Husbands and the love of Christ...

This is for all men. For those unmarried, maybe you will be someday. As disciples, we can always take these things and teach them to others.

As fathers, this is what we seek to model for our children. For those raising sons, this is what your sons will be like when they are married.

For those raising daughters, this is what we train them to look for in husbands.

Our key verse will be

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her” ()

From the wives duties, Paul now moves to the husbands.

He gave wives the example of the church as a pattern, so to husbands, Paul gives the example of Christ.

He adds to the pattern of Christ with regards to the natural affection which he gives to His own body

28 In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church,” ()

Having the husband take on the role of Christ is huge.

He gives the more honorable place, which makes our call more weighty.

Especially when we fail to love…it’s more heinous, scandalous, and dangerous.

In marriage there is a laser focus amongst married couples.

In v24 wives are to submit to “their” husbands.

In v28 husbands are to love “their” wives.

In that command in v25 to husbands, to “love” it’s strongly set forth in what words?

“just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her”

The Example of Christ’s love...

The comparison in v25, “just as” or “even as”

This doesn’t mean equally, as if it were possible for a husband to love his wife in the same measure that Christ loved His church.

Not in measure but the a similar quality.

Husbands by virtue of their position, should love their wives.

Just as Christ, by virtue of His position should love the church.

It notes a similar quality also because the love which Christ bears toward the church is without exception, and turn to the good and benefit of the church.

So in a similar quality, we are to love like Christ: an

initiating love,

true love free (no works needed) love

pure love exceeding love constant love

pure love

exceeding love

constant love

So let’s think of Christ love for the church.

It’s explained by an effect in these words,

"...and gave Himself for her” ()

And by the end of that effect, which is set forth in

26 to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.” ()

Break this down:

The act “He gave” shows that His love was in deed and in truth and not just for show (to look good and be something you’re not, in front of others.)

18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth. 19 This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him” ()

The object: “Himself” shows that He loved His church more than His own life.

A greater evidence could not be given.

13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” ()

Look at the end of His love for her:

26 to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.” ()

This is to show us that He so loved His church for her good and happiness, rather than for His own comfort and happiness, or to any advantage to Himself.

Seeing this should stir up love and affection for Christ in our own hearts,

even as His pattern is set down for us to follow.

Just like smoke is the sign of fire, our love for Christ is the evidence that we are loved by Christ.

19 We love because he first loved us.” ()

Therefore, both in thankfulness to Christ for His love to us,

and for assurance to our own souls of Christ’s love to us,

we ought to testify our love of Christ in everything that we can.

Our brothers and sister as well, as they are in the stead (place) of Christ.

The love that we show to them, we are actually showing to Him, and He accepts it as done to Him.

35 “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” ()

“whatever you did”

a lot?

a little?

food

medicine

clothes

shelter

took them camping

feed

serve

Christ says to them that fed and visitied His children, you “gave me something to eat”

“gave me something to drink”

“you took me in”.

WOW!!!! Loving others is how we express our love for Christ.

Is there a lot or a little?

Flip over to 1 John.

Continuing the thought of loving our brothers and sisters.

20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” ()

11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.” ()

Next time we’ll look at Christ “giving” Himself.

And His willingness to die.

Christ’s Giving Himself

says, “And gave himself for her.”

This fruit and effect of Christ’s love extends itself to all the things that

Christ did or

suffered for

our redemption, including,

• that He descended from heaven, took upon Himself our nature, and became a man;

• that He subjected Himself to the law, and perfectly fulfilled it;

• that He subjected Himself to the law, and perfectly fulfilled it;

• that He made Himself subject to many temptations of the devil and His instruments;

• that He made Himself subject to many temptations of the devil and His instruments;

• that He took upon him our infirmities;

• that He took upon him our infirmities;

• that He became a king to govern us, a prophet to instruct us, and a priest to make atonement for us;

• that He became a king to govern us, a prophet to instruct us, and a priest to make atonement for us;

• that He subjected Himself to death, the cursed death of the cross, and so made Himself an offering and sacrifice for our sins;

• that He subjected Himself to death, the cursed death of the cross, and so made Himself an offering and sacrifice for our sins;

• that He was buried;

• that He was buried;

• that He rose again; and

• that He rose again; and

• that He ascended into heaven, and sits at God’s right hand to make intercession for us.

• that He ascended into heaven, and sits at God’s right hand to make intercession for us.

After Christ had taken it upon Himself to be our head and Savior,

He wholly set Himself apart for our use and our benefit.

The efficacy [power that produces effects[ of

Christ’s person,

offices,

actions,

sufferings,

humiliation,

exaltation,

dignity, and

purity

all tend to the church’s good.

In general, this is the extent of this fruit of Christ’s love: “he gave himself for her.”

More particularly, we may note these three points:

1. The action, what He did (“He gave”).

2. The object, what He gave (“Himself”).

3. The end, why He gave Himself, for the church’s good (“for her”).

Being related to the object, the action especially points to the death of Christ.

The Greek word is a compound word, and signifies to give up, deliver, hand over.

It implies two things, first, that Christ willingly died (the simple word “gave” implies as much).

Second, it implies that His death was an offering, that is,

a price of redemption, or

a satisfaction (the compound word “gave up” displays as much).