[Cody1611]

I would like to talk about the parallel of a spiritual marriage and earthly marriage. First I want to show God's love to His wife aka Christians.

Romans 5:6-8
6 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." KJV

I want everyone to read the above verses and really think about them. Christ died for the ungodly. We are nothing but a filthy rag, but God loves us so much that He sent His only begotten son to die for us on the Cross. God loves us, even though we sin against Him, a Holy and Righteous God. His love never changes. When you sin, He loves you. When you exhort Him, He loves you. No matter what, if you're a Born Again Christian, God loves you.

We are Filthy Rags

Isaiah 64:6
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." KJV

God sent His only begotten son.

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." KJV

God loves us unto the end.

John 13:1
"Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." KJV

I don't know about anyone else, but I needed to hear this message. It is so hard for me to look back at my sins and see that God loves me. His love is unexplainable and I cannot comprehend it.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Now I want to talk about an earthly Christian marriage. When people look at a man's wife and see how beautiful she is on the inside, that exhorts the husband. The beauty of the wife shows how her husband is a good husband that loves her.

Wives are commanded to submit to their husbands and to obey them. Keep in mind I'm talking about a true Christian marriage. A wife does not submit to her husband because of force. She submits to her husband because of Love. Because of Love, a man's wife will obey him and love him until the end.

1 Peter 3:1
"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;" KJV

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Now I want to show you how a earthly marriage reflects a spiritual marriage. The marriage I am talking about is between God and the church. We are God's wife and we reflect His love. We are to obey His commandments and we are to exhort Him daily. We obey His commandments not because of force, but because of Love. We love him because He first loved us. How we live our lives will show the world how great God is.

1 John 4:19
"We love him, because he first loved us." KJV

Ephesians 5:25-27
25 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." KJV

Look at the above verses. Christ gave Himself for us, the church. We are special to Christ and He loves. There is a wedding about to take place and we are the wife and Christ is the husband. On that glorious day, we, the church will be wearing a white dress. We will have no spot, wrinkle or anything. We will be beautiful and we will be loved by the Almighty God, Himself. Our sins are forgiven and we are cleansed by His Blood. If that isn't something to shout about, I don't know what is.

Romans 4:7
"Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." KJV

What I really want to stress to my fellow Christians is this; We are to represent our husband, which is Christ. The way we live our lives will show the world how great our God is. The way we keep His commandments will show our love towards Him. We are to praise God and not ourselves. So Christians lets go out in the world and exhort our husband, Jesus Christ.

God loves you and I do too.

That is one great post. I'm speechless. The Glory of the Father shines. Thank you Jesus!!!!!

Glory be to Jesus forever and ever! I love how the love of Christ will shine through any darkness, like that of my sins and past. Praise You Jesus, You know all things and You know that I love You!!