God's Design for Marriage: Eph. 5:22-33

Series: "New Life, New Church, New Purpose"
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
June 8, 2025

1. The Spirit Proclaims the Gospel to Empower Submission (vv. 18-21)

2. Wives Proclaim the Gospel by Submitting to Their Husbands. (vv. 22-24)

3. Husbands Proclaim the Gospel by Sacrificing for Their Wives. (vv. 25-30)

4. Marriage Proclaims the Gospel by Expressing Unity in Christ. (vv. 31-33)

Marriage is designed to proclaim the gospel through mutual submission empowered by the Holy Spirit. Wives demonstrate the gospel by respectfully deferring to their husbands' leadership, while husbands reflect Christ's love through sacrificial, santifying, and satisfying love toward their wives. This complementary design isn't about inequality but about different roles that together illustrate Christ's relationship with the church. When spouses fulfill these roles unconditionally, not dependent on the other's response, they create a powerful picture of the gospel for the world to see.