26 Oct
God’s Love And The Family
It has been a really busy week at work and I do apologize for the lack of updates to the blog. And I must also apologize if I haven’t visited some of your blogs till recently because of the hectic schedule.
Being quite occupied with work doesn’t mean I haven’t got things whirling in my head on what the Christian life is and one of the things that spoke most to me this week was God’s plan for the family, which I shall share with you today.
Do you ever wonder why God made man and woman and ordained the institution of marriage, along with the commission to be fruitful and multiply, i.e. have children?
Well, yes, the obvious answer would be that God already knew that the family unit is the strongest unit in society and a pillar for any society. Without strong families, there is no strong society. And yes, the other obvious answer to why God wanted us to multiply and have children was so that we fill the earth.
However, have you ever wondered how being married and having children is so akin to experiencing the kingdom of God?
In the Bible, our Lord Jesus Christ mentions many times over that He is the bridegroom and the Church His unblemished bride. The relationship between the Church, of which all of us are a part of, and our Lord Jesus Christ is alike a marriage.
In fact, the Apostle Paul was inspired to expound on this point so well that I am surprised that not many people mention this — that God ordained the institution of marriage so that we learn about the relationship between Christ and His Church!
Let’s read this wonderful revelation:
Ephesians 5:22 (KJV) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Ephesians 5:23 (KJV) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Ephesians 5:24 (KJV) Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Ephesians 5:25 (KJV) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Ephesians 5:26 (KJV) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Ephesians 5:27 (KJV) 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.
Ephesians 5:28 (KJV) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Ephesians 5:29 (KJV) For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Ephesians 5:30 (KJV) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Ephesians 5:31 (KJV) 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.
Ephesians 5:32 (KJV) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5:33 (KJV) Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Notice Ephesians 5:32 (KJV). Paul is not alluding to the fact that marriage is alike the relationship between our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. He is telling us that marriage is meant to be the mirror of the relationship between our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church!
Isn’t that a revelation? No? It is to me, because we seldom notice that fact! Leaders and counselors quote these passages during marriage preparation courses and counseling sessions to teach about marriage, but nobody said anything about the fact that marriage is a reflection of the Church’s relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ!
Therefore, in the union between a man and his wife, Christ’s relationship with His Church is manifest! Isn’t that amazingly wonderful?! Isn’t it amazing how God teaches us lessons?
And here’s more! Why are we then given the ability to procreate and have children of our own? Is it not so that God can teach us about His love for us?
We often read about how Christian parents love their children and also of their heartaches and pain, of the parents’ forgiveness for their children even when the children are bad to them and mistreat them, and of joy when they see their children grow up and become men and women.
And so it is with God as our Father and we His children through Christ Jesus! And you know what the only difference is? The love of God for us far surpasses the love of any parent for his or her child!
Yes, you read it right, because it says here in Matthew 7:11 (KJV):
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
Let it no longer be a mystery — through our own children, God shows us how He loves us as His children! And much as we would chastise our children when they disobey, so does God chastise us when we become disobedient.
I just found it amazing that I have never ever thought of it this way — that God has put in so much design and a greater purpose to marriage, having children, and family life besides what we have always thought their mundane purposes were.
God bless you, your marriage and your children.
Shabbat Shalom.
Photo of a neon sign of the Chinese character for “family” by Ian Hsu.
Tags: Bride, Bridegroom, Children, Church, Couples, Family, Relationship, Wedding
Posted by Free on 26.10.07 at 23:46
Shabbat Shalom, Isaiah.
Another great post. Yes, I’d thought of it before, but only because I’ve heard a couple of sermons on this exact scripture/topic. What I’m most intrigued by, however, is that you haven’t heard sermons on this, yet the Holy Spirit taught you the truth personally. I love, love, LOVE it when this happens!
I have a cousin who treats his wife rather poorly. I’ve tried to drum this into his head repeatedly, yet he hasn’t received it…yet. I pray that the Holy Spirit visits him with such truth and SOON.
Thanks for sharing and I pray all is well with you.
In Him,
Free
Posted by Shmarol on 26.10.07 at 23:46
I’d like to add that a marriage is a covenant between husband and wife, same with Christ and His bride the church. All covenants are sealed with blood. (including marriage) I hope you know what I’m talking about with the blood covenant with marriage because I don’t want to say it. Maybe someone with more tact than I can say it without making everyone blush or freak out.
Posted by Mike on 26.10.07 at 23:46
I have been considering this for awhile now. One might also think of this in a missional context and it works. Be fruitful and multiply. I wrote a little something on the marriage covenant.
Posted by fartboystinks on 26.10.07 at 23:46
This verse from Ephesians is the MAIN reason why until today, I have not got a decent girlfriend less talk about marriage. I always view marriage is sacred, ordained by God. I wouldn’t want to go into a relationship for the wrong reasons.
Everytime I meet a nice girl, my mind goes into this crazy screening process. Is she a Christian? Does she have strong family values? blah blah blah Maybe I am overly careful or I am just a plain oxymoron. Afterall, Jacob waited almost a lifetime for Rachel. I think my wait is incomparable to his.
Posted by childlife on 26.10.07 at 23:46
Isaiah your comment over at my place on this topic made me smile. I will pray that you will be blessed - they ARE so very worth all of the heartaches and hard work : ) Sorry I’ve been so behind on my comments lately… I just can’t seem to catch up!
Posted by childlife on 26.10.07 at 23:46
Fartboystinks - I don’t think your screening process is crazy. Stick with it and the girl you eventually find will be worth the wait… Ummm… and don’t ever use your screen name in the real world : )
Posted by Sicarii on 26.10.07 at 23:46
Shalom, dear sister Free:
God does teach us in many wonderful ways, doesn’t He?! The last time I heard a sermon on these verses was on marriage itself and nothing on what God Himself revealed to me. Praise be to God!
I shall pray that the Lord shall reveal to your cousin the importance of being a good Christian husband and love his wife and our Lord loves us, His Church.
I hope all is well with you too!
God bless, and Shalom Aleichem.
Posted by Sicarii on 26.10.07 at 23:46
hiya Carol:
Hm… I am not too sure what that particular part means, but I hazarded a guess and I think I might be right. :-)
God bless, and Shalom Aleichem.
Posted by Sicarii on 26.10.07 at 23:46
Dear Mike:
That’s a great post, and it does give a fresh perspective. I totally agree with you that wives and husbands are actually on equal footing instead of the wrong interpretation of a wife’s submission that some might give.
One of the pictures that was ingrained in me when I was a young Christian and attending a youth talk on dating and marriage was this — that when Adam and Eve stood before God after the latter was first presented to Adam, she stood _beside_ Adam and not behind nor in front.
I guess the picture got so ingrained that I have always seen a Christian marriage to be thus.
God bless, and Shalom Aleichem.
Posted by Sicarii on 26.10.07 at 23:46
Fartboy:
You should consider those things, but don’t sell yourself short — God won’t present you with your wife as He presented Eve to Adam. I don’t claim to be a marriage counselor, but I have always believed that a strong and loving Christian marriage is not a given, it has to be worked at.
Besides, you cannot and shouldn’t go for perfection because we aren’t. :-)
God bless, and Shalom Aleichem.
Posted by Sicarii on 26.10.07 at 23:46
hiya Michelle:
It’s okay, I am so behind my replies here as well that I apologize you are only now seeing my response. :-)
God bless, and Shalom Aleichem.
p.s. send my regards to the resident Diva Ballerina, lol!
Posted by Sidharth on 26.10.07 at 23:46
I’m amazed how the Lord is confirming what He is speaking to me again and again through different fellow bloggers. I had written an article on a revelation I received of how we could be stable in relationships. The Lord spoke to me from the same passage you quoted.
As Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. For any relationship to be stable there has to be three persons involved. I consider it as a triangle… God on the top vertex, and those in the relationship on the other two vertices. The higher the top vertex goes, the closer the other two vertices become.
When God is the highest priority in our lives, when He fills us, our horizontal relationships become intimate with true intimacy and unconditional love.
~Sidharth
Posted by Sicarii on 26.10.07 at 23:46
Dear Sidharth,
Yes, indeed, isn’t God amazing?!
Oftentimes I found that when I was on a particular topic, God will reveal other teachings on the same topic to me via the other blogs that I visit regularly. And it’s the same for some of the brothers and sisters who visit my blog.
We are all encouraged and strengthened through one another’s blog posts regularly. Indeed, God is working amazing things through us!
You are so right about that triangular relationship, Sidharth, as you pointed out saying “When God is the highest priority in our lives, when He fills us, our horizontal relationships become intimate with true intimacy and unconditional love.” I find that to be so true and have experienced it first-hand.
Shabbat Shalom, brother.
Posted by channelofhealing on 26.10.07 at 23:46
I agree with Sidhart totally a Christian marriage must be a cord of three strand, my husband usually says that a christian marriage doesn’t mean marriage in Christ.
Godbless