We have been discussing God’s concept of lasting love that models Christ’s love for His people. So far we covered five biblical keys to lasting love. You can review those blogs here:
Our Greatest Desire – Fulfilled! Part 1
Our Greatest Desire – Fulfilled! Part 2
Today we will discuss the next three biblical keys.
LOVE LIKE JESUS
Imagine how different the world would be if we loved each other like Jesus loves us. The following scripture illustrates the beauty of the God-head in marriage. Although God is one, He manifested in three. The same is true in marriage. Although they were one, Jesus said, “I can only do what I see my Father doing.” (John 5:19) There was complete unity between Jesus and the Father as there is to be between husband and wife. The Church follows Jesus who follows the Father. The bride follows her husband who follows Christ. Marriage is complete when it models the spiritual Kingdom of God in perfect peace and submission.
“For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” Ephesians 5:22-33 (NLT)
SATISFY ONE ANOTHER
For all the talk about sex in our culture, there is very little true satisfaction or intimacy. (Trust me I know. I am a Pastor with a tissue box on my desk) The biggest problem is that people start with the physical in search of the spiritual when that is completely upside down from God’s design. When we follow Gods design for intimacy in marriage it comes together perfectly, and that unity we spoke about in the last key means that there is no separation physically or spiritually.
“The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 (NLT)
AVOID CONTENTION
The best conflict resolution is when there is no need for conflict resolution – because there is no conflict. Let us strive to live together in peace and harmony laying down our own lives and demands for the greater good of each other AND to be a light and model to a world who desperately needs to see Jesus is us and our marriages.
“It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.” Proverbs 21:9 (NLT)
“Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.” Colossians 3:19 (NLT)
“Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Hebrews 12:15 (NLT)
Join us in our next blog as we cover some more biblical keys to lasting love. Let me know your thoughts!
Blessings!
Rodney