One to Another

One to Another

If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. (John 13:14-15)

In Principle (not literal)

One to Another

The same principles are in your theme verse

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Eph 4:32)

“One to Another”

There are blessings and problems in all relationships

• Marriage• Family• Associations in life • Body of Christ (ecclesia)• The Biblical principles

found in “one to another” verses are helpful in all relationships!

In the Beginning

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.(Gen 2:18)

The animals to be his help? (v.19)

Pets keep man from being alone?

Dogs are great companions

Faithful, loyal, Forgiving, no relationship issues

But….. Then there are the cats!

Independent it’s all about them!

Human help meet for him And the rib, which the LORD

God had taken from man, made he a woman (Gen 2:22)

They shall be One flesh!

He was no longer alone…(even in transgression!)

The irony… we need others but relationships have problems

Even still-- two people are better than one!

Two are better than one… For if they fall, one will lift up the other . How can one keep warm alone?

A threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecc. 4:9-12)

Advantages (and Disadvantages) to relationships!

When the difficult times

come…. “I have had 25 great years of marriage”

We still have the pets!

They can be our mediator…. We can talk through them!

Two people (should be) better than one

The Marriage relationship

A wise wife is given by the LORD.(Pro 19:14)

Note: It takes more than a virtuous woman to make a good marriage. (The necessary contribution of the husband??)

50/50%?..... 100/0%?

Unfortunately Marriages fail!

Today… 50% fail!

Failure rates are higher for second, third marriages

Failure rates are higher for “Christian” marriages?

Christadelphian rates??

WHY THE FAILURES?

WHY THE FAILURES?

Inability to communicate

Financial problems

Human nature?

INFIDELITY!!!

PRIDE?

Putting self first

Wisdom Crieth Without!

“It’s my belief PRIDE is the chief cause in the decline of the number of husbands and wives”

Two “in the Lord” are

better than one!

As we talk about marriage..we will feature pictures of some of our married couples

It is not good for man to be alone!

We have a number of couples in our community who have been together for 50 years or more!

Two are better than

one!

There is nothing more wonderful than having shared in a good marriage.

What are the secrets?

Making it Better!

Learn to communicate –LISTEN – Avoid saying everything your thinking

Good Marriages because:

That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Self

Sacrifice Common interests and goals

Deny Self!

Shared purpose and hope

Husbands, love your wives

The result more than the sum of the parts!

Wives, love your husbands

Mutual admiration and respect

Enduring Marriages

Have shared and overcame trials together

Working Together

Learn to pick one issue to resolve- (the limited objective)

Wise Couples

Never resurrect a resolved issue.

Love your Families!

Create and Cherish good memories

Be Positive!

“Little things mean a lot”

Prayer changes things…(Pray…ask God for help!)

BIBLE PRINCIPLES RELATIVE TO MARRIAGE

The Institution of marriage

Selection of a mate

Responsibilities between husband and wife

The duration of marriage and dealing with trials

Sexual relationships

The Roles of Family and Extended Family

Principles of Marriage Related in Examples and Types in Scripture

The Institution of

Marriage

Follow God's instructions regarding marriage. (Gen. 2:23-24; Matt. 19:4-6) Bible references for all!

Pray and rely on God in selecting a mate.

Fulfill and maintain the marriage vows.

Marriage is bound by one unbreakable covenant.

Marriage results in a relationship which is one flesh in the Lord, so that things that would be shameful before marriage are honorable, undefiled, and sanctified.

Love one another as Christ loved the ecclesia, remembering that love is longsuffering, kind, bearing all things, enduring all things.

The Selection of a Mate

Be mutually committed to seeking God's Kingdom first and to Christ's principles, with the goal of being heirs together of the grace of life

Pray for, seek, and accept God's providence and guidance in seeking a godly mate

Seek noble and godly characteristics in a spouse “in the Lord.”

Ensure there are common beliefs and spiritual as well as temporal goals

Responsibilities Between a

Husband and Wife

Husbands and wives are to use the relationship of Christ to the ecclesia (his espoused bride) as a pattern for their marriage relationship

Wives are to be submissive in love; husbands are to love their wives; both are to act out of their submission to Christ.

Physical relationships are permitted only between one man and one woman in the marriage bond

Responsibilities Between a

Husband and Wife

Husbands and wives should be united in purpose and love, supporting and encouraging one another in the way of salvation, faithfully honoring the marriage covenant

There should be natural and spiritual provision for the family

Husbands and wives are to raise up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, if the marriage is blessed with natural seed. If no children are born to a couple, they still have the “godly seed” of the ecclesia to assist in nurturing

The Duration of Marriage/

Dealing with Trials

Be God-focused with the same goals in life.

Make sure all things are motivated by love, seeking both the eternal and temporal good of one’s spouse at all times.

Live in peace without bitterness and anger.

Physical and verbal abuse in marriage is contrary to the principles of Christ.

Adversity is the time for the manifestation of love and true friendship.

Extend forgiveness.

Marriage is an arrangement for this life only and will not be continued in the Kingdom of God.

Sexual Relationships Effective communication is essential to

a good marriage. Speak often to one another of things both natural and spiritual.

Avoid even beginning any other relationship.

Abhor that which is evil, including homosexual relationships, which are abomination to our Father in heaven.

Avoid speaking about, viewing and being entertained by impure things practiced by the Gentiles, recognizing that developing the thought of adultery is sin

The Roles of Family/Extended

Family

Husbands and wives have complementary responsibilities to provide for the family.

We must consider the needs of our brethren, serving others.

We must teach our children as the Lord teaches us.

We should exercise love in all our relationships.

Principles of Marriage

Related in Example/Type in Scripture

Marriage is a life-long commitment based on the original example of one man with one woman for life with mutual help of one for the other.

Marriage requires covenant faithfulness. God compared His relationship to His people Israel, under the old covenant, to the relationship of a husband to his wife. Faithfulness was one essential requirement of the

covenant relationship.Marriage is a type of Christ and his

bride, the ecclesia

It is necessary to practice love first towards those whom we can see in order to be able to love God whom we cannot see.

Two are better than one

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another (1Jn 4:11)

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. (Ecc 9:9)

Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.(Pro 5:18) .

We ought also to love one another

In all of our relationships, even in a marriage we must be willing to wash our spouses feet. Humbling ourselves as a servant as Christ gave us example.