The similarities of a marriage and and our walk with Christ
Today I would like to talk to you about the similarities in a heathy marriage and a heathy walk with Christ
I say heathy because we are saved by grace, that is a gift of God ,not of works least any man boast (Ephesians 2:8-9) God chooses who it is he saves. my walk and your walk may not look the same but a heathy walk will most assuredly look similar to this.And the same goes for marriage Linda and I have been marred for nearly 30 years and our marriage doesn't look like this but I pray that is what we both strive for
First nothing, comes before Christ. Luke 14:26 say" anyone who doesn't hate his mother father wife and children brothers and sisters yes even his own life cannot be my disciple". God isn't telling us we are to hate, he is saying we must put him ahead of all things.there will be times when the will of God will be in direct conflict with the world. we must be willing to to abandon the ones we love to obey that will. In Genesis 22 we see Abraham willing to sacrifice the son he loves Isaac to fulfill God's will.
Marriage is the same. In order to have a heathy marriage nothing can come before it. Genesis 2:24 says "a man will leave his mother and father and be joined to his wife and they shall become one flesh". We need to put our spouse ahead of everything,even our own will. In Genesis we see Sara not once but twice willing to give herself to a foreign king,for the sake of her husband.
A heathy walk with Christ say we are to submit to him fully.Jesus in the garden of gethsemane (Matthew 26:38-39 )wth his heart deeply grieved he prays to God "if there is any other way let this cup pass from me, but not my will but your will be done". Even unto death Jesus submitted to god's will.
In Ephesians 5 :22 it says wife's submit to your husbands and in 5 :25 it says husbands love your wife's like Christ loved the church. Which I find funny in that in my experience women tend to seek out hidden meanings in things while men are blunt and direct. Here the message to women is clear submit. On the other hand we as men must search out what we must do?
So how did Christ love the church? One thing he did was teach and instruct them.now be very carful with this guys, he instructed his decipel with love and in the truth. not his truth but gods truth. Another thing he did he came as a servant, not as a ruler. he was patience with them (Mathew 17:17 ) I get tickled when Jesus gets on to Peter he calls him Simon. he had great patience with them even though they didn't get it,tell after they received the holly spirit. it can be one of the hardest things we do when dealing with our spouses
The next point seams so simple it's almost not worth talking about. yet it's the cornerstone of Christianity, and marriage;love! ( Matthew 22:37 ) says love the lord with all your heart. How long do you think your marriage will last without love. Looks fade, interests change, things that once were the most important things in our life now may not seam so important.true love is forever and can overcome all the petty differences you have in your lives. My favorite verse of the bible is Genesis 2:23 flesh of my flesh bone of my bone. Man I get it when Adam first saw eve he saw the one thing he was missing. But isn't that the same thing you thought when Christ first reveled himself to you?
In contrast one of the most devastating things in our walk with Christ and to our marriage is pride. It was the first sin. ( gen 3:6 ) it is what separated satan from God. ( Isaiah14:14 ) It's also separates husband and wife. "If he would only do this I would do that" . That's pride, not willing to make the first move. " I don't have to go to church to be saved " which I agree with,unless God tells you to find a church, then it's pride ! Pride keeps wife's from submitting. pride keeps men from being a servant. Pride keeps us from fulfilling God's plan for us. Pride is one of the things that keeps the lost from being saved.
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