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Where every great marriage starts

Recently, when I typed wife and husband and marriage and married into a Bible search engine, I discovered 14 specific commands for Christian spouses. What I noticed, however, was that all 14 of those commands came later in the New Testament letters and never in their opening chapters.

That’s no accident. God knows great marriages don’t start with us doing good things but instead with Jesus doing the greatest thing for us. That’s why 1 Corinthians 1 says, “Christ Jesus . . . is our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (verse 30). The reason you are “right” with God isn’t due to your being perfect in your relationships with others, but rather because Jesus was perfect in His. The first chapter of Colossians explains, “[God] has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (verse 22). Jesus’ perfect life and innocent death did everything to make you flawless in our Father’s eyes. That’s why Paul, before he told spouses to love and respect each other, penned, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

If you or someone you love is struggling in their relationship, remember God’s order of operations. First, he fills up our hearts with what Jesus has done. Then he urges us to pour ourselves out into others. Fuel up on Jesus, and you’ll be ready to live out your faith!

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