The Sanctity of Marriage (Love.)

What the BIBLE has to say about marriage. 

(ESV: English Standard Version.)

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Ephesians 5:31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

1 Timothy 3:1-7 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

Ephesians 5:28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

1 Corinthians 7:2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

Ephesians 5:25-28  Husbands, love your wives, just as 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. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Love in the Bible.

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:37-39  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Love One Another

Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Galatians 5:13  For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Ephesians 4:2 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

1 John 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Jesus speaks over LOVE.

Matthew 5:43-48  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Mark 12:28-30 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

John 14:21-24 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”  Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him,  “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

John 15:9-17 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

(Romantic) Love

Song of Solomon 8:6-7 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

Ephesians 4:2-3 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Philippians 2:2 Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Proverbs / Psalms

Psalm 23:5-6 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 31:16 Make your face shine on your servant;  save me in your steadfast love!

Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Get Over It and Get Moving Forward.

When is the last time you stopped complaining and blaming other people, disorders, the government, the economy, your spouse, your family, your job, (the list just keeps going) for all your problems? Have you even stopped to consider that maybe it is your fault? Have you, even once today, admitted to being wrong and done your best to fix the issue? Or have you blamed your behavior on a situation or a condition that is “out of control”?

I am so tired of people, even myself, claiming that we are helpless and we’d would rather throw a fit than put that effort not into our own drama, but in the bettering of dilemma. If you’re failing in school, study. If your life is crashing down, maybe He’s breaking down the false thrown you created so you’ll make one for HIM. If your family is being pulled apart, see if you’re doing all you can to bring Him into the situation so it can be healed, if you’re paying attention to what your kids have to say, what they need, what they expect of you as their leader. If your marriage is suffering, maybe it is time to look over your actions and what the implications are for your spouse, and if you are treating him/her in the manner God intended or if you’ve taken this God given Helpmeet for granted.

If you’ve got a mental disability, depression, addiction, anything that you claim “overrides you” – did Jesus not cast out demons, did He not promise the power of His Spirit on all of us so that we might free ourselves from such afflictions? Does He not say in Mark that we are given power to go out and be reflections of Him and His Might and Glory?

Where in your life are you? Are you on the sidelines, or wandering around wondering which way’s the nearest bandwagon or pity party, or blaming others, or are you the one who regardless of circumstances understands that God gave you a purpose meant only for you, and expects you to get it done.

There are no exceptions to that fact that YOU are in control of your attitude, your actions, your outlook, and your life. When Jesus said if we had faith we could move a mountain, He was serious. We have the capability for that kind of control.

So where is it? Why is humanity claiming to be under attack, that we “just can’t do anything about ____ because ____ isn’t doing their part.”

Where is THAT in the Bible? God never once said we were weak, and that it’s ok to be passive, or inactive, or dramatic. Did He ever say it was ok to blame someone else for your shortcomings?

NO!

He said we’re HIS CHILDREN! We’re HIS WARRIORS – HIS LIONS! We have no excuse! GOD HOLDS US 100% RESPONSIBLE.

Forgiven

You are forgiven. IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW BIG YOUR SIN WAS. It is taken care of. That is why Jesus came. We needed a perfect sacrifice, He paid that debt, and to receive that mercy takes nothing more than a prayer, a humble crying out to God, admitting you were wrong and willingness to follow Him. That’s it. There’s no hidden hoop to jump through. No fine print. If you are willing to change, He’s willing to save you.

So the question is, are YOU willing to change?

Are YOU willing to put down that selfish spirit and stop doing/saying/ thinking ____ ? Are YOU going to be strong enough to admit you were wrong, weak enough to know you need to change, and faithful enough to call Him Savior?

These questions are very simple, they can even be “yes” or “no” answers. But the aftermath of this decision will last an eternity.

If you are willing – He is capable.

If you are humble – He is waiting.

If you are ready – Get on your knees –

And He’ll meet you half way, just before you hit the floor, so to speak, and bring you back up again in the wholeness, a purity only HE can give.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace… Ephesians 1:7.

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

“The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15