30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 16 18 The covenantal relationship of marriage 09 Husbands, love your wives – 2
📖 Luke 16:18
26Apr2020 - *Husbands, love your wives – 2* - _Luke 16:18_ - Bible reading: _Ephesians 5:25-31_
_Luke 16:18 “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery._
We have begun learning about the covenantal relationship of marriage. As always, we must let the word of God bring healing in our lives and in our marriages
We began by considering the covenantal love of God for His people and how that covenantal love needs to be experienced for a marriage to be a demonstrative model of God’s covenantal love. We then said that both husband and wife must enter into marriage with a submissive spirit _Ephesians 5:21__. Then, the wife is commanded to submit to her husband in everything _(Ephesians 5:22-24)_. Lastly, we saw that the husband is commanded to love his wife just as Christ loved the church _(Ephesians 5:25-31)_
We saw that the tendency of the wife is to be contentious. She does not have to hide from this matter but husband and wife, together, have to help the wife overcome her struggle of being contentious and help her learn to submit. For in doing so, she becomes a wise woman, who builds her house.
We saw that the issue that hinders the husband from loving his wife, is his preoccupation with himself. This fixation of the husband with himself, causes the wife to be contentious, which leads to the second struggle for the husband, which is becoming bitter, which then leads to further contention from the wife.
He will need to deal with his self at the cross and live in the power of the Holy Spirit. He can learn much from observing his wife, for, for her, others in the family come first and she, last.
God is showing us that we need not hide or deny our weaknesses, for as we acknowledge and confront them, God enables us to convert our weakness into a strength. _II Corinthians 12:9-10 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong._ God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. As we accept and surrender our weaknesses to the Lord, the power of Christ begins to rest on us. When we are weak then we are actually strong in Jesus.
The struggle for the husband is with his priority for himself, this weakness is being converted into a strength. _Ephesians 5:27-29 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.*_
He begins to see that caring and giving priority to his wife is actually caring for himself, for she is part of him. This is the secret of the husband’s love for his wife.
We may understand the principle but it is only in Christ, can we experience the power to live out the principle. We must be crucified with Christ in order for Christ to live from within us. _II Timothy 2:11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. Romans 6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might._
*Thought to ponder*
```We need not hide or be defensive any more but we can be open and honest with our struggles, with each other.```