21 SUBMITTING TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE FEAR OF GOD.
22 WIVES, SUBMIT TO YOUR OWN HUSBANDS, AS TO THE LORD.
23 FOR THE HUSBAND IS HEAD OF THE WIFE, AS ALSO CHRIST IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH; AND HE IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE BODY.
24 Therefore, just as THE CHURCH IS SUBJECT TO CHRIST, so LET THE WIVES BE TO THEIR OWN HUSBANDS IN EVERYTHING.
25 HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, just as CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH and GAVE Himself FOR HER,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 THAT HE MIGHT PRESENT HER TO HIMSELF A GLORIOUS CHURCH, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
28 SO HUSBANDS OUGHT TO LOVE THEIR OWN WIVES AS THEIR OWN BODIES; he who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless LET EACH ONE OF YOU IN PARTICULAR SO LOVE HIS OWN WIFE AS HIMSELF, AND LET THE WIFE SEE THAT SHE RESPECTS HER HUSBAND."
Ephesians 5:21-33 (NKJV)
• God instituted marriage with a purpose. God said it is not good that the man should be alone (Genesis 2:18). Consequently, marriage is instituted for companionship. Humans are relatable beings.
- The devil is interested in the marriages of an average Christian than that of the unbelievers, and he is more interested in the marriages of ministers of God than that of the ordinary Believers.
• Foundation for a Christian Marriage.
- Marriage was instituted by God, thus, the instructions on how to have a godly marriage must come from God through His Word—the Bible.
- The foundation for a Godly marriage is, being born-again. You had to have a relationship and fellowship with God and grow in it.
- In your walking with God, you would have to develop your ability to hear, being sensitive and discerning, the leadings of God.
- If you did not know how to hear from God on little things, how would you hear Him on an important issue like marriage.
- I have heard it taught by some people that a believer does not necessarily need to pray before choosing a marriage partner. They said God does not give partners. If you open your eyes, and you like the person, you should go ahead and marry her or him. But the book of Proverbs 18:22 (NKJV) said: "HE WHO FINDS A WIFE FINDS A GOOD THING, AND OBTAINS FAVOUR FROM THE LORD."
- How would God be interested in other areas of your life, but would not want to care about who you marry?
- I want to believe that God wanted to know who you marry. He is interested in every area or department of life, of whoever is committed to Him wholeheartedly and unwaveringly. God does not want His Own to live independently of Him.
- God is still in the business of leading whoever wants to be led on who to marry: "THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN, BUT ITS END IS THE WAY OF DEATH" (Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV).
READ: Proverbs 3:5,6 - Thus, I want to enjoin you that you work on your relationship with God and grow in the fellowship with Him.
- Be intimate with God and know how to hear His voice, how you are being led by Him; before you started seeking to know who to marry.
• Marry a Believer in Christ Jesus.
(i) If you claimed to be born-again, then you should be attracted to a fellow believer in Christ Jesus as a partner in marriage.
- Light and darkness cannot not be together:
14 DO NOT BE UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS. For what FELLOWSHIP has RIGHTEOUSNESS with LAWLESSNESS? And WHAT COMMUNION HAS LIGHT WITH DARKNESS? 15 And WHAT ACCORD HAS CHRIST WITH BELIAL? Or WHAT PART HAS A BELIEVER WITH AN UNBELIEVER? 16 And WHAT AGREEMENT HAS THE TEMPLE OF GOD WITH IDOLS? FOR YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD. As God has said: “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM.
I WILL BE THEIR GOD, And THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16 NKJV). - If you are genuinely born-again, as a bachelorette, do not Marry an unbeliever because of material things.
(ii) Be flexible in your choices. - God respects our choices, but then, you may not get all you wanted or desired in the person God has stirred your heart to marry. If you could get some of the things you desire in your would-be-spouse, three or four things out of five, with God's convictions, then you should go ahead and marry such.
- Take note: you may not initially like everything about the person God is stirring your heart to choose as a partner in marriage, but, If you did obey, you would later discover the reasons why God has led you to choose him or her.
- God is a match Maker, He knows what you do not know, the future awaiting you, which may be hidden to you now, is bare before Him.
- Be flexible when it comes to races, colours and completions, heights, social status, and some other physical or material things.
- Parents should also support their children to do the Will of God, not to lead them away from doing His Will.
(iii) Do not be sentimental in choosing a life partner. - Do not allow traditions and custom to influence your decision or choosing, on who to Marry.
- Do not try to please your family members, but God Who has the key of your life (2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Peter 4:2). HOWEVER whatever they say should not be outright discarded, their words might contain an element of wisdom.
- They have life experiences which you do not have; and whatever defects they have seen in the person you wanted to marry, and why they would not want to support or give their consent, might be hidden to you.
- Do not be rigid about your choices. If you had unbelieving parents who did not believe in having or choosing the Will of God in marriage, you would have to handle it prayerfully—for God to touch their hearts and give their consent.
REMEMBER, do not ignore completely whatever they are calling your attention to, in the person you wanted to marry.
(iv) Carry your spiritual parent along. - As a bachelorette, who is a Believer, and submitted to a pastor or spiritual parent; If a man has come to seek your hands in marriage, you should ask the person to come and see your pastor—your spiritual parent.
IF the person does not want to do that, he is probably not genuine, or not interested in a serious relationship. He may just want to use you, defile you, and dump you.
(v) A Believer, male or female; endeavour to choose a partner who would stand with you to fulfil God's plan or Purpose for your life. - Marry someone who can stand with you spiritually. Iron sharpens iron, the Scripture says (Proverbs 27:17).
Marry someone who can help rekindle the fire in you, when you are doused by the challenges of life—when you are down spiritually. - Keep yourself pure, do not defile yourself through fornications (Hebrews 13:4).
- If a bachelorette, who claimed to be born-again, makes herself cheap and sleep about with different men, such would not be valued or seen as a wife material by Men: "MARRIAGE IS HONOURABLE AMONG ALL, AND THE BED UNDEFILED; BUT FORNICATORS AND ADULTERERS GOD WILL JUDGE" (Hebrews 13:4 NKJV).
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
- Should there any ailment in your body, I declare your healing now in Jesus' name.
Peace!
TO BE CONTINUED
STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).
- If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!