Ephesians 5: 21-33
(vs. 21)
" ...submitting to one another in the fear of God.
(vs. 22-23)
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 Savior
of the body.
(vs. 24)
Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ,
so let the wives be to their own husbands in every-
thing.
(vs. 25-27)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also
loved the church and gave himself for her, that
He migh sanctify and cleanse her with the wash-
ing of water by the Word, that He might present
her to himself a glorious church, not having
spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she
should be holy and without blemish.
(vs. 28-29)
So husbands ought to love their own wives as
their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves
himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh,
but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the
Lord does the church.
(vs. 30-31)
For we are members of his body, of his
flesh and of his bones. For this reason a
man shall leave his father and mother and
be joined to his wife, and the two shall
become one flesh.
(vs. 32)
This is a great mystery, but I speak concer-
ning Christ and the church.
(vs. 33)
Nevertheless let each one of you in particular
so love his own wife as himself, an let the wife
see that she respects her husband."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To everything in the Kingdom of God, even on
the earth, there is a order. This proper, ratio-
nal order is designed by our Father, YHWH,
the Lord God, Jehovah. When we digress from
His order, things fall apart. Marriage is one of
those things belonging to our Lord. When the
government, or any other entity seeks change to
pervert the structure or marriage it is destined
to fail.
When we look around us we cannot deny the facts.
The frequency of divorce is at alarming rates, but
when you factor into this the statistics of men and
women living together outside of marriage, it is
even more staggering. Scripture allows in some
instances for divorce in the case of adultery. See
the Word of God on this. Living apart from the
Word of God can never result in a successful life.
This passage of Scripture deals with paral-
lel subject matter, "Marriage" and "Church"
or the Body of our Lord, Jesus Christ on the
earth. Keep in mind, the church as the princi-
ple subject, and marriage as an earthly entity
representing Christ and his Church. Another
entity representing Christ is the presence of a
physical manifestation, the Church that is in
evidence. The love of man for woman, Christ
for his Church, and submission of a wife to
her husband, the Church for Christ, is a pic-
ture on earth of Christ and his Church. For
that, no government or other entity, has any
business trying to make changes for marriage
as is happening in this great land in which we
live and in other countries. Just as mankind
constantly ignores or tries to change Biblical
truth of God's Holy Word, it was inevitable it
would happen to a critical institution created
by our Lord. Marriage, as defined by God's
Word is the best, the only way, for a man and
a woman to live together in peace. The term
Holy Matrimony must have been coined for
that reason. Marriage, as we see everywhere,
breaks down when the plan of God is not fol-
lowed and man goes his own way, as he does
in most all things. Where is there to be found
a definition of marriage outside of the Bible?
There are some who take issue with the princi-
pal of "submission" to the husband on part of
the wife. I believe that may be one reason for
vs. 21 which is part of the passage before.
vs.17-20. Verse 21 finishes a sentence started
in verse 17, but sets up the passage discussed
here. As a wife is instructed to submit to her
own husband, we are all instructed to submit to
each other in the fear of the Lord.
How difficult is it to submit to one who is,
under God, in submission to you and loves
you as Christ loves his Church. One other
thought; Is there a source, except for Holy
Scripture, where one leans of love, it's defi-
nition and application. There is none of
which I am aware. As a point of fact, love
would not be known without the entry, into
the world of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who
defined and demonstrated his love for his
creation by his sacrificial life, death, resur-
rection, ascension and his intercession on
our behalf. (the world) This of course has
been recorded for our edification in Holy
Scripture.
Men; How is your marriage? It is in your hands.
How closely are you following God's plan in this?
"Doing the same thing over and over, and expec-
ting different results is the definition of insanity.
(This sensible thought is not from Scripture.)
donporter,sr 10.01.14
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