Christlike Love In A Godly Family

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

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

* 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

* 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

* 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

* 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

INTRODUCTION

We are coming to a very important subject, very important for our present life, destiny and ministry. It is so because once we miss it on this foundational study and practical aspect, we will miss it all through. Tonight, we are talking about CHRISTLIKE LOVE IN A GODLY FAMILY. This message concerns both those who are married and those who are not, because those who are not married ought to be preparing before getting into the marital life. And it is the preparations that really matters so that one can lay a good foundation on this important subject.

Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”

-“Marriage is honourable in all…”

As we consider ourselves, marriage is honourable in young people, middle-aged, and marriageable widows and widowers. We must keep the bed undefiled, and the marriage honourable and graceful because God will judge whoremongers and adulterers.

-“Matrimonial unfaithfulness is damnable in all…” Hebrews 13:4

This is not referring to only matrimonial unfaithfulness but unfaithfulness in every aspect of life so we can say, matrimonial cruelty and violence is damnable in all. We hear and read about all these vices in the newspapers, everywhere and every time. It has become an everyday occurrence.

-Matrimonial infidelity is damnable in all.

-Matrimonial deception is damnable in all. The man deceiving the woman and the woman deceiving the man and they are just living together but unfaithful to each other.

-Matrimonial hatred is damnable in all. Couples live together but the purpose of their marriages are not being fulfilled. There is cruelty, violence, hatred, infidelity, deception, neglect, etc. Neglect in the aspect of the man not providing for the family (wife and children) This is damnable in the sight of God.

-There is also matrimonial wickedness, sheer wickedness. When we treat the other person the way we do not want to be treated, it is wickedness.

So as we look at the word of God, we have to look at our families because if we do not, we will just be claiming to not have committed adultery or whoredom, whereas, that is not the only problem in the family. We need to look at everything holistically, completely and entirely.

1. PERTINENT EXPERIENCES IN THE LORD FOR A CONCRETE FOUNDATION

If you are going to have a good building – God refers to the home as a building – you must have a concrete and sound foundation. This is very important as our children, youths and some people in leadership positions are preparing to get married.

What are the important experiences we need to have to have a good foundation?

Psalm 11:3 “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” For us to have a solid and sound foundation for our families, marriages and coming together, we must take care of the foundation.