So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are parts of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. (vv. 28-33)

The meaning and importance of marriage are quickly fading away. After the fall of humankind, every man and woman needed a lifelong partner to survive in a harsh environment. Marriage became important for survival. More children often meant greater wealth, as each child could help the family endure and prosper.

Since the Industrial Revolution, people no longer need a partner in order to survive. A person can live independently without relying on a spouse. As a result, marriage has shifted from “how we survive together” to “how I feel about this marriage.”

People still marry for various reasons. However, many no longer seem to have the desire to keep marriage holy and healthy. They quickly turn to other ways of satisfying themselves, such as adultery, divorce, or other forms of unfaithfulness.

There are certainly bad marriages in which verbal and physical abuse are rampant. Some marriages resemble invisible prisons, where one spouse seeks to control the other. Some believe their partner exists merely to make sacrifices for them. Others view their spouse as someone who enhances their image. Power struggles often arise. Conflicts, betrayal, lies, and hatred can take root. This is the reality of marriage between two fallen human beings.

Ephesians 5 tells us the true purpose and meaning of marriage. God is the husband, and the church is His bride. God shares everything with the church and loves her as His own. The church receives God’s love and, in return, loves, understands, and reveres Him. Naturally, the church desires and strives to do what pleases God.

God and the church share the same Spirit. This marriage is not centered on self or on personal feelings toward one’s partner. Rather, it is a union founded on love, faithfulness, and a shared life in God.

So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father; and subject yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ. (vv. 15-21)