Ephesians 5 contains the longest statement in the New Testament on marriage. It is written in the context of the first century. It addressed a Greco-Roman culture that was self-centered, self-saturated, and outright immoral when it came to marriage and sexuality. What Paul taught is a startling contrast with the culture that surrounded the church of that time. The same is true for today. What is the biblical worldview for marriage? What is God’s calling for husbands? How can we apply this for today?

I. The Biblical Worldview on Marriage

A. The glory of God is the ultimate aim of your marriage

1. Ephesians 5:22: Wives, submit to your husbands

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   ,

2. Ephesians 5:25: Husbands, love your wives, just as

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   loved the church and gave himself for her.

3. Ephesians 5:29: For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church,… Is your life surrendered to whatever He says?

B. The grace of God is the ultimate hope for marriage

1. There are so many problems in marriage. The one major problem in marriage is sin.

2. Marriage is intended to drive you to Christ, because the major problem in any marriage is sin. The solution for sin is our Savior.

C. The gospel is the ultimate picture in marriage

1. 5.24: wives give a picture of the church to the world.

2. 5.25: husbands give a picture of Christ to the world.

3. This is why you stay together in marriage. God is highly invested in your marriage covenant.

II. God’s Calling for Husbands

A. Love her sacrificially

1. Ephesians 5:25: Husbands,

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   , just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.

2. Headship is never an opportunity to dominate. Instead: Husbands, love your wives,…

3. She needs love from you. Unselfish and unconditional love.

B. Love her effectively

1. Ephesians 5:26–27: to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. He did this to present the church to himself in

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   , without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.

2. You are helping lead her to be lovely and holy in God’s sight.

C. Love her carefully

1. Ephesians 5:28–29: In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own flesh but

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   and
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   for it, just as Christ does for the church, …How do we love her carefully?

2. Provide for her. “Nourish; To hold close. To value. To be wanted.”

3. Care for her. “Comfort her. Be warm with her.”

4. Never be harsh with her: 1 Peter 3:7: live with your wives in an

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   way,…

D. Love her completely

1. Ephesians 5:31: For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become
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   flesh.

a) This is your life. She is your life. You are joined to her as one flesh.

b) Matthew 22:39: Love your

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as yourself.

1. Ephesians 5:33: To sum up,
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   of you is to love his wife as himself,…

III As We Close…

A. Commit to out serving your wife.

B. Lead in the way you should.