Why does the devil hate marriage so much? Is it because he simply desires to cause as much hate, alienation, discord, and disappointment as he can between spouses? Is it because he hates the offspring that come from marriage? While these may be some of his reasons, consider that the devil hates marriage because he hates the gospel of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. God created marriage in order to give the world an earthly illustration of His love for His Church, His sacrifices on behalf of His Church, His union with His Church, His sanctification of the Church, and the glorious purposes that He has in mind for His Church.

Furthermore, a wife’s submission to her husband is an evidence that she believes the gospel, as her life pictures the Church submitting to Christ. In this way, a wife’s submission pictures a fruit of the power of the gospel. is is true because true belief in the gospel leads to a life of obedience, for “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). Scripture teaches that a wife is to “submit” to her own husband “in everything” and to “respect” him (Eph. 5:22, 24, 33). By a wife’s submission, she displays how the true Church obeys her Lord. When she does not submit to her husband, she declares a false gospel to the world.

Conversely, a husband who does not love his wife as Christ loves the Church is declaring that Jesus Christ does not love or cherish or nourish His Church and has not given Himself for her. is is how a husband declares a false gospel to the world through his relationship with his wife.

The Bible takes us back to the “old paths,” the good paths where marriage is properly understood and healed (Jer. 6:16).

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