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Pastor Chris White says to all of you: HELLO MY FRIENDS. May the Lord bless you today.
HOLA MIS AMIGOS. Que el Señor los bendiga.
Marriage
is the most intimate relationship two human beings can experience, second only
to a relationship with God. Marriage brings out the best and the worst in most
people, as two separate individuals struggle to live as “one flesh” (Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:8). At the root of most marriage
problems is selfishness. When one or both partners choose to live as though his
or her needs deserve top consideration, conflict results.
There are specific verses that address behavior of both husbands and wives.
Some of those are 1 Peter 3:1-8, Colossians 3:18-19, and Titus 2:3-5. Although not addressing marriage
directly, Philippians 2:3-13 is an excellent recipe for
resolving marriage problems. This passage tells us to adopt the attitude Christ
demonstrated when He set aside His rights and privileges as the Son of God and
came to earth as a humble servant. Verses 3 and 4 say, “Do nothing out of
selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than
yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to
the interests of others.” When that exhortation is applied to marriage,
almost any obstacle can be overcome.
Certainly, seeking counsel from a pastor or Christian marriage counselor is a
biblical thing to do (Proverbs 19:20). Getting
counseling is an excellent way to clear misconceptions about marriage roles, to
see a situation from another viewpoint, and to distinguish between God’s
standards and those of the world.
Ephesians 5:21-33 gives specific instructions
for both husbands and wives. A husband is to love his wife “as Christ
loves the church and gave Himself for her” (verse 25). Such
self-sacrificing love creates an atmosphere in which a wife can more easily
submit to her husband’s leadership. When a husband is committed to
demonstrating love for his wife, and a wife is committed to graciously allowing
her husband to lead, the marriage will work.
It is also wise to pay close attention to the verses just before the specific
marriage instructions. Ephesians 5:19–21 says, “Do not get drunk
with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to
one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody
with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in
the fear of Christ.”
Notice all the commands that precede the marriage instruction. All
Christians are to
• refuse to get drunk
• be filled with the Spirit
• encourage each other
• sing hymns and songs of praise
• have an attitude of continual worship
• live in a spirit of gratitude
• submit graciously to each other
We miss vital truth when we skip straight to the marriage instruction without
applying the practical guidelines in the preceding verses. When each spouse
applies those truths to his or her personal life and strives to make his or her
relationship with the Lord the primary focus, marriage problems take a back
seat. When two committed Christians purpose to seek God’s heart and follow His
will no matter what, there is no problem that they cannot work through.
Thank you to Got Questions Ministries
© Copyright 2002-2019 Got Questions Ministries. All rights reserved.
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