Spiritual Growth In Marriage | Ephesians 5:22-33

Scripture

• Ephesians 5:22–33

About this sermon

Introduction: Of all the purposes for marriage that people think about — especially after they are married — there is one that seems to be consistently underemphasized — if not completely ignored. Marriage is for sanctification. Marriage is a relationship designed for mutual contribution to growth in the Christian life. Marriage is not just about enduring as a couple; it’s about growing as Christians. It’s also about investment. It’s not a relationship in which you are merely concerned about YOUR OWN growth. It is a relationship in which you work to contribute to someone else’s spiritual growth. Marriage is a relationship designed for spiritual progress. God gave marriage not only for husbands and wives to serve together but to grow together. That means that the need for the grace of God in marriage is not just about surviving failure; it’s not just about covenant faithfulness; it’s about the covenant goal. Forgiveness and forbearance have an aim beyond simply maintaining the relationship. Forgiveness and forbearance are used by God as He powerfully develops people. The grace that we’ve received from God is not only necessary for our own sanctification, it is then extended to others as we work for their sanctification. This is easy for us to remember when we remember what is being modeled in marriage. The relationship between Christ and His church, is not just a relationship that involves rescue, it’s a relationship that involves transformation. God didn’t save us to simply forgive us and leave us like we are. He saved us to make us like His Son. And marriage, in the lives of believers, is a part of that purpose. We do not understand marriage properly, we are not approaching marriage correctly, if we aren’t committed to embracing our role in God’s sanctifying work in the life of our spouse. To put it simply, God means for marriage to be a means for sanctification; both yours and your spouse’s. That growth is meant to take place in ways that honor God’s design for the sexes and that accord with our God-given roles. This morning, from our verses, I want to point out 4 evidences that marriage must be thought of as a means for progressive sanctification in the lives of believers. • WE ARE REMINDED THAT MARRIAGE IS FOR SANCTIFICATION BY THE LOFTINESS OF THE COMPARISON The standard set forth for Christian husbands and wives is impossibly high apart from the grace of God. And even though we can live this standard as a PATTERN after salvation in Jesus Christ, it is still an impossible standard on this side of glorification if we were to measure our faithfulness to that standard every moment of every day. On this side of glorification, it can be our pattern, but it will never be our perfection. And even as a pattern, it can only be considered obedience because God regards it graciously. Even our best deeds (though reflecting the supernatural change that has occurred in us due to salvation) still reflect our need for glorification. WHAT IS THIS LOFTY COMPARSION? The husband’s responsibilities are measured by the glory of Christ’s love for His church. The wife’s responsibilities are compared to the beauty of what is positionally true and FITTING for the Lord’s church. Her responsibilities are not measured by the church in its sinning moments, but by the church in its position with Christ and its future perfection in Christ. The standard itself points to our need. The standard should humble us and make us feel our weakness. The standard not only reminds us of the need of God’s grace for justification, but the need we have for God’s grace in progressive sanctification. The standard, rather than causing us to criticize each other in marriage, should cause us to pity each other and help each other. One evidence of the blindness that our sin can produce is when we take the teaching of Ephesians 5 as an opportunity to complain about our spouse. An honest look at Ephesians 5 should immediately make you aware of how YOU FAIL YOUR SPOUSE. “Dear wife, you are to model the obedient church in how you relate to me.” “Yes, dear husband, but you are to model Christ!” Can either of us feel comfortable when that kind of loftiness is the standard for our attitudes, and choices? And yet, it is the grace of this relationship that makes growth possible and encouraging. The relationship that is greater than marriage, and is pointed to by marriage, is a permanent relationship. Christ never divorces us. John Piper – “Rugged covenant keeping commitment based on grace gives security and hope so the call for change can be heard without feeling like a threat. Only when a wife or husband feels that the other is totally committed — even if he or she doesn’t change — can the call for change feel like grace rather than an ultimatum.” • WE ARE REMINDED THAT MARRIAGE IS FOR SANCTIFICATION BY THE LIMITATIONS OF THE COMPARISON

Topics

• Marriage
• Spiritual Growth