Love and Marriage: As Christ Loved Us

I have a favorite saying (although it’s one that I often forget, especially in the heat of battle), “Whoever loves first, wins.” Now before I go any further with this, let me explain the ground rules of this competition. First of all, every Christian believer is to “walk in love” toward one another in the same way that Christ loved all of us.

Ephesians 5:2:
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

If I get into a tiff with my husband for instance, by saying something mean or hurtful, and he reacts defensively thereby escalating the fight, nobody is winning. But if I extend a heartfelt apology before he responds with love, I “win.” That doesn’t mean I win and the husband loses. We’re not “wrestling” against each other.

Ephesians 6:12:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“I win” does mean that I’ve chalked one up for God against the adversary, not against my brother or sister. And it’s the same for anybody and everybody else: as soon and as long as you walk in love as Christ loved you, you are winning!

Now about 20 verses down in Ephesians 5 is where “marriage” comes in. And as we get into the subject, we find a phrase so similar to “walk in love, as Christ also loved us,” that it’s striking! Addressed to husbands, it directs them to “love your wives, as Christ loved the church.”

Why do husbands have all this apparently “extra” love to do? And why don’t the wives have to do the same? We’ll have to look into this NEXT TIME. Meanwhile, let’s all walk in love!