Pages

Friday, January 29, 2010

Marriage


Marriage is of divine origin and that success is dependent on applying the instruction found in God’s Word, the Bible.

“The head of every man is the Christ.”—1 CORINTHIANS 11:3.

HOW would you measure the success of a husband? By his mental or physical abilities? By his ability to make money? Or is it especially by the loving and kind way he treats his wife and children? As to the latter measurement, many husbands rate poorly, for they are governed by the spirit of the world and by human standards. Why? Largely because of their failure to recognize and apply the guidance of the Originator of marriage—the One who “proceeded to build the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman and to bring her to the man.”—Genesis 2:21-24.

Jesus Christ confirmed this Bible account of the divine origin of marriage, saying to critics of his day: “Did you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will stick to his wife, and the two will be one flesh’? So that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has yoked together [in marriage] let no man put apart.” (Matthew 19:4-6) The fact is that the key to realizing a successful marriage is to recognize that marriage is of divine origin and that success is dependent on applying the instruction found in God’s Word, the Bible.

A Key to a Husband’s Success

An aid to success as a husband is studying what Jesus said and applying what He did. His knowledge on the subject is profound, for he was present at the creation of the first human pair as well as at their marriage. Jehovah God said to him: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26) Yes, God was speaking to the One whom He created before anyone or anything else and who “came to be beside him as a master worker.” (Proverbs 8:22-30) This One is “the firstborn of all creation.” He is “the beginning of the creation by God,” existing even before the creation of the material universe.—Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14.

Jesus is called “the Lamb of God,” and he is figuratively depicted as a husband. An angel once said: “Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” (John 1:29; Revelation 21:9) Who, then, is that bride, or wife? “The Lamb’s wife” is made up of Christ’s faithful spirit-anointed followers, who will share with him in his heavenly rulership. (Revelation 14:1, 3) Therefore, the way that Jesus treated his disciples when he was with them on earth provides a model for husbands as to how to treat their wives.

True, Jesus is presented in the Bible as an example for all his followers, as we read: “Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely.” (1 Peter 2:21) Yet, he is, in particular, a model for men. The Bible says: “The head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of the Christ is God.” (1 Corinthians 11:3) Since Christ is man’s head, husbands need to copy his example. Hence, the headship principle must be applied if the family is to find success and happiness. To this end, husbands need to deal with their wives in the loving way that Jesus deals with his figurative wife, his anointed disciples.

1 comment:

  1. Well said. Marriage is presented all through the Scriptures as a metaphor of our relationship with God. A rejection of the principles on which marriage was first established, including headship as Paul pointed out, is a rejection of the same principles on which are based our relationship to our Creator and Savior.

    ReplyDelete