Christlike Love In A Godly Family

Ephesians 5:25-33; HEBREWS 13:4; Revelation 21:8; 22:12-15

Maybe our parents did well, but our perfect and ultimate model or pattern is Christ the Lord. Husbands and wives must love themselves whether they are together or apart (for example, whether one is at work, and the other is in another place). Whether one is promoted to a high position or not, the love is still there. Even though Christ has gone to heaven and is on the right hand of God, He still loves the church. It is an ongoing, eternal and unbreakable love.

– Imagine Christ loving us and not giving us any word of promise, saying He does not want to commit Himself to us…

– Imagine Him not giving us any word of encouragement, saying we should encourage ourselves since we have the Bible…

– Imagine Him not giving us any encouragement with His presence and power,

– But He kept giving and giving. He gave Himself to the church because of love and this is the pattern, model and example we should follow.

vs 28. Men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. This is another level of love. No one wants any pain to come to any part of the body, or tolerate hunger, thirst and sickness. Anytime there is any need in your body, you quickly supply it. The same way the husband must love his wife, and the wife must love her husband as her own body. If he does not love his wife, he does not love his own joy, happiness, progress, he does not please God and get to heaven.

You might love a thousand and million people outside your home, serving and making sacrifices for them here and there, if you do not love your spouse, you do not love yourself. After loving your spouse, you can now go and love people outside for salvation or service.

1. Proper Expression Of Love In The Family (Ephesians 5:2,32; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 John 4:11-12, 17-18,21; Philippians 2:1–5)

This is not theoretical or mental love. It is not theological or doctrinal love but practical to the point that the person living with you can tell through your actions and body languages. No one ever hates his own flesh, no matter the flaws or shortcomings. You may even wound any part of your body, yet you will never exchange such part for another. The more the pain and challenge you have, the more love and care you have for your body. This is exactly how to love your spouse.

vs 31. Married people should not have the habit of running to the parents, leaders and pastors in the church, discussing their family. They should be able to manage their families with all situations by themselves. A level of maturity comes with being married. “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his own wife, and they two shall be one flesh”. The word join, cleave, glued to is like when you glue two things together, separating them will be to destroy one, the other or both. This is the kind of union and togetherness we ought to have in the family.

vs 32. If you tear the family apart, you are tearing the mystery of Christ apart from the church. Husband and wife in particular – forget about other people and family, forget about a book you read – love your spouse as commanded by God.

2. Permanent Existence Of Love In The Family (Ephesians 5:30-31; Matthew 19:4–6; Malachi 2:14–16; Song of Solomon 8:6-7)

Husbands and wives must love one another as Christ loved the church. They must be joined and glued together, there is no separation, divorce, or living apart. This is the scriptural teaching of the scriptures. They are joined together and must live together in love until death does them part.

Matthew 19:4. The Pharisees came to ask Jesus about the issue of divorce in marriage. Jesus did not ask them about what any ruler in the synagogue, philosophers, approved and elevated present day authors wrote about marriage but what the scriptures wrote. Just as you cannot have two mother and fathers, so you cannot have two wives or two husbands at the same time.