Why is it hard to be married... sometimes?

Great Friday to you GCT:  We continue on in Ephesians 5, internalizing all the incredible implications of the command for “men to love their wives as Christ loved the Church” and this week we will begin to look into to call for “wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord.”  But lets stop for a while and ask, “Why are these commands even written to believers in the first place?  Are these commands a result of the Fall in the garden?  Or is Ephesians 5:22-33 a call to get back to pre-fall marriage roles in the garden when everything was perfect and without sin?  The answer to these questions have huge implications.

In the pre-Fall garden both men and women are made as image-bearers, which means they reflect God’s character and have equal dignity and value in God’s eyes.  We as image-bearers are uniquely given the task of being God’s representatives and stewards in the Garden.   In the Garden God created marriage according to His God-designed structure built into it.  We as husband and wife are God’s representatives, but we certainly do have different roles to play.  Men are given the primary responsibility to work the garden; women are given the role as a suitable helpmate (Genesis 2).  We have the calling from the pre-Fall to be wives and husbands who are complementary to one another.  “Complementary” doesn’t mean that we say a lot of polite things to each other - though that is a good thing to do!  A complementary marriage relationship is one where man and woman live as a wonderful “fit” for each other.  Nothing else in creation was meant to go together like a husband and a wife!  We are the only ones that together bear the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

And then BAM!  Bad news... the Fall, sin entered the world and our marriages and our marriages have been under the curse of  Genesis 3 ever since.  Sin corrupted our relationship with God and our relationship with our spouse.  Before the Fall, marriage was harmonious, complete openness, vulnerability, trusting and loving each other.  After the Fall marriages have been tainted by self-centeredness and pride.  This is why it is so hard to be married sometimes.  It is when the curse is having its way in our marriages.  We must recognize the curse.  Are you experiencing the curse in your marriage more than blessing?

But wait!  Don’t forget.  Don’t ever forget with our loving heavenly Father there is always good news!  He gives us HOPE and direction to get back to the pre-Fall way of marriage to defeat the curse in our marriages.  He calls us back to the perfect pre-Fall marriage conditions even while we still live in tis sinful world.  His call to do this is through the commands of Ephesians 5:22-33.  I look forward to worship with you Sunday as we look at these pre-Fall roles and we are reminded of our merciful God who is perfect in His steadfast love for us.  He has given us spouses to love us and sanctify us as we are filled with His Holy Spirit to live out our God-given roles in marriage.  And remember, all of this is about us being the mirror to the world of how Christ loves His Church and how the Church lovingly submits to Him.  Mind- blowing!!

Great Love in Christ! Steve