A note from our pastor:

”So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”

Ephesians 5:28

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

In our study verse this week, the Apostle returns from his beautiful digression regarding the work of Christ for his people, and resumes the discussion regarding husbands and wives. Previously, husbands have been instructed to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Now the instruction is going to become more focused and deliberate.

The Apostle in writing to Timothy, 2 Timothy 3, told the young minister all scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for various purposes, including instruction in righteousness. Because scripture is given by the Holy Spirit, it is truth without error. However, because scripture is interpreted and applied by sinful people it is often wrongfully used though the scripture is not wrong itself.

One example of a misapplication is the way scripture has been used to support cultures who mistreated, abused, and subjugated the women of their society. Scripture does not support this behavior, but the word of God has often been misinterpreted and misapplied in order to support the power of men. In our study verse this week, the Apostle recognized the desire of men to behave in such a way and speaks against it in his instruction regarding how husbands should treat their wives.

The Apostle begins with the instruction for husbands to love their wives as they love their own bodies. This statement inherently recognizes the vanity of men. It recognizes how men are willing to endure sacrifices in order to meet their own desires. It points to the way men will establish authority in order to have power and fulfillment. But it calls on husbands to instead expend an equal or greater amount of energy on their wives.

In the second half of the verse, the Apostle calls for scriptural, God honoring, living to be opposite of what society would promote. It instead tells husbands, when you love your wife with self-sacrificing love, when you empower your wife, then are you truly loving yourself. The antitype of this love is Christ Jesus and how he loved the church so much he gave his own life to make her spotless. As men, without the perfection of Jesus Christ, our love will never reach this level. But our aim is the self-sacrificing love in this model.

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah