Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Christian Podcast Central

Home
Evangelical - Sponsored
Family Discipleship Mini-Cast 6: We CANNOT Love Our Spouse On Our Own

Family Discipleship Mini-Cast 6: We CANNOT Love Our Spouse On Our Own

Last updated on: February 23, 2016 at 11:40 pm by Christian Podcast Central

Family Discipleship Mini-Cast 6: We CANNOT Love Our Spouse On Our Own 2016-02-23T23:40:31-08:00 Christian Podcast Central

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Family Discipleship Mini Cast Slider

Family Discipleship Mini-Cast 6: We CANNOT Love Our Spouse On Our Own Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Bible is very clear on what God’s expectations are for us as husbands and wives (His design for marriage):

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25)

Do not let your adornment be merely outward– arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel–rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

In other words, wives are to love their husbands, and husbands are to love their wives with an imperishable love from God. Is God a Liar?

God has set a standard of this love that there is no way in our own strength that we are able to do it. But, is God a liar?

No.

Are you sure?

You see, there are many people who won’t ever say out loud that God is a liar, but when they are hit between the eyes with God’s truth regarding how they are supposed to love their spouse, they think that it doesn’t apply to them. This kind of love is simply impossible.

Why would God have told us to love one another this way if it’s impossible? He’s NOT A LIAR!

If He said it, there’s only two things that can stop Him from doing it.

Me. And you. That’s it.

The only things that could stop God’s prescribed love between husbands and wives is our own selfishness and our own strong will that says, “I don’t believe it. I won’t try. I won’t pray. I won’t desire it.”

But, when you believe what God says: that He wants to work in and through our lives, if we put our trust in Him, then HE IS FAITHFUL!

The value that we place upon our spouse and the way that we treat each other should be determined by God’s Word, not by our differences, selfishness, or expectations… even when THEY fail to obey God’s will.

God never inserted an “if clause” when He told husbands and wives how to treat one another. Nowhere does He say “only if she does what you want when you want it do you need to love her”.

There’s no “if clause”. Not for husbands, nor for wives.

African couple having relationship problems, Cape Town, South Africa

Yet, so many Christians look at their spouses and think, “Oh, but look at what they have done! There’s no way I can be expected to love them!”

But, what’s amazing is that if individuals would simply apply the Word of God to their own lives, He blesses them! Often times by repairing even the most damaged of marriages!

It’s as if He wants to show off when His people turn to Him!

God is bigger and more powerful than anything that may be set in front of Him – even your spouse’s stubbornness and selfishness.

God also wants us to multiply, or raise children.

”So God created man in His own image – male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it;” (Genesis 1:27-28)

Now this DOES NOT MEAN that every couple who gets married must have children. If that were the case, then everybody who got married would have the ability to have children, and that’s just not true. But it does say that one of the purposes of marriage is to raise and train children – not in our own way, but in God’s way.

But, I have met people who don’t want to have children for their own reasons – the wrong reasons (because their parents blew it as parents, because they were hurt as a child, because they don’t want to be distracted from their careers, etc.) And, out of this bitterness, unforgiveness or fear, they are kept from having children.

That is sin.

God’s desire is that we would all be free of bitterness and fear and that we would be forgiving so that our attitudes would be molded by Him when it comes to children. Godly-marriage1

Now, let me be perfectly clear. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that fulfilling God’s calling in marriage is easy. To glorify God in all our actions; yielding to His will and allow Him to transform us into His image; and meeting our spouse’s companionship needs while raising children together… these things cannot be accomplished without divine help!

Therefore, it’s clear that it was never God’s design for us to read His instructions and design, walk away and pull it off on our own. We can’t. He never wanted us to.

The reality is that you can’t even get out of bed right.

When you really understand that without God, it’s impossible to live a Godly life, then you realize that you must put Christ first in your life, in your daily decisions, in your parenting, and in your marriage.

Uncategorized

God's design for marriage

God's purpose for marriage

what does the Bible say about divorce?

what does the Bible say about marriage?

Previous Post

October 6, 2015

Same Sex Marriage: Correct... Not Politically Correct with Frank Turek

Next Post

October 7, 2015 I’m Waiting 2: Dads Are More Important Than Moms

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Brad Stine Has Issues Christian Podcast Central Classic Podcast Experience God Life Grounded Ouxano Parent Like You Mean It The Protest Show with Thor Ramsey The Summit Lecture Series Uncategorized What You’ve Been Searching For

Select a Month July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz