Bible passage about husbands and wives. Biblical Principles of Family Life

What does the Bible say about the role of the husband in marriage?

The postmodernism in which we live is trying to reverse the fundamental values ​​in relation to the institution of the family and change people's thinking. Women, where of their own free will, where out of need, they took on the role of a husband, and this leads to disharmony both in the family and in society. Since we want to live according to the purpose for which God created us, because we want to have strong families and want to reflect the image of God in everything, it is very important for every man to know what God expects from him in marriage. For every woman, it is necessary to know the role of her husband, so as not to interfere, but on the contrary, to help and inspire her husband to the role given by God for him. So what is the role of the husband in marriage?

love your wife

In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul wrote:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water through the word; to present her to Himself as a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or anything like that, but that she might be holy and blameless. Thus ought husbands to love their wives as their bodies: he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and warms it, just as the Lord does the Church, because we are members of His body, from His flesh and from His bones. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. This mystery is great; I speak in relation to Christ and to the Church. So let each of you love his wife as himself; but let the wife be afraid of her husband. (Ephesians 5:25-33)

This is the most important commandment regarding the role of the husband in marriage, and its implementation leads to the replenishment of those around him. From every man God expects the same love for his wife as Christ has for the Church and as someone loves his own body. When a man shows this kind of love for his wife, it will show all people the love that Jesus Christ has for His Church.

Admire your wife

When God created Adam and Eve, the first man and the first woman, this is what the man said when he saw the woman for the first time:

And the man said, Behold, this is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken from man. (Genesis 2:23)

The expression "here" shows admiration for someone whom you have long desired and expected. This is the attitude every man should have towards his wife all the days of their marriage.

Leave your parents

When God brought Eve to Adam, he said:

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother... (Genesis 2:24)

By this God does not mean to say that children should neglect their parents or not take care of them. But from the moment of marriage, every man should be aware that the relationship with his wife is a priority and does not assume that parents control this relationship or manipulate. Wise parents will never do this, but not all parents are so wise. I know one man who, after marriage, left his mother the ability to control them, which got to the point that my mother kept their money and decided what clothes to buy for his wife. Their marriage did not last long, and he became very unhappy. Of course, I warned him more than once about such an end if he did not leave his mother and cling to his wife. At the same time, every man should be aware that when he marries, he must support his family and take care of his parents and the parents of his wife. And if parents are ready to support a young family financially in a certain period of time, take it as a blessing, and not as something due.

Cling to your wife

and cleave to his wife; and they will be one flesh. (Ibid.)

The original concept of this commandment concerns intimate relationships, the initiator of which must be a man. Let no one think that it is sinful or wrong for the wife to take the initiative in intimate relationships. Only every man should know that God wants him to take the initiative, both in relation to creation with his family, and in other aspects of life. When difficult situations arise in the family, a man is expected to be the one who seeks a solution, who takes the right attitude and acts in resolving this difficult situation.

Be open with your wife

In the same chapter 2 of the book of Genesis, it is written:

And they were both naked, Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:25)

The expression "were both naked" includes more than the absence of clothing. The man and women were open to each other, having a frank relationship in which no one hides anything from the other and is not afraid to speak their thoughts to the other for fear of being judged.

Be the head of the wife

I noticed once during a wedding, how a man, hearing this truth, he pushed his wife and said: “Do you hear? Well think about what the priest says! And when I taught the course “Marriage without regret”, I saw many times how women who did not know the Word of God before, when they came to this topic, were not grateful. But this is the order set by God:

I also want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of every woman is the husband, and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3)

Christ, being our Head, cares for us, protects and sacrifices Himself for us. In the same way, every man is required to be the head of the wife, and not just those who give orders and authoritatively impose their will. May God help every husband to treat his wife the way Jesus Christ treats us.

Honor your wife

It is very difficult for some men to understand why women expect to be treated with respect, such as shaking hands before getting off the bus or on the stairs. But God teaches us to do this:

Likewise, you husbands, deal prudently with your wives, as with the weakest vessel, showing them honor, as joint heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. (1 Pet. 3:7)

May God help all husbands to fulfill their God-given role and thus present to the world the character of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Be responsible

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise during the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of paradise. And the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you? He said: I heard your voice in paradise, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. And he said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you not eaten from the tree from which I forbade you to eat? Adam said: The wife that You gave me, she gave me from a tree, and I ate. (Genesis 3:8-12)

In Eden, Adam was accountable to God, who commanded: "only the fruits of the tree that is in the midst of paradise, God said, do not eat or touch them, lest you die", responsibility for his wife Eve. But they disobeyed God and ate.

We are still experiencing the consequences of irresponsibility all over the world!

At the present time, a man is adding one more function -

Protect your homeland, your home and your wife

And in Eden, he had no one to protect from. Even the snake was a carnivore!

Quite often, before the holiday, people ask a natural question - what should the Defender of the Fatherland be like? What qualities should prevail in him, we, nevertheless, trust him with our lives, even now, in a seemingly peaceful time?

It is difficult to conduct an examination here - in this case everyone will have their own opinion, because we associate too many positive qualities with the image of a real Defender of the Motherland. Naturally, one of the main qualities should be love for one's Motherland, for one's Fatherland, if this noble feeling is absent, then results that inspire additional respect will not be expected. Many will remain of the opinion that one of the most important qualities should be considered the professionalism of the defender of the Motherland. It’s hard to argue with this, because if we take, for example, military service, then competent possession of modern technology is, in many ways, a guarantee of peace and security, since few people can threaten a country with a well-trained and well-armed army.

We should not forget that the defense of the Motherland is not only and perhaps not so much the defense of its external borders, because there are enough internal threats to the life of every person, even in ordinary, everyday life. Here I would especially like to emphasize the threat of terrorism, which suffers the most from civilians, women, and not the military. Any citizen of a country who is not indifferent to its future can become a defender against terrorism, because you just have to be a little more attentive to others and many terrorist acts can be prevented.

So it turns out that each of us can protect our neighbor, and therefore the Motherland as a whole, from danger! May the positive qualities of the Defender of the Fatherland be present in each of our husbands, men for the benefit of serving the Motherland. Then they will take on the image of God with His character. Remember, we talked about the ark, where the tablets with the ten commandments of God lie, in:

In Gath, after the ark was sent, the hand of the Lord was on the city - a very great horror, and the Lord struck the inhabitants of the city, from small to large, and growths appeared on them.

11 ... deadly terror was all over the city; the hand of God was very heavy on them (on the Philistines, who took the ark for themselves, so that the Force might be with them). 12 And those that did not die were smitten with the growths, so that the cry of the city went up to the heavens. (1 Samuel 5:11-12)

Look, mortal horror is not just stress, fear, but horror, then growths. This situation is similar to the accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP.

That was God's protection.

According to Jewish tradition, a husband must: 1. Support his wife. 2. Feed. 3. Dress up. 4. Buy jewelry - a wife should decorate herself for her husband. Happy holiday, dear men! Happy Defender of the Fatherland!

Be courageous, responsible, brave! And we will love you!

With sincere wishes of happiness, good luck and new achievements, the team of women.

8. Is oral sex allowed?




13. Are abortions allowed?

1. What are the obligations of spouses to each other?

The Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesian church, laid the foundation for the relationship between husbands and wives. To the man he said, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph 5:25). To the woman he said, “Wives, obey your husbands as to the Lord” (Eph 5:22). Such relationships help to avoid tension in the family.
The husband must be ready to sacrifice himself for the welfare of his wife. If he loves her enough to commit himself to her, as Jesus devoted himself to the church, then the wife will be ready to submit to his guidance. She will know that he always cares about her welfare and always puts her interests above his own.
For the same reasons, the wife herself is able to make her husband the head of the house, inducing him to take the position of a priest in the family. She should encourage her husband to seek what God wants for this family. She can exalt her husband very highly and, by obeying him, make him feel responsible, so that he correctly understands his role.
Anyone who constantly insists on "rights" destroys a good relationship in a marriage. If a husband says to his wife, “You must obey me because the Bible says so,” then he is alienating her. At the same time, if a wife refuses to obey her husband and contradicts him in everything, then he should consider whether he follows the path of God. He will start thinking, “What if I get a command from the Lord? I will immediately run into opposition from my wife, so I'd rather follow my own desires and let her follow hers." Such an attitude can only alienate the spouses from each other, even though life in accordance with the Divine plan brings them closer.
A husband who deviates from Divine law and insists that his wife do the same as he does, loses the right to power. God did not give a husband the right to break His law, offend his wife, lead a promiscuous sex life, push his wife to lie, steal or drink. But as long as the husband follows the commandments of God, the wife must obey his authority, even if she does not agree with him.
Divine guidance is always right, but in many families the wife is more capable than the husband. Unfortunately, women with high abilities sometimes choose mediocre husbands. Such a wife must resist the temptation to dominate the family. Her husband will sometimes make decisions that she considers wrong. She should try to gently convince her husband, or pray to the Lord that He will enlighten him. A woman voluntarily transfers part of her "sovereignty" to her husband when she marries him. She must trust God in choosing the path. However, if a husband wants his wife to reject God, involves her in debauchery and inclines her to other violations of God's law, then he loses his power and rights. The main person to whom the wife should be devoted and who she should follow is Jesus Christ. She must not submit to what is lawless and unnatural.
It is important to remember that husband and wife are partners. Someone correctly noted that a woman appeared from a man's rib, and not from his head or foot. She should not subjugate her husband, and should not kowtow to him, allowing him to wipe his feet on her. Husband and wife are called to be partners in life and to share that system of worldly relationships, according to which the husband is the head of the family, as long as he obeys Christ.

2. What does the Bible say about divorce and remarriage?

The Bible is clear about divorce and remarriage. In the Old Testament, Moses allowed a man to get a divorce for any reason (Deut. 24:1-4). Later in the New Testament, when Jesus was asked about divorce, He replied that Moses allowed them to divorce because of the hardness of their hearts. He said it wasn't like that in the beginning. Then Jesus continued:
“Have you not read that He who created male and female in the beginning created them? Wherefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and the two shall be one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate.”
In the eyes of God, marriage is a lifelong bond that should never be broken by human action. In the book of the prophet Malachi, the Lord says that He hates divorce (Mal 2.16). It is the perfect will of God that society and future generations be preserved through the inviolability of the family. The Lord provides great help in preserving marriages and in reuniting broken families.
At the very least, there are only two grounds for divorce and remarriage. If adultery (adultery) has taken place, a divorce can be obtained, since adultery has already broken family ties and divorce is a formal recognition of a fait accompli.
The apostle Paul added to Jesus' teachings what is called "Paul's privilege" after his name. According to it, Paul taught that if an unbelieving spouse left a believer, then the latter is no longer bound by marriage, but is free to remarry (1 Corinthians 7:15). Some people see it as "constructive leaving" when the husband has worn out the wife so much that she can no longer bear it, or when the wife has worn out the husband so much that he can no longer stay with her. If this happens, then the situation is tantamount to leaving, and, regardless of whether the separation of spouses actually occurred, divorce and remarriage is allowed.
Except for these reasons, the Bible does not recognize any other grounds for divorce. Divorce is not justified because of incompatibility, lack of love, or differences in career aspirations between spouses. And, really, it seems unlikely that two Christians devoted to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ would have any grounds for divorce.
Clearly, when a person who does not have biblical reasons for divorce remarries, he is, strictly speaking, committing adultery. A detailed explanation of this is contained in the answer to the next question.

3. What should I say to believers who have been divorced and remarried and are wondering what Scripture says about divorce?

In the United States, divorce has run rampant and is equally common among Christians and non-Christians alike. It happens that people marry not once or twice, but three, four, five or six times. They form a string of husbands or wives, a string of children and a string of problems.
The Lord is on the side of man. He loves people and understands what happens in such cases. But I cannot recognize such behavior as correct. The servant of God is to teach what the Scripture says; however, teaching must be based on a biblical understanding of the Lord's love for man. It is very difficult to establish immutable rules for all occasions.
Should, for example, a man who entered into a third marriage be ordered to return to his former spouse? What if the man's ex-husband remarried? Is it right to demand that a married couple, consisting of divorced spouses, divorce again and thereby destroy the second family? The basic rule is that divorce and remarriage are not permitted except in cases of adultery or abandonment of a spouse, and the church must adhere to this rule. Young people need to understand that marriage is a union for life, not one that people enter and leave as they please.
However, with the current appalling state of the institution of marriage, I feel that the Church should use its power to "bind and loose" (Mt 16:19) to guide divorced and remarried couples who have found Christ after divorce on the path to forgiveness. In other words, the Church must say (and I personally say this) that what happened to you in the past is redeemed by the blood of Christ. Enjoy your current marriage for the glory of God without guilt. However, for Christians who were divorced after their second spiritual birth, for reasons other than the two mentioned, I believe it is best to return to their former Christian spouses or stay out of wedlock.
Ultimately, my advice for these complex personal issues is to turn to prayer and Bible study, as well as to a wise pastor in your congregation.

4. Can Christians marry non-Christians?

In no case. The Bible says, "Do not be yoked with the unbelievers... what agreement does Christ have with Belial?" (2 Cor 6.14-15).
Billy Graham put it very aptly a few years ago when he said that whoever marries an infidel gets the devil himself as father-in-law or father-in-law. When a Christian marries an unbeliever, there is great inner turmoil.
Some Christians do take this path and marry unbelievers, hoping to convert them after marriage. But if the Lord really intended this woman or this man for you, He would have had the strength to bring this person to Himself before marriage. If He did not do this, then this is a sign that this marriage is not pleasing to God. The Christian must learn to wait on God for what is the right decision. Any other solution could be a terrible mistake.

5. If I am married to a non-Christian, should I get a divorce?

If you are married to a non-believer and he or she wishes to keep the marriage, then you must stay with him or her. By your conduct, try to bring your loved one or loved one to God. However, if you have only recently become a Christian, the change in your lifestyle may be so dramatic that the unbeliever may want to leave you. If your sincere efforts do not lead to the preservation of the family, and if your unbelieving spouse refuses to continue living with you, then you have no choice but to let him (her) go. In this case, you are no longer related and can, if you wish, remarry, but only to a Christian.

6. Is abuse grounds for divorce?

It depends on situation. I think that moral callousness is not grounds for divorce when it comes to how one of the spouses squeezes the paste out of a tube or how to hang stockings in the bathroom. This type of behavior has such a variety of explanations that it can hardly be said unambiguously.
However, I believe that physical cruelty and insults, as well as moral damage, if they threaten the physical or moral condition of the spouse, are grounds for divorce. The same Pauline privilege (1 Corinthians 7:15) that I mentioned earlier allows for divorce due to the departure of an unbelieving spouse. For abuse to be a sufficient reason for divorce, it must reach the point beyond which further cohabitation may be in immediate danger.
The type of cruelty that I have in mind has nothing to do with criticizing a prepared soufflé or condemning a brother-in-law. Minor irritation needs mild correction; it is not permissible that it be the cause of the destruction of the holy union.
Clearly, a Christian couple consisting of two born-again people is not subject to Paul's privilege. Divorce and remarriage for any reason is truly impossible for two people who sincerely love the Lord and strive to serve Him.

7. What is the difference between fornication and adultery?

Sexual intercourse of a married person with another person who is not his wife or spouse is adultery (adultery).
The Ten Commandments say, "You shall not commit adultery" (Ex 20:14). The reason for the ban is obvious: marriage is the backbone of society, and with it comes the responsibility of raising children. Sexual relations outside of marriage not only pose a danger to marriage itself, but, in addition, destroy feelings of maternal or paternal love, confuse inheritance and family lines, and family relationships.
Fornication ("free love") is sexual intercourse between unmarried people. The apostle Paul said that it is a sin against the body. He ordered Christians to avoid fornication, as it is a sin against themselves and God, since the believer's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6.18-19). Paul says that if a believer joins his body with a harlot (or an immoral person), then he joins Christ with that person (1 Cor 6:15-16).
It is important to understand that neither adulterers nor traitors will enter the Kingdom of Heaven (1 Cor 6.9-10). In today's world, the words "adultery" and "fornication" are rarely used, and immoral relationships among unmarried people have become a common way of life. But immorality, however common it may be, is nevertheless a sin that will deprive millions of people of the Kingdom of Heaven if they do not repent.

8. Is oral sex allowed?

Oral sex is one of those types of sexual relations that do not lead to conception, and is especially common among homosexuals. Paul in Romans speaks of women replacing "natural things with unnatural things" (Rom 1:26). My own opinion is that oral sex is unnatural, since the natural thing is that the sexual act should be procreative and based on partnerships. Neither partner should become an "object" of satisfaction for the other.
However, the Bible does not provide clear guidance regarding the sexual practices of married couples. Although Scripture speaks of the "blamelessness" of the marriage bed (Heb. 13:4), it is not entirely clear what is meant by this. There are many aspects of the sexual practice of married couples that the Bible is silent about. Therefore, it is difficult to say definitely: "This is allowed, but this is prohibited."
For such obscure cases, there is a biblical rule that says: "everything that is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14.23). If someone feels that oral sex is "out of faith", then they should not do it. The Lord has called us to holiness, not to sensuality, but the expression of physical, sexual love in marriage is good, holy, and bestowed by God. Therefore, do not be afraid to ask God to guide you on the path of sexual love that He considers right.

9. Does the Bible allow sex for pleasure?

Some religious people believe that the only reason for sexual activity is procreation. Others believe that there are higher reasons for complete intimacy: this is the highest degree of connection between a man and a woman - the connection of two souls, two consciousnesses, two bodies.
In the Old Testament, the word for sexual intimacy was "to know" (husband or wife). The most intimate knowledge of husband and wife about each other comes from these three unions in Christian marriage. That is why a Christian's sex life is much more motivated than a non-Christian's. Non-Christians cannot unite in spirit. They lack this important dimension.
The Bible says that in marriage one spouse gives his body to the other, and that they should not abstain from each other except for a short period of fasting. God created man and woman as sexual beings. He created our nervous system in such a way that we enjoy sex. Sex in marriage is a good and holy work commanded by God.

10. Are interracial marriages allowed?

In the Old Testament, God commanded the people of Israel not to intermarry with the nations around them. The reason for this was not the color of the skin, but the state of mind. These nations were idolaters who engaged in all kinds of obscene things in sex and other things, so that such marriage unions could corrupt the people of Israel.
The ban on the marriage of a believer with an atheist is still in effect. The children of God are not to marry the children of Satan. This, however, has nothing to do with country of origin or skin color.
However, young people should be aware that we live in a world where there are still many prejudices. There are people who resent interracial marriages. Children from such marriages are often despised by both (maternal and paternal) communities. From a sociological point of view, couples entering into an interracial marriage face prejudice and rejection. There is nothing of God in this, but such is the truth of life.
Since the pressure can become unbearable, people contemplating entering into such a marriage must have absolute confidence in each other, in their motives, and, especially, that their marriage is pleasing to the Lord.

11. What does the Bible say about homosexuality?

The Bible calls it an abomination if someone lies with a man as with a woman, or if a woman lies with a woman as with a man (Lev 18:22; 20:13). Holy Scripture says that because of such abomination the Earth was defiled and cast off those living on it (Lev 18.25). The apostle Paul called this shameful, the result of God forsaking such people and "giving them over to uncleanness" (Rom 1:24-27).
The Old Testament says that those who practiced such things were removed from the tribes of Israel by execution.
The New Testament says that those who indulge in homosexuality will not enter the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9,10). The Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Romans indicates that homosexuality is a rebellion of people against God. He says that when people replaced the truth of God with untruth and began to worship the creature instead of the Creator, then they indulged in Evil. In those periods of the life of society, when values ​​turned inside out and moral anarchy appeared, men began to inflame with lust for men, and women for women, for which they will receive retribution in their bodies for their deeds (Rom 1.22-27).
Biblically speaking, the spread of homosexuality is a sign that society is in decline.

12. Is it necessary to divorce a homosexual spouse?

We are deeply saddened by the spread of homosexuality. Imagine the feelings of a wife who knows that she shares her husband with one or more of his lovers. Imagine the feelings of a husband who is forced to compete for the feelings of his wife with her beloved women.
In addition to this problem, due to the well-known tendency of homosexuals to change partners frequently, the risk of contracting a venereal disease from a homosexual spouse increases.
But God always offers a way to atone for sin. In such a situation, I would advise the heterosexual spouse to use all means to free their homosexual spouse from the burden of homosexual inclinations. Homosexuals can free themselves from their deplorable passion and find satisfaction in a completely prosperous heterosexual relationship. But this will never happen without love, understanding and forgiveness. This requires very sensitive spirit guides, as many homosexuals are very good at pretending and lie very convincingly, hiding their behavior from others.
After all, if all means have been exhausted, divorcing a homosexual spouse will be the wise and correct decision. Children should not be under the influence of such a spouse. No matter what happens, the husband or wife should not feel guilty thinking, “How could this happen to me?” Let the Lord Jesus Christ give you a fresh start in life.

13. Are abortions allowed?

Abortion is definitely unacceptable. It is the taking of the life of a human being. I deeply believe that abortion is tantamount to murder. In the Psalms we read that God is planning us when we are in the womb (see Ps 139:13). We also know that the prophet Jeremiah was called by God before he was born (Jer 1.5). The apostle Paul believed that he was called to serve the Lord while still in his mother's womb (Gal 1.15). It is said that John the Baptist rejoiced in his mother's womb when he heard the voice of Mary, the Mother of God (Lk 1.44). Children in the womb of their mothers already, of course, have a spiritual individuality.
From a biological point of view, there is no reason to believe that human life does not begin at conception. It is from this moment that progressive development begins, which continues into adulthood. The flow of life never stops. This is an ongoing process. Proponents of abortion claim that the fetus becomes truly human only from the moment of birth. However, a five- to six-month-old fetus removed from the mother's womb by caesarean section can be kept alive outside the mother's womb.
Abortion is a terrible evil. God cursed the Israelites who offered their children as sacrifices to Molech. Then the children were burned in the flames of the sacrificial fire (Lev 20.2).
We are ready to sacrifice our children to the gods of pleasure, sensuality and comfort. In doing so, we testify that we place no value on human life. This is a terrible sin and a stain on our society.
The Bible doesn't talk about abortion in more detail because it seemed unthinkable to God's people. When Israel was in Egypt, the cruel pharaoh demanded that the Israelites kill newborns. In the Bible, this is interpreted as the height of cruelty. Even the idea that Jews could kill their own children would be a curse to them. Throughout the Old Testament, women yearn to have children. Children were considered a gift from God. The women prayed not to be barren. How can a righteous woman encroach on the life of her own child?
Mother Teresa from Calcutta said she fears for the fate of America because American women are killing their children.
She thinks society is doomed if women become so heartless that they kill their own children. Abortions are not only unacceptable - they represent the height of pagan immorality.

14. Has God provided an ideal spouse for everyone?

Marriage is not for everyone at all, it is only for those who are created for the family. I believe that the Lord will lead you to a better half for you, although it may not be "ideal". And that's why.
Each person has a unique individuality, consisting of hundreds, and perhaps thousands of elusive mental, intellectual and psychological characteristics.
Each person has a genetic code made up of millions of physical and other characteristics. To find the "ideal" partner, one would have to assume that God specifically created a person whose millions of characteristics perfectly complement the millions of your characteristics. But after all, God does not create each person by an individual act of creation, it happens as a result of natural biological processes.
However, there is something God can do if you ask Him to. He can lead you to a person who will best complement your personality, your background, your desires, and whose genetic code, supplemented by your own genetic code, can produce offspring that please God, you and your spouse. Since this choice seems mathematically unbelievable, we can only hope for the infinite wisdom of the Lord in choosing our betrothed. The secret of knowing His leading is reflected in Proverbs 3:5-6.
This does not mean, however, that a person who is looking for a husband or wife should sit at home and wait for God to send someone to knock on the door. It is certainly appropriate to ask God to guide you to places where lonely people often meet, such as church groups, classrooms, or other places where people come together in faith and interests. There are many places where you can meet the right person for you. God will bring you a future spouse if you give Him the opportunity to do so.
Remember that only a person who has Christ in him can be considered the “ideal” spouse for you.

the mountain on which the Lord gave Moses 10 commandments on how to live in harmony with the world and others

Religion is not just a relationship between man and God. Long ago on Mount Sinai, the Lord gave Moses the 10 commandments. And only 4 of them are about our duty to the Creator. The greater part is about how to live in harmony with the world and those around you.

Holy Scripture is an excellent guide, a collection of advice, moral support and a storehouse of wisdom for any of us. The values ​​of family relationships are very important in human life, because through them we learn love.

God is love, no more, no less.

So what does the Bible say about husband and wife? How to grow and save love? Let's talk about it!

Love is the most important thing in a family

The most important commandment the Lord has given us is described in the Gospel of John:

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another; as I have loved you, let you also love one another; By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jon. 13:34-35).

It is necessary and important to attach to remember the husband and wife. In relationships, in love, we draw closer to the Lord because:

“And we have come to know the love that God has for us, and have believed in it. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (Jonah 4:16).

The charter of family life according to the Bible

But the family is not without controversy. We are all people, with our own opinions, and willy-nilly there are conflicts even between loving people. Often they are caused by the fact that spouses forget about their responsibilities. Or they don't know about them.

To make life easier for spouses, there is a charter of family life in the light of Scripture. Its main provisions:

• The husband is the image and glory of God:

"Therefore the husband must not cover his head, for he is the image and glory of God." (1 Corinthians 11:7)

• To every man the head is Christ:

“I also want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of every wife is the husband, and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Corinthians 11:3)

• The wife is the glory of the husband:

“So the husband should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God; and the wife is the glory of the husband.” (1 Corinthians 11:7)

• The wife was made for the husband:

“For the husband is not from the wife, but the wife is from the husband; and the husband was not made for the wife, but the wife for the husband.” (1 Corinthians 11:8-9)

• wife head husband:

“I also want you to know that Christ is the head of every husband, the husband is the head of the wife, and God is the head of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:3)

Husband's Biblical Responsibilities

• Leave your father and mother and cleave to your wife and become one flesh with her:

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cling to his wife; and [the two] will be one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24)

The duties of a husband are to love his wife as himself, as his body, to nourish and warm her.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water through the word; to present her to Himself as a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or anything like that, but that she might be holy and blameless.

Thus ought husbands to love their wives as their bodies: he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and warms it, just as the Lord does the Church, because we are members of His body, from His flesh and from His bones. (Ephesians 5:25-30)

• Treat your wife wisely:

“Likewise, you husbands, treat your wives prudently, as with the weakest vessel, showing them honor, as joint heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. Honor your wife." (1 Peter 3:7)

one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, according to the canons of the Catholic Church - the first Pope. In Christian symbolism, it is depicted as the guardian of paradise.

• Show your wife due favors:

“Likewise, you husbands, treat your wives wisely, as with the weakest vessel, showing them honor, as joint heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7)

• Give your wife full power over your body:

“The wife has no power over her body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no power over his own body, but the wife does.” (1 Corinthians 7:4)

• To be always sober, chaste, prudent, restrained, behave with dignity, be hospitable, not greedy, should be a good head of his own family, keep his children in obedience and due respect to himself:

“not a drunkard, not a slayer, not quarrelsome, not greedy, but quiet, peace-loving, not money-loving, well-running his house, keeping his children in obedience with all honesty”; (1 Tim. 3:3-4)

• Be faithful to your wife until death:

“so they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Matthew 19:6)

• Be caring for the family:

“If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has renounced the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Tim. 5:8)

The Responsibilities of a Wife in the Bible

• Loving Husband:

“to instruct the young to love their husbands” (Tit. 2:4)

• Be kind:

“He who has found a good wife has found goodness [silence] and has received grace from the Lord” (Prov. 18:22).

“A good wife is a happy [good] share [part]” (Sir. 26.3).

A wife's duty is to obey her husband as Lord

“Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body.” (Eph.5:22-23)

• To be and learn in silence - with all humility:

“Let the woman study in silence, with all humility; but I do not allow a woman to teach, nor to rule over her husband, but to be in silence. (1 Tim. 2:11)

• Take care of the beauty of your spirit of meekness and humility:

“Let not the outward braiding of your hair be your adornment, not the gold ornaments, or the finery in your clothes” (1 Peter 3:3)

• Show your husband due favors:

“Husband show his wife due favor; like a wife to her husband." (1 Corinthians 7:3)

• To be chaste, pure, God-fearing, bashful:

“when they see your pure, God-fearing life. May your adornment be not external weaving of hair, not golden headdresses or elegance in clothes, but a man hidden in the heart in the imperishable beauty of a meek and silent spirit, which is precious before God. (1 Peter 3:2-4)

“Children and the building of a city perpetuate the name, but an immaculate (immaculate] wife is considered more excellent than both” (Sir. 40. 19).

“Grace upon grace is a shy woman, and there is no worthy measure for a temperate soul” (Sir. 26:18-19).

• Take care of home improvement:

"A wise woman will build her house, but a foolish woman will destroy it with her own hands." (Prov. 14:1)

Scripture forbids a husband

• Desire your neighbor's wife:

"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor covet your neighbor's house, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, [or any of his cattle,] nor anything that your neighbor has." (Deut. 5:21)

• Commit adultery:

“so they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

• To avoid a wife, except by consent for the exercise in fasting and prayer:

• Scripture forbids a husband to be harsh to his wife:

"Husbands, love your wives and don't be hard on them." (Col. 3:19)

Scripture forbids a wife

• To seek power over her husband:

not one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The fourteen epistles of Paul make up a large part of the New Testament and are among the main texts of Christian theology.

“But I do not allow a woman to teach, nor to rule over her husband, but to be in silence.” (1 Tim. 2:12)

• Teaching Husband:

“Let the woman study in silence, with all humility; but I do not allow a woman to teach, nor to rule over her husband, but to be in silence. (1 Tim. 2:11-12)

• Commit adultery:

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakia, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor predators - will not inherit the Kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

• Avoid a husband, except by agreement for the exercise in fasting and prayer:

“Do not deviate from each other, except by agreement, for a time, for the exercise in fasting and prayer, and then be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance.” (1 Corinthians 7:5)

• Be grumpy:

“It is better to live in a corner on the roof than with a quarrelsome wife in a spacious house.” (Prov. 21:9)

“Incessant drops on a rainy [winter] day and a quarrelsome [slanderous] wife are equal; whoever wants to hide it wants to hide the wind.” (Prov. 27:16).

• Be reasonable:

"Blessed is he who lives with a wise woman." (Sir. 25:11).

Husband and wife should help each other to become better

It is important for husband and wife to help each other become better.

A family is not two people alone, but one whole:

“Let a husband cleave to his wife” (St. John Chrysostom paraphrases the words from the Bible - Matthew 19:5-6.))

What does it mean? This means that husband and wife are one flesh, one organism. There is no good wife and bad husband. Everything is done together, everything is connected.

For example, Proverbs 31 says what a wife should be according to the Bible: well-groomed, even if she has to go to bed late and wake up early.

Much has been said about beauty in the Holy Scriptures:

“Like the sun that rises on the heights of the Lord, the beauty of a good woman is in the decoration [beauty] of her house.” (Sir. 26:20-21).

But will she do this if the head of the family is indifferent? No. A husband should admire his wife, think about his wife, then she will have an incentive to bring beauty:

“And the man said, Behold, this is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she will be called woman, for she was taken from man. (Genesis 2:23)

Even when the statements do not explicitly state that they are talking about a wife and husband, one can understand what the Bible says about marriage in one place or another:

“But whoever does not take care of his relatives, and above all of his household, has denied the faith and has become worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8).

It is very important to God that a husband take care of his wife, and a wife take care of her husband.

The Lord sets this task even higher than even a person's faith in Him. It turns out - "respect your husband as God"? Watching what to invest in this phrase. If veneration is love, respect, warm feelings, then, of course, yes. And if we are talking about servility, this is already an unhealthy relationship.

You just have to remember the role of the wife and the role of the husband. She is an inspiration and a lover. He is a caring protector. And only together they achieve harmony.

The Bible often gives us Jesus Christ as an example. We can also judge the relationship between husband and wife based on His deeds and words. The Savior shows us unconditional love, devotion, care. In this sincerity there is not an element of selfishness, calculation or attempts to impose one's will.

We, in turn, do not place conditions on Jesus Christ and accept his Teachings. So a husband and wife enter into marriage and from now on they will live according to new rules for themselves. These rules are nothing new for a righteous person. And for others, the family is an excellent springboard for spiritual growth.

Video about marriage, family, husband and wife from Archpriest Andrey Tkachev

I. THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE IS ESTABLISHED BY THE LORD GOD
The term "to marry" or "to marry" in the Old and New Testaments is translated by the following words and concepts: "to be a master", "to take a wife", " exalt" or "exalt" a woman, "to enter into a covenant", "to live together", "to fulfill the duties of a brother", "to become a husband/wife".

1. Origin.
The institution of the family was established by God as a permanent (not temporary) union of a man and a woman based on mutual love and mutual assistance (Genesis 2:18). The Bible describes marriage as a physical and spiritual union between a man and a woman made for each other (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5).

2. Biblical doctrine of marriage - the doctrine of monogamous marriage.
Biblical teaching is monogamy, not polygamy. This is the doctrine of marriage between one man and one woman. Of course, there were times described by the Bible when this principle was violated by people. But this in no way detracts from the Biblical teaching of marriage as a monogamous union between two people.
Psalm 127:3 "Your wife [note: not wives, but wife!] is like a fruitful vine in your house; your sons are like olive branches around your table"; Proverbs 5:18 "and take comfort in the wife of your youth"; Proverbs 18:22 "Whoever finds a good wife [and not wives!], he has found good and received grace from the Lord"; Proverbs 19:14 "A house and an estate are an inheritance from parents, but a prudent wife [and not wives!] is from the Lord"; Ecclesiastes 9:9 "Enjoy life with the wife [not wives!], whom you love, all the days of your vain life, and whom God has given you under the sun for all your vain days."

Polygamy:
Monogamy in marriage has existed since the creation of Adam and Eve for several generations. The first mention of a polygamous family in the Bible is associated with the descendants of Cain, namely with Lamech: Genesis 4:16-19 "And Cain went from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived She bore Enoch, and he built a city, and named the city after his son, Enoch: Enoch begat Irad, Irad begat Mechiael, Mechiael begat Methuselah, Methuselah begat Lamech, and Lamech took two wives for himself: the name of one was Ada, and the name of the second : Zilla".
Lamech was not only a “polygamist”, but also a murderer: Genesis 4:23-24 “And Lamech said to his wives: Ada and Zilla! me; if Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy times seven." Not only was he a killer, he was also proud of it. That is, he took pleasure in breaking God's laws and God's order of things.

Now let's take a step-by-step look at God's plan for the family:

A. God created only one wife for Adam.
The history of mankind began with two people: Adam and Eve.
Genesis 1:27-28 "And God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

B. The two will become one flesh.
Genesis 2:23-24 "And the man said, Behold, this is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they shall one flesh."
The two become one flesh. They have everything in common. They belong to each other. They are one. Dualism in this case (the desire for independence) is individualism, which is the opposite of unity.

B. Marriage and divorce.
Matthew 19:5-9 "And he said, Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, whatever God has joined together, let no man separate They say to him, "How then did Moses command you to give a bill of divorce and divorce her? He says to them, Moses, because of your hardness of heart, allowed you to divorce your wives, but at first it was not so; but I say to you, whoever divorces his wife is not for adultery and marries another, he commits adultery; and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." The same is said in Mark 10:6-9.
Only death can separate a man from his own flesh. Therefore, only death can break the marriage bond. Jesus mentioned only one reason why spouses can divorce - adultery, that is, adultery (Matthew 19:9). The apostle Paul mentioned another reason for divorce in a family in which one spouse is a believer and the other is an unbeliever: 1 Corinthians 7:15 "If the unbeliever wants to get divorced, let him get divorced; brother or sister in such cases are not related."

II. SPOUSES
1. HUSBAND
A. Head of family
Ephesians 5:23 "... The husband is the head of the wife."
1 Corinthians 11:3 "I also want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, the husband is the head of the wife, and God is the head of Christ."

B. Duties of the husband as head of the family:
The husband, as the head of the family, had three main responsibilities: spiritual, social and economic:
First, the father was responsible for the spiritual health of the family as a whole and for each member of the family individually. In ancient times, the father was a priest in his family and therefore had to make sacrifices for family members:
Genesis 12:8 "From there he went to the mountain, to the east of Bethel; and he pitched his tent so that Bethel was to the west of it, and Ai to the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord"; Job 1:5 "When the circle of banquet days was completed, Job sent for them and sanctified them, and rising early in the morning, offered burnt offerings according to the number of all of them. For Job said, Perhaps my sons have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts. Thus did Job on all such days."

Later, when the priesthood was introduced in Israel, the priests (Levites) took over this role. However, the father continued to be the spiritual leader of the family. This is manifested in the upbringing of children and all household members in the Lord:
Exodus 12:3,26-27 "Say to all the congregation of Israel, On the tenth day of this month, let each one take one lamb for themselves, according to families, one lamb per family ... And when your children say to you, What is this service? Say, This is the Passover sacrifice. to the Lord, who passed by the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed down and worshiped "; Proverbs 22:6 "Instruct a young man at the beginning of his way: he will not turn away from him when he is old"; Ephesians 6:4 "And you fathers, do not provoke your children, but bring them up in the teaching and admonition of the Lord."

Social responsibilities: these include the protection of family members. The father is the protector of the household. The most unfortunate people in Israeli society were widows and orphans, who were considered the most defenseless people. The four main social obligations of the head of the family in relation to the sons were as follows (in accordance with Jewish tradition): circumcision of the son, transfer of the inheritance to the firstborn, search for a wife for the son, teaching the son the craft.

Economic Responsibilities: The head of the family is the breadwinner or breadwinner. God, cursing the earth for Adam's sin, said: Genesis 3:17-19 "...cursed is the earth for your sake; in sorrow you will eat from it all the days of your life; it will grow thorns and thistles for you; and you will eat the grass of the field; in sweat your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground."
The husband, as the head of the family, was obliged to take care of the urgent needs of his family members. In the case when the sloth refused to take care of his family, the Holy Scriptures reminded him of his duty to the family (Proverbs 6:6-11 "Go to the ant, sloth, look at his actions, and be wise. He has neither a boss nor but he prepares his bread in the summer, he gathers his food at harvest time. How long will you sleep, you lazy one? your poverty is like a passer-by, and your want is like a thief."
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul convicts those who, calling themselves Christians, forget to take care of their households (1 Timothy 5:8 "If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever").

2. WIFE
Wife's Dependence on Husband: Despite her role in managing the household, the wife was completely dependent on her husband. This was expressed in different ways, but in particular, in the address of the wife to her husband: The word that the wives used when referring to their spouse "baal" literally meant "lord" or "master". Sarah called Abraham "her master": Genesis 18:12 "Sarah laughed inwardly, saying, Shall I, when I am old, have this comfort? And my master is old."

A. Husband's Helper
Genesis 2:18, 21-22 "And the Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a helper fit for him... And the Lord God brought a sound sleep upon the man; and when he fell asleep, he took one of his ribs, and closed the place of the flesh. And the rib taken from the man, the Lord God formed a woman, and brought her to the man."
1 Corinthians 11:9 "... and the husband was not made for the wife, but the wife for the husband."

B. Duties of a wife. The wife had full power and freedom to manage and manage the household, which included not only the upbringing of children, but also the preparation of food (Genesis 18:6 "And Abraham hastened to Sarah's tent and said, Quickly knead three sats of the best flour and make unleavened bread" ; 2 Samuel 13:7-9 "And David sent to Tamar in the house to say: Go to the house of Amnon your brother, and prepare food for him. And she went to the house of her brother Amnon; and he lies. And she took flour and kneaded and she made cakes before his eyes, and baked cakes, and took a frying pan and laid it out before him; but he did not want to eat"), the distribution of food among households (Proverbs 31:15), and the production of fabrics and clothing (Proverbs 31:13,21- 22). For more on the prudent wife, see Proverbs 31:10-31.

III. NEW TESTAMENT ABOUT MARRIAGE AND FAMILY.

1. To marry or not to marry?
The Bible does not forbid marriage, but encourages:
1 Timothy 4:1-3 "But the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of false talkers, burned in their conscience, forbidding marriage." 1 Timothy 5:14 "Therefore I desire that young widows should marry, bear children, rule the house, and give no occasion for slander to the adversary." Hebrews 13:4 "Let marriage be honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." 1 Corinthians 7:1-2 "And about what you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But, in order to avoid fornication, each one should have his own wife, and each one should have her own husband."

2. Christian marriage:
God forbade the marriages of the Israelites with the Canaanites because they could cause Israel to fall away from God: Exodus 34:15-16 invited you also, and you would not have tasted their sacrifice; and do not take wives from their daughters for your sons, lest their daughters, committing fornication after their gods, lead your sons into wickedness after their gods"; Deuteronomy 7:3-4 "... do not enter into an alliance with them and do not spare them; and do not enter into kinship with them: do not give your daughter for his son, and do not take his daughter for your son; for they will turn your sons away from Me to serve other gods, and then the wrath of the Lord will kindle on you, and He will soon destroy you."

The Bible forbids believers from marrying unbelievers:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 "It is not tight for you in us; but it is tight in your hearts. In equal retribution," I say, as to children, "expand yourself. What has light to do with darkness? What agreement is there between Christ and Belial? Or what is the partnership of the faithful with the unbelievers? What is the union of the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, go out from among them and separate yourself, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you. And I will be your Father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
1 Corinthians 7:39 "A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wants, only in the Lord."

3. Relationships between spouses:
Ephesians 5:22-33 "Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body. But as the Church is subject to Christ, so are wives to their husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, to sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water through the word; to present her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but that she might be "Holy and blameless. So husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies: He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and warms it, just as the Lord does the Church, because we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; I speak in regard to Christ and to the Church. So let each one of you love his wife, as himself; but let the wife be afraid of her husband";

Colossians 3:18-19 "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be hard on them";

Titus 2:4-5 "...to admonish the young to love their husbands, to love children, to be chaste, clean, caring about the house, kind, obedient to their husbands";

1 Peter 3:1-7 "Also, you wives, be subject to your husbands, so that those of them who do not obey the word may be gained by the life of their wives without a word when they see your pure, God-fearing life. Let not external things be your adornment braiding hair, not golden headdresses or finery in clothes, but a hidden man in the incorruptible beauty of a meek and silent spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. Thus once the holy women, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, obeying their husbands. Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You are her children if you do good and are not troubled by any fear. Likewise, you husbands, treat your wives wisely, as with a weaker vessel, showing honor to them, as joint heirs of the grace of life, so that you will not be hindered in prayers."

1 Corinthians 7:3-16 "But the husband show to the wife due favor; likewise the wife to her husband. The wife has no power over her own body, but the husband; likewise the husband has no power over his body, but the wife. by agreement, for a time, for exercise in fasting and prayer, and then be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance. However, this was said by me as a permission, and not as a command. but each has his gift from God, one this way, another that way. To the unmarried and to widows I say, it is good for them to remain like me. But if they cannot abstain, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be inflamed. It is not I who command marriage, but the Lord: a wife must not divorce her husband; if she divorces, she must remain celibate, or be reconciled with her husband, and the husband must not leave his wife.
To the rest, I say, and not the Lord: if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, then he should not leave her; and a wife who has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, must not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. If the unbeliever wants to get divorced, let him get divorced; brother or sister in such cases are not related; The Lord has called us to peace. How do you know, wife, if you can save your husband? Or you, husband, why do you know if you can save your wife? "

What is the Bible's teaching about the family based on the above verses?
Let's summarize what we just read:
1) A person may not marry.
2) However, in order not to fall into sin, God recommends that everyone should have a wife/husband.
3) If a person has entered into marriage, he is bound by family ties as long as both spouses are alive.
4) The Bible allows divorce in two cases: First, in the case of adultery of one of the spouses. Secondly, if one of the spouses believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the other does not want to live with him.
5) In the event of a divorce, the spouses have only two choices: either reconcile and return to each other, or remain celibate for the rest of their lives.
6) In the event of the death of one of the spouses, the second spouse, according to the Bible, has the right to marry or remarry, but always in the Lord, that is, the spouse must be a believer.
7) If a believer wants to start a family, he must marry or be married only to a believer.

IV. GOD'S USE OF THE FAMILY ANALOGY

1. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:
A. In the Old Testament, God's relationship with Israel is described as a relationship between spouses (where Israel is the wife and God is the husband):
Isaiah 54:5 "For your Maker is your husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He shall be called the God of all the earth."
Isaiah 62:4-5 "They will no longer call you 'Forsaken', and your land will no longer be called 'Wilderness', but they will call you, 'I am well pleased with him,' and your land, 'Married,' for the Lord is pleased to you, and your land is united. As a young man is united to a virgin, so are your sons united to you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so will your God rejoice over you."

B. Israel (wife) cheated on God with other gods:
Isaiah 1:21 "How the faithful city, full of justice, has become a harlot! Truth dwelt in it, but now murderers";
Jeremiah 2:21-23 "I planted you as a noble vine, the purest seed; how then have you become a wild branch of a strange vine with Me? Therefore, even though you wash yourself with soap and use much lye, your wickedness is marked before Me , says the Lord God. How canst thou say: "I have not defiled [a] myself, I have not walked[a] in the footsteps of Baal?" ?";
Jeremiah 3:1-2 "They say, 'If a man sends his wife away, and she departs from him and becomes another man's wife, can she return to him? Wouldn't that country be defiled by this?" And you with many lovers committed fornication, - and yet return to Me, says the Lord. Lift your eyes to the heights and see where they did not commit fornication with you? in the wilderness, and defiled the land with your fornication and your wickedness," also Jeremiah 3:6-11.

C. God promised to purify his bride and make a new covenant with her forever: Hosea 2:16-23 "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me, 'My husband,' and shall call me no more, 'Baali ". And I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and their names will no longer be remembered. And I will make a covenant for them at that time with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the air, and with the creeping things of the earth; and the bow, and the sword, and warfare I will cut off from that land, and I will give them to dwell in safety. And I will betroth you to Me forever, and I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and judgment, in goodness and mercy. And I will betroth you to Me in fidelity, and you will know the Lord. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, says the Lord, I will hear heaven, and it will hear the earth, and the earth will hear bread and wine and oil; and these will hear Jezreel. And I will sow it for Myself on the earth, and have mercy on the Unmerciful, and I will not say to My people: "You are My people", but they will say: "You are my God!" ".

2. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:
The promise of the Lord given in the Old Testament was fulfilled in the New Testament: the New Testament describes Jesus Christ as the bridegroom, and the Church - His bride, whom He redeemed, cleansed and washed with His blood.

Matthew 9:14-15 "Then the disciples of John come to Him and say, Why do we and the Pharisees fast a lot, but Your disciples do not fast? And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bridal chamber mourn while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast."
John 3:29 "He who has a bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and listens to him rejoices with joy when he hears the voice of the bridegroom. This is my joy fulfilled."
2 Corinthians 11:2 "For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God; because I betrothed you to one man, that I might present you a pure virgin to Christ";
Ephesians 5:23-27 "...because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body. But as the Church obeys Christ, so do wives to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also He loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water by means of the word; to present her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but that she might be holy and blameless";
Revelation 19:7 "Let us rejoice, and be glad, and give Him glory; for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready";
Revelation 21:2,9 "And I, John, saw the holy city of Jerusalem, new, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband... And one of the seven angels came to me, who had seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, and said to me, Come, I will show you a wife, the bride of the Lamb";
Revelation 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears, let him say come! Let him who is thirsty come, and whoever is willing, let him take the water of life freely."

V. FAMILY TIES ON EARTH ARE THE PROTOTYPE
RELATIONSHIP OF JESUS ​​CHRIST AND THE CHURCH:

In the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians, when describing the relationship between spouses, it says: "This mystery is great; I speak in relation to Christ and to the Church" (Ephesians 5:32). Thus, the Lord, as it were, opens the veil of God's mystery to us in relation to believers and their Savior using the example of a family:

a) Ephesians 5:30 "...because we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones." Eve appeared during Adam's deep sleep from his rib (flesh). Here we can draw an analogy with Jesus Christ, whose death (deep sleep) led to the birth of His Bride - the Church of God (John 12:24) if he dies, he will bear much fruit"; John 19:33-35 "But when they came to Jesus, and they saw him already dead, they did not break his legs, but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he speaks the truth, that you may believe."

b) Adam gave Eve the name "ishah - "wife" or "woman", which is a derivative of "iysh - "man" or "man" (Genesis 2:23 "And the man said: Behold, this is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man."
Jesus gives the Church His new name: Revelation 3:12 "He who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will not go out again; and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my new name."

c) It is said about the family: Ephesians 5:31-32 "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." In a family, husband and wife become one. This is the prototype of the unity of the Church: Romans 6:5 "For if we are united to Him in the likeness of His death, we must also be united in the likeness of the resurrection."

d) The husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church: 1 Corinthians 11:3 "I also want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of the wife is the husband, and the head of Christ is God"; Ephesians 5:23 "The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church."

e) Death can separate husband and wife. However, death cannot separate Christ from His bride: John 10:28-29 "My Father who gave them to me is greater than all; and no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one"; Romans 8:35-39 "Who will separate us from the love of God: tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? but we overcome all these things by the power of Him who loved us, for I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor the present, nor the future, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

f) However, we must not forget that infidelity is the second reason that can separate spouses. In this case, applying this to our relationship with God, we can say that our spiritual adultery (spiritual adultery) can lead us to completely deny our Creator.

CONCLUSION:

Jesus described the Kingdom of Heaven as a wedding feast:
Matthew 22:2-14 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who made a wedding feast for his son. And he sent his servants to invite those who were invited to the wedding feast; and they did not want to come. Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell those who were invited: Behold, I have prepared my dinner, my calves, and what is fattened, is slaughtered, and everything is ready, come to the wedding feast, but they, neglecting this, went, some to their field, and some to their trade, while the rest, seizing his servants, offended and killed them. "When the king heard of this, he became angry, and sending his troops, he destroyed the killers of them and burned their city. Then he said to his servants: The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy; therefore, go to the crossroads and call everyone you find to And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all they could find, both the bad and the good, and the wedding feast was filled with those reclining. How did you enter here not in wedding clothes? But he was silent. Then the king said to the servants: Bind his hands and feet, take him and throw him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; For many are called, but few are chosen."

Now answer the question: "Have I accepted Heavenly Father's invitation to the wedding feast or not yet?".

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church" (Ephesians 5:25). Risk your life to help your wife or save her. Christ's love for the Church is boundless and unselfish. He gave his life for the Church - before you loved Him. Jesus' love for you does not depend on how much you love Him. By the power of God, love your wife as you love to serve the Lord and as you dedicate your life to him.

"So husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies" (Ephesians 5:28-33). You take care of yourself every day and try to be as healthy and full as possible. You immediately try to satisfy desires and needs, including sexual desires that your wife can satisfy. You should also look after the needs and well-being of your wife. Feel her pain and ailments, rejoice in her well-being just as you rejoice in your own. The husband must see the sexual desires of his wife and make efforts to satisfy them. In essence, you should go out of your way to satisfy her need or desire financially, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Only in this way can you love her and do for her what you do for yourself.

“You husbands continue to treat them in the same way, according to knowledge, honoring them…” (1 Peter 3:7). The Bible says that if we neglect this commandment, God will not hear our prayers. In order to "treat according to knowledge," get rid of habits that annoy. If she needs help carrying weights, help! If she needs to rest, do the housework and spend time with the kids instead of her! Do your best to help your wife, show your love with all your respect. Pray to understand how you may be inattentive to your wife.

"Husbands, love your wives and do not be hard on them" (Colossians 3:19). If your wife is sensitive, you must understand that rude answers, angry looks, annoyed voice and impatience can deeply offend your wife. Be glad that she is very feminine and not like you. Remember that this is a precious gift the Lord has given you.

“A wife has no power over her own body, but a husband; likewise, a husband has no power over his own body, but a wife” (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). Please your wife and don't spare her what she needs. Pleasure in bed should be brought, not received and not forced. Ask her what she wants in and out of the bedroom.

"Thy source be blessed; and take comfort in the wife of your youth, the amiable doe and the beautiful chamois: let her breasts trust you at all times, delight in her love constantly" (Book of Proverbs 5:18-19). A man should not look at other women or the images of other women if he has a wife whom he can see every day. Husband should be completely satisfied with his wife's body.No matter what shape or size of her breasts, if a man wants and asks the Lord to help him, he will be convinced that she is the most attractive in the world.This is a sure way to be charmed by his wife.She herself you will feel attractive, seductive and, most importantly, feminine.

“...so that also women, in decent attire, with modesty and chastity, adorn themselves not with braided hair, not with gold, not with pearls, not with clothes of great value” (1 Timothy 2:9). Encourage your wife to be modest in public and exciting in private. Modesty adorns a woman. Sinfulness and temptation come from a woman who wears too revealing clothes in public. Think how nice it is to know that no one but you can fully see your wife's feet. You will be surprised how much such a simple thing will increase your sense of masculinity and her sense of femininity.

"And why are you, my son, to be carried away by strangers and embrace the breasts of others?(Book of Proverbs 5:20). If you are attracted to other women and look at them, it will spoil your view of your own wife. You will be less pleased with her, and she will feel less special to you. Neither one man with a wife cannot develop the habit of not looking back at women subconsciously. Your wife will notice this. Be fascinated only with her and no one else. She will feel like a queen, and you will fall in love with her even more.

“The children get up and please her, - the husband, and praises her:"There were many virtuous women, but you excelled them all" (Book of Proverbs 31:28-29). Tell her that she is special and the best of all women on earth. Don't just emphasize her good looks, praise her for her caring, hard work and femininity. If you constantly exalt it, you will see how it will blossom before your eyes. She craves those words and wants to hear them from you. Of course, you don't want her to think too much of herself, but your wife always wants to be appreciated.

"How beautiful you are, how attractive, beloved, by your good looks!"(Song of Solomon 4:7; 7:1-8). A man who truly loves his woman will make her feel perfect for him. The Lord made your wife, and he makes no mistakes. If you do not like some part of her body, you need to change not her, but your idea of ​​​​her. A man must love his wife more and more and express love for her every particle, and tell her about it with respect and feeling. it is forbidden criticize and make fun of her. Imagine how she will feel when you both believe that you admire everything about her!

“Let marriage be honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). Jesus says that "everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). This is similar to the expression "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34). It is forbidden so that such a desire prevails in any areas of your life, all the more so do not let it capture your heart. Keep your marriage pure by training your heart and eyes to be faithful to your wife. If you stick to this, you will be surprised how much stronger your marriage will be.

• Thank the Lord for beauty and appreciate it, but keep your eyes, joy, mind and heart for your wife.

"Whoever finds a [good] wife has found good and received grace from the Lord" (Proverbs 18:22). Just think how lonely you would be without your wife. Adam lived alone and felt bad himself, so God rewarded him with a wife. You have a life friend and loved one whose company you can enjoy every day. What a blessing! Thank God and pray for her every day. She is an incredible "gift" of God.

"A man will leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two will become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh" (Gospel according to Matthew 19:5). Enjoy life with her as if you were inseparable, but live your life wisely. Spend a lot of time with her, just like when you met. Hurry home to her from work. Think about it throughout the day. Call her every day. Be alone with her often and make love. You should do this as often as necessary to satisfy the desires of both spouses, and also as far as the state of health allows. Talk to each other and share the day's events. Show interest: listen carefully, maintain eye contact. Your wife is the most important thing and everyone except Jesus Christ. Be one with her.