Read: Matthew 9:14-15 & Ephesians 5:22-32
Christ chose marriage as the metaphor to explain His relationship with the Church. This is the scariest thing about marriage. Christian marriages are to exhibit Christ’s relationship with the church. Yet in our culture today, marriage is based on fleeting feelings of love or contractual benefits. God takes it so much more seriously than that. It is a covenant, not an emotional high or mere contract; and precisely because God takes it so seriously, we should not take it lightly. We should understand and adopt His view of marriage.
The covenant between Christ and His church is based on the character and power of God, and is therefore unbreakable. Ephesians says wives are to submit to their husbands as the church does to Christ. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church, who loved her and “gave himself up for her.” How many of our marriages reflect this beautiful, complementary, covenant relationship? The husband leads his wife by laying down his life for her, not lording authority over her. The wife submits to her husband as if she were submitting to the Lord. Nowhere in this picture do we see the husband demeaning, dominating or being passive. Nowhere do we see the bride manipulating or taking control. But rather, in Christ’s relationship with the church there is joy, peace and love because there is right order. It ought to be the same in our marriages.
