In the same way husbands also should love their wives as that their own body, the one loving his wife loves himself, for no one ever hates his own body but nourishes and takes care of it just as Christ the Church.*
This is a profound mystery Paul writes, of how he compares marriage of two becoming one flesh so also is the body of Christ, the church. "We exist members of His body."* If a husband loves himself and he becomes as one in covenant to his wife, then he would love his wife as himself. This is the Golden Rule of the Church love and take care of others as you would yourself. So if an identity crisis exists in the Church, seen in that it does not love one another, its own body, then we find it is because we do not love and know our true identity, who we are in Christ and how much he loves us. True identity in Christ is seen in that we love our own, including the body of Christ in whom we have become.
In this all know that you exist my disciples, if possessing agape love for one another.*
More Of You
This is a profound mystery Paul writes, of how he compares marriage of two becoming one flesh so also is the body of Christ, the church. "We exist members of His body."* If a husband loves himself and he becomes as one in covenant to his wife, then he would love his wife as himself. This is the Golden Rule of the Church love and take care of others as you would yourself. So if an identity crisis exists in the Church, seen in that it does not love one another, its own body, then we find it is because we do not love and know our true identity, who we are in Christ and how much he loves us. True identity in Christ is seen in that we love our own, including the body of Christ in whom we have become.
In this all know that you exist my disciples, if possessing agape love for one another.*
One can't say he loves Jesus and neglect loving his wife and his own family. "If someone doesn't know how to care for his own family, how will he care for the Church of God?"* Ministry begins with yourself, if you don't know your own identity in Christ, how can you love your wife in Christ? And if you do not know how to care for your wife, how can you care for your children? And if you do not know how to care for your own family, how can you care for the family of God? One can not say he loves his own body and neglect a member, likewise, one can't say he has become one with Christ, that he loves Jesus and at the same time neglect the body of Christ, "since we exist members of His body."* If we love God we love his children.*
Husbands love your wives as Christ loves the Church and gave himself up for her.*
- This is the humility of a pastor, to lay down his life for the sheep, to give himself up for the Church, the bride, as Christ did so follow his example. You say you love Christ, then you say you have become one with Him and love his body, the Church, thus you care and nourish her, "For no one ever hates his own body but nourishes and takes care of it just as Christ the Church." * If a Church doesn't love and nourish and take care of its own body then there exists a identity crisis, one where they do not love themselves, or they do not love Christ. One can't say I will go spread the gospel to the world and at the same time neglect his wife and children, nor can one say I will go spread the gospel to the world and at the same time neglect the body of Christ. If one says I will go serve others, I will outreach to others and at the same time neglect the body, not nourishing and taking care of his own, then there exists an identity crisis.
Therefore become imitators of God as dear children and live in agape love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.*
Whatever we do that is not in agape love is nothing, and this agape love begins in loving yourself, knowing your own true identity in Christ. If you love yourself you will love that of your own flesh, beginning with your wife who has become one in flesh with you and your family. The Church is bound together in Christ, thus we have become one body. If we know our identity in Christ we will nourish and take care of our family and if we love Christ we will care for his family. Do you love Christ? If you love him and your own then when you are called to care for his, to feed his sheep remember, "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might consecrate her, cleansing her by the washing of water through the word, so that he might present the Church to himself gorgeous, not having spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing but that existing holy also."* So the solution to identity crisis in the Church is entering our reasonable service, presenting our bodes a living sacrifice, consecrated to God, becoming the pure bride of Christ. It is the prayer of Jesus, Father consecrate them in truth.*