Marriage Teaches Us to Love

Your Love for God is reflected by the Love You Have for Your Spouse.

1 John 4:20-21 (NASB) 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

How to Have Love in Marriage. Love is chosen (not an “irresistible force” / i.e. falling in love)

Genesis 24:67 (NASB) Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

God commands husbands and wives to love one another (Eph. 5:25; Titus 2:4).

How to Have Love in Marriage. Love is chosen. Love is learned as we practice it.

Marriage is truly a “labor of love” (1 Thes. 1:3); it takes hard work or lots of practice to get it right!

Titus 2:3-5 (NASB) 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 that they may encourage (“teach” KJV) the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored.

How to Have Love in Marriage. Love is chosen. Love is learned as we practice it. Love is to increase more and more.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 (NKJV) 9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;

Marriage Teaches Us to Love, Especially when it is Difficult to do so. What sets apart Christian love is our love for people when they are most difficult to love.

Luke 6:32-34 (NASB) 32 "And if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 "And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 "And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same amount.

Luke 6:35-36 (NASB) 35 "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 36 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. - cf. Romans 5:6-8

Like “the proof of your faith” that is tested by various trials (1 Pet. 1:6-7), “the proof of your love” will be tested by the trials in marriage.

Marriage Teaches Us to Love, Especially when it is Difficult to do so. What sets apart Christian love is our love for people when they are most difficult to love. When it is difficult to love your spouse, do not play “the blame game” but love as a Christian should.

Many cop out… “The truth is I never loved you” (this is a confession of a failure to love!)

1 John 4:10-11 (NASB) 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Lessons of Love Marriage Can Teach Us. Marriage teaches us the importance of selflessness.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NASB) 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NASB) 4 Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

Deuteronomy 24:5 (NASB) When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army, nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken. - 1 Cor. 7:33

Lessons of Love Marriage Can Teach Us. Marriage teaches us the importance of selflessness. Marriage teaches us to deny self and make sacrifices.

Luke 9:23 (NASB) And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Marriage can teach a person what it means to truly LOVE: to make sacrifices, to give of yourself, to lay down your life for another person (John 15:12-13).

Lessons of Love Marriage Can Teach Us. Marriage teaches us the importance of selflessness. Marriage teaches us to deny self and make sacrifices. Marriage teaches us how to love another person as ourselves.

James 2:8 (NASB) If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.

Above all, you are just as concerned about your husband’s or wife’s spiritual well-being as your own.

By your words and example, you do your best to help your husband or wife go to Heaven because you love him/her as yourself!

1 Timothy 4:16 (NASB) Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

1 Peter 3:1-2 (NASB) 1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.

Marriage is a Great Test on what it means to Love. Let Us All Learn to Love Just as God Loved Us.