Marriage #8 Love your wife as Christ loved the church.

Men, this is so simple to understand.



Ephesians 5:25-29

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 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. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.



This tells us first of all to love our wives. Love is more than a feeling. It is respect, honor, caring, seeing past mistakes, forgiving, and taking care of them. Feelings come and go but love should not. Don't base your marriage on feelings alone. It is much, much more than feelings.



Second, Christ is our example. As he loves the church, we are to love our wives. Stop and think about that for a moment. Christ died for the church, are you willing to die for your wife. Christ gave himself in total devotion to the church, can you say the same for your wife? Christ did so much for the church as you look at verses 26-27. Sanctify, cleanse, washed, took away spots, wrinkles, so the church could be Holy and without blemish. To sum all that up is to say He forgave her through HIS BLOOD of all her imperfections and sins! Wow! Are you forgiving of your wife? No matter what? Think about this...can you wife wrong you in any area that would be worse than the sin you have committed against Christ? I think not! Christ has forgiven us so must be willing to forgive our wives.



Third, The Word says men ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. Hopefully we all are taking good care of our bodies. We are to take care of our wives as we take care of our bodies. We should nourish and cherish the bodies God has give us, just like Christ nourishes and cherishes the church!



Oh How Jesus loves us! I hope your wife can say without hesitation how much you love her!



Tom