Cinemas are shot for the entertainment of the society. They reflect the worldview of the people. And most of them will have a plot of romance between a man and a woman which ultimately ends up in marriage. This shows that many people in our society like such stories. Even Christians would have heard many sermons on marriage. Many singles get into relationship with opposite sex before they are married. They would say that they are in love unconditionally. But as the time passes, blaring contradictions would be found in their lives. Many often, they break up. If they they get married, if you ask them after 10 years, whether if they are still in love like how they were in the past, many would say that their love has grown cold. I have seen people who got married by loving each other, applying for divorce.
I agree that marriage is a very important event. But the undue emphasis for this, as if marriage is the ultimate end of man, is totally unwarranted. Marriage represents the relationship between Christ and Church. All believers would agree with this. It is the shadow of the perfection from above, which will come to pass in future. Instead of focussing at this mystery, that is, Christ, the logos, the creator of this universe, who is God himself, took upon the weakness and fragility of human flesh, lived a complete obedience of the cross and gave His life for the sake of the elect, the saints whom He loved even before the foundation of this universe (Eph 1:4), many of us tend to give importance to the shadow, forgetting the substance.
Only when we understand this, we can have a successful marriage. Husband ought to love his wife no matter whether the wife reciprocates it or not, because Christ loves the church unconditionally (Eph 5:25). While we were yet sinners, Christ showed His love for us, by dying for us (Rom 5:8). This is called unconditional love. There was no reason for God to love sinful humans. In fact, we deserve hell and wrath of God. Yet He showered love upon us, without any reason out of His own pleasure. To love God is to obey His commands (1John 5:2). So if a husband says he loves his wife, he should show his love through his actions, even if the wife deserves nothing of that sort. This is called unconditional love. God’s love will never be decreasing for us, even while were disobeying Him. If God is loving us so much, how much more husbands should be showering love upon their wives, forgiving their iniquities. Remember the parable of the unforgiving servant (Mat 18:21-35). If husbands are not willing to forgive their wives and love them unconditionally, then God will not forgive them either, since the sins which they have committed against God is much viler than the transgressions of their wives against them. Likewise wife is supposed to submit to the authority of the husband like how the church, the saints, submits to Christ (Eph 5:22). Husbands may not love them, as they ought to be, but still they have to do it.
We cannot do this without the power of God. Husbands cannot love their wives unconditionally like Christ. Wives cannot submit to their husbands like church. The simple reason is because we are all sinful. Even though believers are delivered from spiritual death, yet the old man is still residing inside. That is why we need the power of God to work out our salvation. That is the greatest hope of believers.
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Php 2:12-13)
So because of this blessed hope, we can be assured that though we are frail, sinful and we naturally sin in our flesh, yet by the power of Holy Spirit, we can do this command of Christ in our marriage. Why, because we are to be sanctified, so that we will be without blemish when Christ comes. So God uses marriage to sanctify us so that we can glorify God.
Paul Washer said in one sermon that God ordains marriage in our lives for our own personal sanctification. We may not find a spouse who is totally compatible with our character, but God uses that to give us faith, endurance and longsuffering to bear each other’s transgressions. So if a couple doesn't understand this mystery, then marriage will be a miserable thing for them.
These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. (Col 2:17)
Marriage is momentary, only for this age (Mat 22:30). This is just a shadow of the substance. The substance is Christ. Therefore let us focus our attention to Christ, the substance of marriage. Only then, our earthly marriage will be successful.
If you have liked this, you can also read Why do you Fear?
If you have liked this, you can also read Why do you Fear?
No comments:
Post a Comment