Marriage -the greatest example of love.

Ephesians 5:25-32
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. F OR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

In this section of the text the apostle Paul makes it very clear that God intends the marriage relationship to reflect His love for the church.  A man is to love his wife just as Jesus loved the church.  This means a man is to love his wife sacrificially and he is to care for her spiritual well being.  In doing so he will be obeying his Lord, and loving his wife.  In addition he will set a powerful example to society, which includes his own children.

In Heinrich Bullinger's commentary, the importance of the roles of husbands and wives in marriage is pointed out as the key to social stability.  He states, "A badly ordered marriage is one in which there are quarrels and fights about who is in control, in which neither spouse plays their part, in which there is no fear of God and where there is no established pattern of doing things.  In this way both parties end up miserable in both mind and body and they lose their children."

So on this Valentines day, remind yourselves of God's purpose in your love for one another -society and the children are counting on you.