Day 4: Let your marriage mirror Christ and his church (part 1)
READ IT
Ephesians 5:22-28
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church
submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 26 to make her holy,
cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to
himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.
TAKE IT TO HEART
Embrace a love that is sacrificial, honoring, and Christ-centered
Ephesians 5:22-27 is a passage that often sparks conversation, as it addresses the roles of husbands and wives within marriage. On the surface, it may seem to emphasize submission for wives and authority for husbands, but when explored in context, the passage reveals a beautiful, mutual reflection of Christ's sacrificial love for the Church.
In verse 22, Paul begins by saying, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” This call for submission is not a statement of inferiority, but rather an invitation for wives to respect and honor their husbands in the same way they honor Christ. Submission, in this sense, is rooted in trust and a willingness to support the husband’s leadership in the family. It's an act of love, not subjugation. In fact, earlier in the chapter, Paul encourages all believers to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”. This sets the tone for mutual submission in marriage, not just from wife to husband but also in how husbands are to care for their wives.
Husbands, on the other hand, are given an even more profound responsibility. Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”. This kind of love is sacrificial, selfless, and devoted. Christ's love for the Church was one of humility, service, and ultimate sacrifice. Husbands are called to mirror this love in their marriages, putting their wives' needs before their own, leading with tender care.
Verses 26 and 27 explain that Christ gave Himself for the Church “to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church.” This is a picture of sanctification and purification—Christ’s desire to see the Church holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands are called to nurture and cherish their wives, helping them to grow spiritually and emotionally.
Ultimately, Ephesians 5:22-27 paints a picture of a marriage built on mutual love and respect, where both husband and wife seek to reflect Christ in their relationship. It challenges us to move beyond societal expectations of power and control and instead, embrace a love that is sacrificial, honoring, and Christ-centered.
LIVE IT
• Today, think of a way you can show your spouse how much you love and appreciate them. Set out to do that in the next two days.
• What are some ways you reflect Christ in your marriage? Are there areas that you could do better in?
• Pray: Thank you for my spouse, and what he/she means to me. Help me love them and show them that love as Christ loved His church. I pray for my spouse and help them grow closer to you.
GO DEEPER
Read Matthew 19:4-6. When a marriage happens, God joins two individuals into one flesh. When a man and a woman are married, they are unified in an amazing way, establishing a new family. Look back at your marriage and see how your two upbringings have combined to form a wonderful new family.
Ephesians 5:22-28
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church
submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 26 to make her holy,
cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to
himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.
TAKE IT TO HEART
Embrace a love that is sacrificial, honoring, and Christ-centered
Ephesians 5:22-27 is a passage that often sparks conversation, as it addresses the roles of husbands and wives within marriage. On the surface, it may seem to emphasize submission for wives and authority for husbands, but when explored in context, the passage reveals a beautiful, mutual reflection of Christ's sacrificial love for the Church.
In verse 22, Paul begins by saying, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” This call for submission is not a statement of inferiority, but rather an invitation for wives to respect and honor their husbands in the same way they honor Christ. Submission, in this sense, is rooted in trust and a willingness to support the husband’s leadership in the family. It's an act of love, not subjugation. In fact, earlier in the chapter, Paul encourages all believers to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”. This sets the tone for mutual submission in marriage, not just from wife to husband but also in how husbands are to care for their wives.
Husbands, on the other hand, are given an even more profound responsibility. Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”. This kind of love is sacrificial, selfless, and devoted. Christ's love for the Church was one of humility, service, and ultimate sacrifice. Husbands are called to mirror this love in their marriages, putting their wives' needs before their own, leading with tender care.
Verses 26 and 27 explain that Christ gave Himself for the Church “to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church.” This is a picture of sanctification and purification—Christ’s desire to see the Church holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands are called to nurture and cherish their wives, helping them to grow spiritually and emotionally.
Ultimately, Ephesians 5:22-27 paints a picture of a marriage built on mutual love and respect, where both husband and wife seek to reflect Christ in their relationship. It challenges us to move beyond societal expectations of power and control and instead, embrace a love that is sacrificial, honoring, and Christ-centered.
LIVE IT
• Today, think of a way you can show your spouse how much you love and appreciate them. Set out to do that in the next two days.
• What are some ways you reflect Christ in your marriage? Are there areas that you could do better in?
• Pray: Thank you for my spouse, and what he/she means to me. Help me love them and show them that love as Christ loved His church. I pray for my spouse and help them grow closer to you.
GO DEEPER
Read Matthew 19:4-6. When a marriage happens, God joins two individuals into one flesh. When a man and a woman are married, they are unified in an amazing way, establishing a new family. Look back at your marriage and see how your two upbringings have combined to form a wonderful new family.