11/10/02 #473
[ ] 11/10/02 #473
HOMELAND SECURITY
LOVE AND MARRIAGE
1 John 4:7-8 part 3
INTRODUCTION: The Bible commands husbands to love their wives and wives to love their husbands. We have allowed the world to define love. Hollywood's portrayal of love promotes lust and selfishness. Marital love is far more than warm feelings and sexual attraction. We must return to the teaching of the Word of God to discover true love.
Billy Graham: "I don't believe a man and a woman can really love each other outside of Christ. I believe that Christ gives a new depth-to married love."
I. BIBLICAL MEANING OF LOVE
A. DEFINED BY SCRIPTURE.
1. Attitude of biblical love. (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8)
a. Nature of God. (1 John 4:8, 16)
b. New nature of the believer. (Rom. 5:5; 1 John 4:7-8)
2. Action of biblical love.
a. Act of the will. (choose to love, 1 John 3:16-17)
b. Aim of the heart. (love as Christ loves)
B. DESCRIBED BY PAUL. (1 Cor. 13:1-13)
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 KJV)
II. BIBLICAL MODEL OF LOVE
A. CHRIST'S LOVE IS SACRIFICIAL. (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 5:2)
B. CHRIST'S LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL. (Titus 3:3-7)
C. CHRIST'S LOVE IS LONG-SUFFERING. (1 Tim. 1:16
D. CHRIST'S LOVE IS ETERNAL. (John 17:23,26; Rom. 8:39)
III. BIBLICAL MANDATE TO LOVE
A. COMMANDED TO LOVE. (John 13:34; 15:12)
1. Husbands are to love their wives. (Eph. 5:25,28,33; Col. 3:19)
2. Wives are to love their husbands. (Titus 2:4)
B. COMMITMENT TO LOVE. (2 John 1:6)
1. Denial of self. (John 15:13)
2. Dependence on God. (John 15:5; Gal. 5:22-2)
LESSONS FOR LIFE:
1. Biblical marriages are built upon Scriptural teachings concerning love.
2. Christ-like love is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life.
3. "The cause of broken marriage is selfishness in one form or another." (Havner)
4. Christ must be Lord over our individual lives and our marriages.
5. Improving our marriages begins with an honest look at ourself.
6. Love is the greatest Christian virtue and the greatest necessity for marriage.
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