Horizontal Relationships

Strong and Courageous

March 29, 2019

I have been out of town on vacation this last week. In addition, when I returned, I got a chance to listen to Warren’s previous message on Ephesians Chapter 5 titled Jesus and His Bride. I feel like he said some important things that we need to be reminded of.

One of the ideas that he developed that struck me, was the caution against using the bible as a weapon in order to get people to do what you want them to do. This tactic is actually in opposition to what Jesus has taught us about submitting one to another and to walk in humility.

This is particularly true concerning the relationship between husbands and wives. Yes, there are specific details for both husbands and wives to be following in the text of the scripture. However, the overarching substance of the context of this section of scripture is more about our relationship with Jesus as his bride. The imagery here is both beautiful and important to catch.

 For us married men, it is significant to note that the responsibility of the husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church bears more weight than the wife’s  direction to submit. So we need to be careful to love and care for our spouse. We should be constantly thankful for our bride, and have an attitude that will cherish her at every opportunity. If you are disgusted with your wife for any reason, you are in a very dark place.

Concerning submission, the scripture is clear that we are all to submit to one another, not just the wife always blindly submitting to the husband. Eph. 5:20-21 states  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Primarily, we should all be submitted to Christ. James 4:7 states. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. I find great comfort in the promises found in this verse. As we submit to Jesus and resist the enemy, that enemy is forced to flee from us. Just as light invades darkness and overcomes it, Jesus dwells in pure light and in him there is no darkness at all. Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14