Marriage the bigger picture

Marriage the bigger picture

 

The effects of marriage no matter what part of the world, no

matter when in the time of mankind, has been immeasurable.

The positive effects of marriage have produced

peace not only in the home but the world at large.

The marriage of a husband and wife has increased

the abilities of resolving the issues of life.

This happens as the male and female perspectives are

blended together and the view of a better future for

their children and the world they live in is the goal.

As much as the benefits of marriage has

been the big picture, there is a bigger picture.

Shortly after Jesus Christ demonstrated His great love

for us through His death, burial, and resurrection, the

Apostle Paul quoted Genesis 2:24… 

   "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to

his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery

 — but I am talking about Christ and the church.”

Paul tells us the human marriage is a

shadow of Christ and the Church.

When I was engaged to Sandy, I did not want

anything to get in the way of us getting married.

I remember praying, “God, please don’t come

back for your church until we are married.”  

Every day from my promise to marry Sandy, was a day

I had only one thing on my mind… our wedding day.

This is the picture of Jesus longing

and waiting for His Bride.

He demonstrated His love in His death and He gave

us an engagement ring, the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13

How long will Jesus the Groom

have to wait for His wedding day?

The last book in the Bible tells us the wedding

will come when the Bride has made herself ready.

When the Bride has put on the white linens,

the “righteous acts” of the saints.

It is not the cleansing of sin the Groom is waiting for,

it is the outworking of the Bride’s righteous acts.

The Apostle Paul also tell us… 

“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy,

cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present

her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other

 blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25

It is this perfect relationship between Christ and

the Church, where we should look to find the

answers to the human relationship of marriage.

Scripture Reading NIV

Genesis 2:24

For this reason a man will leave his father

and mother and be united to his wife

Ephesians 5:31-33

 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,

 and the two will become one flesh."  32 This is a profound mystery —

but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Revelation 19:7-8

7 Let us rejoice and be glad

and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready.

8 Fine linen, bright and clean,

was given her to wear."

 (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

Ephesians 5:25-31 NIV

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.