Marriage and the Mystery

My youngest son said, “I do” on Saturday to his wonderful fiancée, Kayla. They became husband and wife at a ceremony at our home that I was privileged to perform.  I am pleased and proud of them as they have committed their lives to Jesus Christ, they are committing themselves to each other. One of the scripture readings was the passage Paul writes on marriage in Ephesians 5. It includes these verses:
Ephesians 5:31-33
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

The mystery is that Christ loves the church and willingly gave Himself up for the church. Couples are to follow this pattern in their marriage. Paul earlier tells the readers to, “Submit to one another out of reverence to for Christ.”

Nathan and Kayla are to mutually submit to each other. I still believe scripture calls for the husband to spiritually lead in the relationship. This leadership is as Christ sacrificially leads the church. Christ’s leadership is humble, strong, and centered in love.

The mystery is for the marriage to follow Christ’s example in His relationship to the bride He loves, the church.

---