A Cord of Three StrandsSample

Spiritual Authority and Languages of Love (Part 1)

On this third day, we will review what God's guidelines were for the role of men and women in a marriage. What does He expect from each one? What are His standards? And so, I invite you to look inside yourself, judge your own attitudes and behavior and search through different languages of love, get to know yourself and your spouse better, to take the relationship to deeper levels of intimacy, respect and companionship.

God's original plan for man and woman:

• It is God who establishes authority over our lives - Romans 13:1-2;
• It is up to the husband to be under the authority of Christ and the Church to have authority over his family; only those who are subject to authority have authority - Matthew 8:9;
• It is up to the woman to submit to the authority of her husband as well as to the Lord. Being submissive means being under the same mission - Colossians 3:18.

God's original plan for man and woman was perverted because of sin:

• She received a capacity of internal perception of God to help her husband, in order to discern the spiritual world and warn it, like a "radar";
• He received the skills of a "warrior", a desire to defeat his enemy who, upon approaching, would awaken this quality in him and raise him with authority, certain of the defeat of his enemy;
• Sin caused the "radar" to lose its discernment, the mission, the objective, was left without direction. Sin caused the "warrior" to lose his strength, his faith, his courage, he was left without authority.

Through Jesus, God sets a new standard for the relationship of man and woman, based on Christ (the Bridegroom) and His Church (the Bride). We can understand the functions of each spouse by observing the interaction of Jesus and His Bride:

• Jesus for the church:
• He always made it clear that his strongest relationship was with the Church. I told your parents - Matthew 12:49;
• He left his father and established an alliance with the Church, but remained submissive to the Father - Matthew 26:39;
• In his covenant with the Church, Jesus loved, cared for, fed, and gave his life for her, gave his glory as God to establish a relationship with her - Ephesians 5:25.
• The Church for Jesus:
• Abandons everything to follow him - Luke 14:33;
• Give him unconditional obedience, doing his will as the Holy Spirit directs - Acts 2: 1-12;
• Loves, honors, respects and worships - Matthew 22:37.