Mysteriously Meaningful Marriage Part 1

April 1, 2011 at 8:28 am | Posted in A Little Alliteration, Biblical Marriage | 11 Comments
Tags: 1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4, agape, agape love, Bible mysteries, Christian love, Christian marriage, Christian marriage counseling, Ephesians 5, John 3, love of Christ, marriage, marriage counseling, principles for marriage, Romans 5

When the Bible uses the word “love” for the way spouses are supposed to treat each other, it is a translation of the Greek word “agape” (pronounced uh-GOP-ay). There are different Greek words which can be translated as “love,” but “agape” is the one we call “Christian” love.

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:24-32, emphasis added

A “mystery” in the Bible is not something we’re never supposed to think about it, and it’s not something to be solved.

It’s something that God has withheld the fuller revelation of, but is about to be revealed by Him. In Ephesians 5:32 God uses the Apostle Paul to reveal a mystery concerning marriage. Marriage had been around since the time of Adam and Eve, but the full revelation of what it meant had not been revealed until Ephesians 5:24-32. The revelation is that God always intended marriage to be a picture of Christ and His relationship to and with the Church. Marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church, not only in the salvation of individuals (in that He pursues and “takes” a bride), but in that He loves His bride. Christians are supposed to love their spouses the same way that Christ loves His bride, the Church. Therefore, we need to know what kind of “love” is the love of Christ. Obviously, His type of love will be the best type of love. The Greek word for love resulting from relationships, especially familial relationships, such as parent-child and brother-sister is “phileo.” The Greek word for the type of “love” that is tied to physical passion is “eros.”

But “agape” is sometimes translated as “love” and sometimes as “charity” because it is more than just a feeling. It is an active love. It is love in motion. It is true love because it operates in truth and not just in feelings.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love [agape] of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love [agape] toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:5-8, parenthetical “agape”s and emphasis added

For God so loved [agape] the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16, parenthetical “agape” and emphasis added

Agape love is the love of God when He gave His most valuable Gift: His Son.

Beloved, let us love [agape] one another: for love [agape] is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love [agape]. In this was manifested the love [agape] of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

I John 4:7-9, parenthetical “agape”s added

In Part 2 I’ll show some very practical applications of the mystery of true marital love.

11 Comments »

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

[...] has the first marriage. Revelation has the last. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and [...]

Pingback by Where To Find Yourself « The Deep End— April 25, 2011 #
[...] Last time I showed that Christians are supposed to love their spouses the same way that Christ loves His bride, the Church. The Greek word for the type of love wherewith Christ loves the Church is “agape.” Agape love is Christian love because it operates in truth and not just in feelings. [...]

Pingback by Mysteriously Meaningful Marriage Part 2 « The Deep End— April 27, 2011 #
[...] your husband. However, fear does not cancel out “agape” love, which was described in a previous lesson. Think of it in terms of how you love God. We are commanded to love God and to draw close to Him. [...]

Pingback by Reverence in Marriage « The Deep End— June 1, 2011 #
[...] Going by what is taught in the Bible, we have to admit that both men and women are affected by the fact that we inherited a fallen sin nature. There is something in the fallen nature of women that wants to rebel. There is something in the fallen nature of men that wants to shirk the responsibility to lead. The world, which for the most part rejects that the Bible is really true, gets this wrong. The world’s portrayal of the stereotypical male who is a bad husband is the “alpha-male” who is overly aggressive and bossy and domineering. The stereotypical picture of these men is that they love to be “leaders,” but they lead with too much force and ego. However, that is a worldly lie, because it is not really the deeper problem. The real problem with men in marriage is that they are not really “leading” because they are not modeling forgiveness or selfless giving. [...]

Pingback by The Marriage Curse « The Deep End— August 22, 2011 #
[...] To show God’s redemptive glory in the picture of marriage; and 2. To sanctify husbands and wives through the marriage covenant and relationship. Christ hath [...]

Pingback by Desire in Marriage « The Deep End— September 14, 2011 #
[...] you don’t feel loving toward your spouse, use the love you feel toward Christ as your motivation. Perform acts of grace and mercy on your spouse, regardless of whether he or she appreciates it or [...]

Pingback by A Marriage of Flesh and Bones « The Deep End— November 8, 2011 #
[...] or the other must be central. Or that the relationship itself is central. The radical thing about knowing what we know about the way marriage pictures Christ’s relationship to the Church is that marriage can be [...]

Pingback by Whose Idea WAS this Marriage? « The Deep End— November 21, 2011 #
[...] marriage was invented by God. Marriage is also an illustration designed by God. It is an illustration of Christ and the Church: Christ is the Bridegroom; the [...]

Pingback by The POV of Marriage « The Deep End— December 12, 2011 #
[...] Frolicking, and Friends 17. Rehearsing Repetitive Roman Reigns Really Recognizes Right Reckoning 18. Mysteriously Meaningful Marriage Part 1 19. Sacrificially Submitting Surrendered Sanctified Service 20. Doubtful Disputations Deter [...]

Pingback by Finally Finishing Five Hundred « The Deep End— December 14, 2011 #
[...] is why “agape” love in a marriage is the only hope for recovering a semblance of the “naked and [...]

Pingback by Regaining What Was Lost in Marriage « The Deep End— January 9, 2012 #
[...] it is even more important to remember that I am a fallen sinner. Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all [...]

Pingback by The Solution to the Problem of Shame in Marriage « The Deep End— February 16, 2012 #

The Deep End