THAN GOD’S.

*** AND OUR REAL FAILURE COMES WHEN WE DO NOT FOLLOW GOD’S DIRECTIONS, WHEN WE DO NOT SUBMIT TO THE ROLES THAT GOD HAS FOR US AS HUSBANDS AND WIVES IN HIS WORD – THE BIBLE.

**** AND WHEN WE FORSAKE GOD’S GUIDELINES FOR MARRIAGE, WE SUFFER MARRIAGE BREAKDOWNS JUST AS WE WOULD SUFFER THE BREAKDOWNS OF OUR CARS IF WE DISREGARD THE MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTION FOR THEIR MAINTENANCE.

(4) I MEAN WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T CHANGE YOUR OIL OR YOU DON’T KEEP A PROPER AMOUNT OF COOLANT IN YOUR CAR?

* THE ENGINE IS GOING TO BURN UP AND BREAK DOWN.

** LIKEWISE, WHEN WE DON’T FOLLOW GOD’S INSTRUCTION FOR MARRIAGE, OUR MARRIAGES START TO BREAK DOWN AND BURN UP IN A SENSE, FOR WE GET BURNED UP AND FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS.

*** WELL, THE APOSTLE PAUL GIVES INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BLESSING AND PERMANENCE OF MARRIAGE IN EPHESIANS 5:22-33. AND HE STARTS OFF WITH THE ROLE OF THE WIVES IN VV. 22-24 AND MOVES ON TO THE ROLE OF HUSBANDS IN VV. 25-33, WITH A FINAL WORD TO HUSBANDS AND WIVES IN V. 33.

**** AND TODAY WE COME TO THE FINAL PART OF PAUL’S INSPIRED INSTRUCTION GIVEN IN VV. 31-33 WHICH I’VE TITLED THE ROLE OF THE HUSBAND, PART III.

(5) AND UNDER THAT TITLE I WANT TO LOOK AT 3 TRUTHS TODAY. NO. 1, THE PERMANENCE OF MARRIAGE, V. 31; NO. 2 THE PICTURE OF MARRIAGE, V. 32; AND NO. 3 THE PLEA TO HUSBANDS AND WIVES IN V. 33.

* SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE PERMANENCE, THE PICTURE AND THE PLEA IN OUR FINAL MESSAGE TO HUSBANDS AND WIVES.

** AND WITH THOSE POINTS TO HANG YOUR THOUGHTS ON, LOOK AT V. 31 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT, THE PERMANENCE.

I. THE PERMANENCE, (READ V. 31)

A. NOW V. 31 BEGINS WITH THE PHRASE, “FOR THIS CAUSE” OR “FOR THIS REASON” DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE.

* AND THIS PHRASE CONNECTS BACK TO VV. 28-30 WHERE PAUL HAS ARGUED THAT HUSBANDS ARE TO LOVE THEIR WIVES AS THEIR OWN BODIES JUST AS CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH BECAUSE WE ARE MEMBERS OF HIS BODY.

** AND HERE IN V. 31 WE HAVE A QUOTE FROM GENESIS 2:24 WHICH SAYS: “FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.”

*** NOW PAUL QUOTED GENESIS 2:24 TO DEMONSTRATE THAT IN MARRIAGE, MAN AND WOMAN ARE ONE FLESH, ONE BODY.

**** PAUL UTILIZED GENESIS 2:24 IN EPHESIANS 5:31 AS A FITTING CONCLUSION TO 5:28-30.

1. AND THIS REINFORCES THE CONCEPT THAT THE HUSBAND IS COMPELLED TO LOVE HIS WIFE BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE FLESH, ONE BODY, AND NO ONE HATES HIS OWN FLESH OR BODY.

* BUT RATHER, NURTURES AND TAKES TENDER CARE OF IT IN THE SAME WAY THAT CHRIST LOVES HIS BODY, THE CHURCH.

** SO HUSBANDS AS WE NATURALLY LOVE OUR OWN BODIES AND TAKE CARE OF THEM, WE SHOULD LOVE OUR WIVES FOR THEY ARE ONE WITH US, THEY ARE OUR FLESH, OUR BODY AS WE ARE THEIRS.

*** AND AS I TOLD YOU LAST WEEK, FOR A HUSBAND’S LOVE TO BE LIKE CHRIST’S LOVE FOR HIS BODY THE CHURCH, IT MUST ALSO BE AFFECTIONATELY CARING, TO THE EXTENT THAT HE CARES AS MUCH FOR HER WELFARE AS HE NATURALLY DOES FOR THE WELFARE OF HIS OWN BODY.

**** FOR IT IS A NATURAL ASPECT OF THE HUMAN CONDITION TO LOVE, NURTURE, AND PROTECT ONESELF. IT’S THE NORM.

2. SO THE FOCUS IS DIRECTED ON THE EXTENT OF LOVE A HUSBAND SHOULD HAVE FOR HIS WIFE, THAT IS, THE SAME WAY CHRIST LOVES HIS BODY, THE CHURCH.

* AND FOR A HUSBAND TO LOVE HIS WIFE AS CHRIST LOVES HIS OWN BODY THE CHURCH, HE MUST LOVE HER WITH A PERMANENT UNBREAKABLE LOVE.

** FOR CAN ANYTHING SEPARATE THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH, FROM CHRIST’S LOVE?

*** NO! FOR IN ROMANS 8:37-39 PAUL SAID: (READ THEM).

**** SO CHRIST’S LOVE IS UNBREAKABLE FOR HIS BODY, NOTHING WILL EVER SEPARATE CHRIST FROM HIS CHURCH, HE WILL NEVER DIVORCE HIS CHURCH, HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US, READ HEBREWS 13:5 AND MATTHEW 28:20.

3. SO FOR A HUSBAND TO LOVE HIS WIFE AS CHRIST LOVES HIS BODY HE MUST LOVE HER WITH AN UNBREAKABLE PERMANENT SACRIFICIAL LOVE.

* FOR IN V. 31, IN THIS DIRECT QUOTATION FROM GENESIS 2:24 PAUL EMPHASIZED THE PERMANENCE AS WELL AS THE UNITY OF MARRIAGE.

** FOR WHAT HAPPENS IN MARRIAGE, A MAN LEAVES HIS FATHER AND MOTHER.

*** IN MARRIAGE, A NEW FAMILY IS BEGUN AND THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE FORMER FAMILIES ARE TO BE SEVERED AS FAR AS AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY ARE CONCERNED.

**** PARENTS ARE ALWAYS TO BE LOVED, HONORED AND CARED FOR, BUT THEY ARE NO LONGER TO CONTROL THE LIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN ONCE THEY ARE MARRIED.

4. FOR IN MARRIAGE, A MAN LEAVES HIS FAMILY AS WELL AS THE WIFE DOES WITH HER FAMILY IS CERTAINLY IMPLIED BUT THE HUSBAND IS ADDRESSED HERE IN THIS CONTEXT.

* AND THE HUSBAND LEAVES AND CLEAVES, HE IS JOINED TO HIS WIFE.

** AND ON THE SCREEN YOU CAN SEE THE GREEK VERB TRANSLATED “CLEAVE” OR “SHALL BE JOINED”.

*** AND IT LIT. MEANS TO GLUE, TO CEMENT AS THE WELDING OF TWO METALS TOGETHER IN CONTRAST TO NAILING SOMETHING TOGETHER.

**** AND THIS JOINING TOGETHER IS SO TIGHT, THAT THE TWO BECOME ONE FLESH AT THE END OF V. 31.

5. SO MARRIAGE IS LEAVING AND CLEAVING, HUSBANDS AND WIVES ARE TO LEAVE THEIR PARENTS AND CLEAVE TO, TO BE CEMENTED TO EACH OTHER.

* AND THEY BREAK ONE SET OF TIES AS THEY ESTABLISH THE OTHER, AND THE 2’D IS MORE BINDING AND PERMANENT THAN THE FIRST WITH MOM AND DAD.

** SO AGAIN IN MARRIAGE THERE IS LEAVING AND CLEAVING AND NOT LEAVING.

*** MARK 10:9 SAYS: (READ IT)

**** THE PERMANENCE OF THE MARRIAGE UNION IS ESTABLISHED AND AS YOU CANNOT SEPARATE CHRIST’S BODY, HIS CHURCH, FROM CHRIST, WE SHOULD NOT TRY TO SEPARATE HUSBANDS AND WIVES, IT IS UNNATURAL.

6. IT IS A PERMANENT UNION. IT IS A LIFELONG COMMITMENT, FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE, FOR RICHER, FOR POORER, IN SICKNESS AND HEALTH TILL DEATH DO YOU PART, NOT UNTIL DIVORCE DO YOU PART.

* AND YES GOD ALLOWS FOR DIVORCE FOR UNREPENTANT ADULTERY IN MATTHEW 5:31&32 AND MATTHEW 19:3-13 AND WHERE THE UNBELIEVER LEAVES THE BELIEVER IN I CORINTHIANS 7:15.

** BUT HE ALLOWS IT BECAUSE OF THE HARDNESS OF OUR HEARTS, FOR IN MALACHI 2:16 IT SAYS “GOD HATES DIVORCE”.

*** AND THE IDEAL IS ONE MAN FOR ONE WOMAN UNTIL DEATH. FOR WE ARE GLUED TOGETHER, WE ARE CEMENTED TOGETHER, WE ARE ONE FLESH.

**** AND WHAT MANY MARRIAGES NEED TODAY IS MORE OF THE GLUE OF GENUINE UNSELFISH SACRIFICIAL LOVE SO THAT THEY WILL STICK TOGETHER.

***** AND HUSBANDS WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE OUR WIVES AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH, WITH A SACRIFICIAL GIVING FORGIVING PATIENT PERMANENT LOVE.

7. AND AS WE NATURALLY LOVE OUR OWN BODIES AND AS CHRIST SUPERNATURALLY LOVES HIS BODY, THE CHURCH, WE ARE CALLED TO PERMANENTLY LOVE OUR WIVES BECAUSE WE ARE ONE FLESH.

* SO WE CLEARLY SEE PERMANENCE IN V. 31 WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE PICTURE, LOOK AT V. 32 PLEASE.

II. THE PICTURE, (READ V. 32)

A. NOW THE WORD MYSTERY IN THE N.T. POINTS TO THE ONCE HIDDEN PLAN OF GOD WHICH HAS NOW BEEN REVEALED IN JESUS CHRIST.

* THE WORD MYSTERY IDENTIFIES SOME REALITY HIDDEN IN THE PAST, IN THE O.T. AND NOW REVEALED IN THE N.T.

** AND AS POINTED OUT EARLIER IN THE CONTEXT WE ARE STUDYING, MARRIAGE IS A PICTURE OF THE CHURCH AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST WHICH WAS NOT REVEALED IN THE O.T.

*** SO THIS MYSTERY, THIS MAGNIFICENT PICTURE THAT PEOPLE COULD NEVER DISCOVER AND THAT WAS UNKNOWN TO THE SAINTS OF THE O.T., BUT IS NOW REVEALED IS GREAT, AND IT HAS TO DO WITH CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH.

**** IN OTHER WORDS, GOD’S NEW PEOPLE, THE CHURCH, ARE BROUGHT INTO HIS KINGDOM AND HIS FAMILY THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST.

1. AND CHRIST IS THE BRIDEGROOM AND THE CHURCH IS HIS BRIDE.

* SO THE MYSTERY THAT IS GREAT IS THE UNION OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH. AND IN V. 32 PAUL QUOTES THE TWO SHALL BE ONE FROM GENESIS 2:24 AS SUPPORT FOR THAT UNION.

** HE WAS SPEAKING OF THE UNION BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE CHURCH, AND HAS APPLIED IT TO THE UNION OF THE HUSBAND AND WIFE IN THIS CONTEXT.

*** AND THIS PICTURE THAT PAUL PAINTS SETS THE BAR HIGH, IT ELEVATES THE MARRIAGE UNION IN ILLUSTRATION TO THE PICTURE OF CHRIST’S LOVE AND UNION FOR THE CHURCH.

**** AND COULD THERE BE A CLEARER PICTURE, A HIGHER MODEL, A BETTER ILLUSTRATION?

2. NO. 1 THIS MYSTERY NOW REVEALED IS GREAT! THIS IS A GREAT PICTURE OF MARRIAGE AND IT EXALTS MARRIAGE AS A GOD ORDAINED INSTITUTION.

* AND UNFORTUNATELY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR NATION IS AN AGENDA TO REDEFINE MARRIAGE, BEING PROMOTED BY HOMOSEXUALS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS. (AND WE DON’T HATE THEM.)

** BUT THEY WANT TO PERVERT MARRIAGE TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR LIFESTYLE AND SIN AND HAVE FULL RIGHTS AND MEDICAL AND GOVT. BENEFITS FOR AN UNHOLY UNION, WHICH WILL NEVER BE TWO BECOMING ONE.

*** AND AS CHRISTIANS, WE MUST FIRMLY PLANT IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS GOD’S HIGH VIEW OF MARRIAGE.

**** AND THAT MARRIAGE IS THE LIFELONG MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN.

3. AND ANY ATTEMPT TO “EXPAND” THE DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE TO INCLUDE SAME-SEX COUPLES DENIES THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF MARRIAGE AND DESTROYS THE INSTITUTION AS GOD ORDAINED IT.

* BELOVED IN GENESIS 2:18-25 AS GOD INSTITUTES AND ORDAINS MARRIAGE, IT IS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN.

** IN MARK 10:6-9 WHERE GENESIS 2:24 IS ILLUSTRATED, IT IS CLEARLY BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN (READ THEM).

*** AND MY POINT FROM SCRIPTURE IS THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE ON THIS ISSUE, IT IS CLEAR.

**** BECAUSE OF THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON ISSUE ONE ON TUESDAY, FOR A YES VOTE ON ISSUE ONE PROTECTS MARRIAGE.

4. AND THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL ENDORSEMENT, BUT A MORAL BIBLICAL ENDORSEMENT FOR THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE.

* AND IN MY MIND, IT IS PROVIDENTIAL THAT ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY ON TUESDAY I WOULD BE ON THIS TEXT IN THE PROGRESSION OF OUR STUDY IN EPHESIANS.

** I DIDN’T PLAN IT THIS WAY. SO AS A CHRISTIAN VOTE AND AS A CHRISTIAN I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON ISSUE 1 BECAUSE OF THE PICTURE WE HAVE IN EPHESIANS AND THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE, READ EPHESIANS 5:31.

*** AND THIS TRUTH IS ELEVATED BY THE PICTURE OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH, MYSTERY NOW REVEALED THAT IS GREAT. WHAT A PERFECT PICTURE.

**** WHICH LEADS US TO OUR THIRD AND FINAL POINT TODAY, THE PLEA. LOOK AT V. 33 PLEASE.

III. THE PLEA, (READ V. 33)

A. NOW PAUL GIVES A FINAL PLEA TO HUSBANDS IN V. 33 AND ALSO GIVES A FINAL PLEA TO WIVES.

* AND IN ESSENCE IN V. 33, PAUL ROUNDS OFF HIS DISCUSSION WITH TWO SUMMARIZING EXHORTATIONS IN WHICH THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES ARE BRIEFLY RESTATED.

** IN FACT, THE FIRST WORD IN V. 33 “NEVERTHELESS” OR “HOWEVER” IF YOU HAVE AN NIV CAN BE TRANSLATED IN “ANY CASE” OR “NOR” OR “BUT”.

*** THIS OPENING WORD CONCLUDES THE DISCUSSION AND RE-EMPHASIZES WHAT IS IMPORTANT.

**** AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL BELIEVING HUSBAND WHO READS THIS TEXT LOVES HIS OWN WIFE AS HE NATURALLY LOVES HIMSELF, LIT. HIS OWN BODY IN THIS CONTEXT.

1. AND THIS CLOSING ADMONITION IS A REVIEW OF THE TRUTHS WE’VE COVERED EMPHASIZING INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY, NO HUSBAND IS EXEMPT.

* SO THE PRIME DIRECTIVE FOR HUSBANDS IS THAT HE SHOULD LOVE HIS WIFE AS BEING HIMSELF.

** THEREFORE HE LOVES HER BECAUSE SHE IS UNITED WITH HIM, THE TWO BECOMING ONE.

*** AND AS I STATED LAST WEEK, IT IS NOT COMMANDED FOR A HUSBAND TO LOVE HIMSELF IN ORDER TO LOVE HIS WIFE.

**** LOVE OF SELF IS A NATURAL INSTINCT. IT IS ASSUMED WE LOVE OURSELVES AND LET ME ADD THAT’S WHY WE ARE SO NATURALLY SELFISH. IT IS EASY TO THINK OF SELF FIRST.

2. BUT LOVING OUR WIVES SHOULD BE AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH. IT IS SACRIFICIAL AND IS SUPERNATURAL AS WE ARE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

* BUT THEN THE WIFE IS TOLD TO RESPECT OR REVERENCE HER HUSBAND.

** AND THE WIFE’S INDIVIDUAL SOLE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO RESPECT OR REVERENCE HER HUSBAND FOR IF SHE DOES THIS SHE WILL SUBMIT TO HIM.

*** LET ME EXPLAIN, THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED RESPECT HERE IS THE VERB FORM OF THE NOUN TRANSLATED FEAR IN V. 21, “AND BE SUBJECT TO ONE ANOTHER THE FEAR OF CHRIST”.

**** AND FEAR IS A GOOD TRANSLATION FOR RESPECT OR REVERENCE IN V. 33 ACCORDING TO SOME GREEK SCHOLARS I STUDIED.

3. BUT WE CRINGE AT THE WORD FEAR BECAUSE IN OUR DAY IT HAS A LOT OF NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS.

* BUT NOT HERE IN THIS CONTEXT. TO FEAR YOUR HUSBAND IS NOT TO BE AFRAID OF HIM OR TO BE SCARED OF HIM, TO HAVE DREAD.

** THE IDEA HERE IS NOT AN EMOTION OF FEAR OR DREAD BUT AN ATTITUDE THAT SHE HAS TO HIS POSITION, HIS HEADSHIP IN THE HOME.

*** IT IS A REVERENTIAL RESPECT, A REVERENTIAL FEAR OF HIS GOD-GIVEN POSITION THAT MOTIVATES A WIFE TO BE SUBMISSIVE TO HIM.

**** FOR EXAMPLE, WE AS BELIEVERS ARE CALLED TO BE SUBJECT TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE FEAR OF CHRIST IN EPHESIANS 5:21.

4. NOW THE FEAR OF CHRIST IS MORE THAN RESPECT, FOR A PERSON COULD RESPECT CHRIST AND FAIL TO BE SUBMISSIVE TO CHRIST.

* WELL IN REGARD TO THE WIFE, IT’S MORE THAN RESPECT ALSO, FOR SHE MAY RESPECT HIM AND STILL NOT SUBMIT TO HIM DURING EMOTIONAL DIFFICULT TIMES.

** SO IN REGARDS TO THE WIFE, THIS FEAR COULD BE DEFINED AS REVERENCE FOR HER HUSBAND’S POSITION AS HEAD OF THE HOME.

*** SHE MAY NOT REVERENCE OR RESPECT HIS PRACTICE, BUT THERE MUST BE A REVERENTIAL RESPECT, A REVERENTIAL FEAR OF HIS POSITION. (ILLUST. WITH HONORING PARENTS AND DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN PRACTICE AND POSITION).

**** NOW AS WE GO BACK TO WIVES, PAUL IS NOT GIVING A NEW COMMAND TO WIVES BUT EXPLAINING THE ATTITUDE THAT ENABLES HER TO SUBMIT.

5. LET THE WIFE SEE TO IT THAT SHE HAS A REVERENTIAL FEAR, A REVERENTIAL RESPECT FOR HER HUSBAND’S POSITION.

* AND AS SHE HAS THAT, SHE WILL SUBMIT TO HER HUSBAND AS SHE DOES TO THE LORD, V. 22.

AND AS I WRAP UP OUR TEXT TODAY: (1) LET ME SAY THAT OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE CLEAR.

* HUSBANDS LOVE YOUR WIVES. WIVES BE SUBJECT TO YOUR OWN HUSBANDS AND THESE COMMANDS ARE GIVEN WITHOUT CONDITIONS. THESE IMPERATIVES ARE UNCONDITIONAL.

** MARRIAGE IS THE UNION OF A MAN AND A WOMAN THAT BINDS THEM TOGETHER AS ONE FLESH.

*** THIS UNION SHOULD NOT BE DIVIDED AND IF OUR BIBLICAL ROLES ARE SUBMITTED TO, IT WILL NOT DIVIDE.

**** BELOVED, A BELIEVER’S MARITAL HARMONY IS NOT TO BE DEPENDENT ON THEIR OWN INGENUITY BUT RATHER MOTIVATED BY OBEDIENCE TO GOD AND BY THE ENABLING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

(2) SO THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS RELATIONSHIP REQUIRES SPIRIT-FILLED PARTNERS WHO ARE TRULY COMMITTED AND CONCERNED FOR EACH OTHER AND WHO HAVE A REAL DESIRE TO SEE THE WORK OF GOD IN OUR LIVES.

* FOR THE PRIMARY GOAL OF MARRIAGE IS NOT TO PLEASE ONESELF BUT TO SEE THE PURPOSES OF GOD WORD IN AND THROUGH EACH PARTNER FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

** AND WHAT A TESTIMONY A SOLID MARRIAGE LIKE THAT IS IN OUR WORLD TODAY. IT CERTAINLY CAN GIVE US OPEN DOORS TO TELL PEOPLE WHY OUR MARRIAGES ARE SOLID.

*** BUT MAY WE REMEMBER, THAT WE ARE ENABLED TO FULFILL OUR ROLES SUPERNATURALLY AS WE OBEY THE ULTIMATE IMPERATIVE OF EPHESIANS 5:18 (READ IT).

**** AND AS WE ARE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT THROUGH CONFESSING AND FORSAKING SIN, FILLING OUR LIVES WITH THE WORD OF GOD AND YIELDING TO THE SPIRIT, SPIRIT FILLED GOD HONORING FAMILY LIVING WILL BE THE RESULT.

(3) MAY WE FULFILL OUR ROLES BY BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. AND FOR EVERYONE WHO IS NOT MARRIED, MAY WE GLORIFY OUR GOD THROUGH BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.