Husband and Wife

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
We are to serve one another as Christ gave us the example.

John 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Please notice the pattern here; the wife is to be to her own husband as the church is to the Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to his authority, for he loves and cares for you and he is responsible to meet your needs. Submitting to your own husband, not to all men.This is the pattern of the church in relation to it's head. Do you see how important it is to marry another Christian so that you can understand together and are both submissive to the truth of Christ? It is not going to work so well if you marry an unbeliever who dwells in darkness.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it.
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

This is a total commitment; when a husband marries his wife, he will die for her if necessary, to protect her. This too is only possible if both understand how Christ died for the church, as too his beloved bride that he wanted to save. He shed his blood to sanctify and cleanse it by the washing water of the word. Husband and wife both benefit by learning the sacrificial love of the Lord Jesus Christ who first washes away our sins with his blood and then with the daily water of the word of God.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Titus 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Titus 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Eph 5:27 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.

A marriage sanctifies the relationship in God's eyes. People living together apart from marriage, is nothing but fornication in the eyes of God. I think satan makes it seem as okay, but wait until they marry, then satan brings all hell against them, guilt, shame and accusations. Remember God considers marriage as a sacred bond before himself.
As Jesus willingly gave his life for the church and has sanctified it by his word. Also by abiding in him we are one, as husband and wife become one abiding together, producing fruit.

1 Cor 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

Husbands, Love your wife as your own flesh, as you are now become one.

Mat 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
Mat 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is God's pattern for husband and wife from the beginning. Unfortunately in the church are many divorces, there is not a commitment to one another. As the world, the church has become, switching partners as easy as trading in one car for a newer model. Where is the commitment to the Lord? If you can't be commited to one another in the natural, how shall you be commited in the spiritual to God?

1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Wive's, are not to nag or control a husband who may have faults. A husband needs respect from his wife. If you are disrespectful, it is as unto God. To reverence is to fear or respect another as the church loves and respects Christ Jesus. Wive's should see their husbands, especially Christian husbands as a high gift from God, just as Jesus is the head and a gift from God for us. Husbands are to love and cherish their wives. A wise husband will share all things including decision making, with the wife. The LORD made the wife as a helpmeet, not as a competitor. If one is more gifted at something, then share the gift for the building of the marriage and the family. Husbands generally do not share feelings as openly as the wife. This does not mean that he does not care. He cares by providing for the wife and helping to keep her secure. Jesus is the center of the marriage, so let the Holy Spirit guide you in all things. Love, honor, respect; keep these virtues in your marriage.

Prov 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.