1. Roles & Responsibilities In A Christian Marriage By Pastor Abraham

2. Roles & Responsibilities A successful marriage is based on the Word of God. For a marriage to be successful, both parties need to understand and perform their respective roles. Ephesians 5:21-33

3. Roles & Responsibilities Ephesians 5:21-33 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing [a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." [b] 32This is a profound mystery but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.ab

4. Roles & Responsibilities Submission – is to give willful submission/authority to your husbands as a God ordained head. Submission to ones husband is the same as submitting unto God s authority. A wife rebelling against the husband s authority is rebelling against God.

5. Roles & Responsibilities Biblical Reasons for Submission God has placed the man has the head of the home. 1 Cor 11:3 The husband s authority reflects Christ s relationship with His church. The church submits to Christ s authority and leadership.

6. Roles & Responsibilities How do we apply submission in a biblical way? There are four ways –Qualifying submission (this is when submission is only offered when a condition is met) –Grudging submission (this is submission against ones will). –Faithless submission (this is when there is lack of confidence in the authority/leadership). –Forced submission (this is when ones is forced/cajoled into submission).

7. Roles & Responsibilities What type of love should a husband have? –A selfless love (ie. Unconditional love). –A love that is interested in the welfare of the other person. This type of love is one that nourishes and grows.

8. Roles & Responsibilities Why do we get MARRIED? We should check the motives as to why we want to get married. We need to understand that both parties entering into a marriage have needs/motives. The greatest need for a man in marriage is SEX! The greatest need for a woman in marriage is RELATIONSHIP! Men are achievement orientated. Wives need to learn to take more interest in their husbands achievments.

9. Roles & Responsibilities What a woman needs is LOVE. A loving husband will shower his wife with attention and care. A wife s greatest need is to be SECURE in the LOVE of her husband. A husband s greatest need is to have the RESPECT of his wife. It is a husband s role to provide for his family. It is a wife s role to keep the home. If both parties fulfil their roles, then we will have a happy home.

10. Question Time Should a wife still keep the home despite the fact that the husband keeps making the home untidy? She should still be submissive and keep the home, but she should find an opportunity to talk to him in love to let him see his faults. Is there a specific partner for everyone (ie. One TRUE LOVE)? There is not just ONE TRUE LOVE! There might not be anyone who meets every specific creteria. The most important thing to look for is whether the person FEARS GOD, does the person have a TEACHABLE heart. Look for the person who treats you like their QUEEN or KING.

11. Question Time Should we accept introductions? Yes! Sometimes God uses others to introduce us to our future life partners. We need to especially heed the advice of our Pastors in this area. Should sexual compatability be taken into consideration before/during courtship? There is no harm in discussing the topic, but it should be done in a Christian manner.

12. Question Time Is everyone destined to get married? No. Marriage is a matter of choice and it is left to every individual to choose. Should Christians practise arranged marriages? Arranged marriages are not right, but introductions are not a bad thing. Should we stay in an abusive marriage/relationship? The abusive partner should be reported to the church authorities so that a correction can be made. If however nothing changes then a separation might be desirable.

13. The End … If you will like a copy of the lecture notes. Then please pass your email address to the ushers after the service.