REV. TIMOTHY L. MELTON, PASTOR
CHEROKEE PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH
(Continued from last week, first, having read your favorite Bible translation of Ephesians 5:21-33.)
(The Analogy between: the ‘of Wives and Husbands’; and the ‘Church’)
“Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another.”
“Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering, but by cherishing. So, just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.”
“Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives, They’re really doing themselves a favor—since they’re already “one” in marriage.”
“No one abuses his own body, does he? No, he feeds and pampers it. That’s how Christ treats us, the church, since we are part of his body. And this is why a man leaves father and mother and cherishes his wife. No longer two, they become “one flesh”. This is a huge mystery, and I don’t pretend to understand it all. What is clearest to me is the way Christ treats the church, And this provides a good picture of how each husband is to treat his wife, loving himself in loving her, and how each wife is to honor her husband.”
Ephesians 5:21-33 (MSG)
“Here, begins the Mystery—Ephesians 5:21, as Paul begins to reveal it to the Church,” explains Pastor Melton. As the wife submits herself unto her husband, the husband can literally become the savior of the body, just as Christ is to the Church, and—as its Head. We should know that the Earth is really to be a mimic of Heaven. The marriage between a husband and a wife, is to be (spiritually and naturally, wholly committed) just as the Church—the Body of believers—each one is to be married to Jesus.”
“Wholly committed to loving the wife—as the woman he has chosen, the husband gives of himself to her as Christ loves the Church. Does a man want to know how to love a woman? Her love ‘language’ should be always considered. She desires to be loved (being accepted for herself—who she really is) and to be needed—as being vitally necessary—for her husband’s comfort, happiness and his undivided attention. This is especially true at their mutually agreed upon ‘best times for togetherness’ for him to give himself to her and she to him. She will honor and respect him all the more if he honors her in this way…
“Treating Christ like the King of Kings, which He is, and treating the husband as the King of their home, is a good model to follow for the wife. The husband, as he leads with the ‘washing of the Word,’ as they read and discuss things together, serves to make each of them more holy (separated from sin). This also teaches and allows them to communicate even better as they learn what each other is thinking about concerning important, everyday topics discussed in Scripture,” Pastor Melton added.
“The Bible talks about and instructs on virtually every topic if searched out there. This is the way for both husband and wife to gain honor and respect for each other in a time-honored fashion, while learning much about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Ask and pray for more wisdom and understanding as you both see the promises and the blessings presented for your marriage, families, Church, pastors, friends and neighbors, and even ‘strangers’. Wives, reverence your husbands who take a cherishing leadership as head of your family. Teach your children, by your example, to honor him, accepting him as your head, as well,” he urged.
“Christ is Head of the Church, so never ‘forsake the assembling together’. We are the Church and need His Leadership. Jesus is preparing the Bride to be divorced from the world, married to Him. The Bride is to ‘be holy, without blemish, sanctified. Fall in Love with God, life is about Him, not about what He can give us. Love what He loves. Hate what He hates. He loves us!”
