CHRISTIANS AND SOCIAL LIFE

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. – John 17:9 -17 (KJV)

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. - I Peter 4:2-4.

“For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself….”– Romans 14:7

 “If you say you believe like you should, why do you behave like you shouldn’t?” – Charles R. Swindoll (James: Practical and Authentic Living).

INTRODUCTION

On a daily basis we are invited to attend one social event or the other. Some of these come from our friends, neighbours, fellow Christians, colleagues at work, etcetera. These are times when a person invites others to celebrate with him/her or share moments of sadness, etcetera. One fact remains that Christians are allowed to socialize. Invitations extended to us can be honoured or rejected. 1Corinthians 10:27 says:

“If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.” (NIV)

From creation till now, social activities and attendant ceremonies have remained high points of individuals’ social experiences, they nonetheless have spiritual implications. This is because one’s social life could make or mar.

Christians are in the world, but are not of the world. Though, each Christian is a physical and social being, he/she is not guided by the physical, but by the spiritual.

Life is a nexus, a nexus between physical, social and spiritual. Striking a balance between the three is a Christian’s higher calling, aware that a mishandling of one can lead to disruptions in others.   

WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?

A Christian is a believer and disciple of Jesus Christ; one who has heard the Gospel, believed in Jesus, repented of his/her sins, confessed faith in Jesus and baptized into Christ and then added to the Body of the saved (Acts 2:47).

A Christian is one who is in a covenant relationship with God in Christ (II Corinthians 5:19). A Christian is one who is not ashamed of the Gospel (Romans 1:16) neither is he/she a shame to the Gospel (II Corinthians 6:3).  

Even though a Christian is in the world, yet, he does not belong to the world (John 17:14-16). In other words, he does not think and live like the world (Romans 12:1-2).

WHAT IS SOCIAL LIFE?

Social refers to that which relates to society. Social life is subsumed within a given society (community). Social life is one that defines the daily interactions of everyone who reside in a particular society. 

There are high points in individuals’ lives – birth and birthdays; graduations, coronations and investitures; marriages and their celebrations, awards and recognitions; deaths and burials.

Social life encompasses marriage and burials; community services and other social events in which members of a society (including Christians) are expected to play specific roles.      

Social life implies that we go to market to buy or sell; school, to teach or learn; hospital, to attend to people or be attended to; place of work, to earn or oversee those who work for us, etcetera. Everywhere we go, we come into contact with people of differing faiths, political leanings, social orientations, economic standing, etcetera.

CHRISTIANS AND SOCIAL LIFE

A Christian is first a member of his society before he became a Christian. As far as life on this plane of existence is concerned, a Christian cannot totally extricate himself from society. To do this would require that he goes home to be with the Lord. Writing to Corinthian Christians at I Corinthians 5:9-10, Apostle Paul made this point Clear:   

 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to associate with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

Christians’ involvements in social activities include belonging to clubs, town meetings and professional associations; taking part in civic activities of one’s compound or neighbourhood. These may require sharing in other people’s joys and sad moments. Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”  

Social life encompasses activities that take place in public or community; the actions that a human being carries out in contact with other people. Social life are the activities you perform with others for pleasure, when you are not working. 

During His earthly ministry, Jesus socialized with others. He attended weddings (John 2:1-11) and burials (Luke 7:11-16). He also accepted invitations of people who were considered “high profile” sinners of His days. At Matthew 9:10-12 we read:

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

 Each time Jesus socialized, He used such as an avenue for evangelization.

Christians are not called to live isolated lives. They are not called to live in monasteries or convents where they would have minimal contacts with people. Those who do, think they are living holy lives, but are mistaken because true holiness is not when you are not in contact with sinners, but when you encounter sinners, yet remain untainted by them (Jude verse 23).

Christians are part of their communities/societies, but do not allow ungodly principles within their environments to define how they live or carry out our daily activities.   

If a Christian is invited to any social activity and he/she feels led by the Spirit of God to go he/she should go, but should be careful (I Corinthians 10:27).

CHRISTIANS AND THEIR SOCIETIES

Christians are called to be salts of the earth and lights of their worlds (Matthew 5:14, 16). God has called and planted us in our various small corners not to conform to our respective environments, but to transform them (Romans 12:2). Therefore, it would be a spiritual tragedy for a Christian to allow himself/herself to be conformed to the spirit and ways of the world around him/her.  

Christians socialize with others because for us to become spiritual helpers of men, we must first prove ourselves to be their friends. We cannot effectively evangelize the world if we keep long distance from them. It is not the world who should come, but Christians who should go (Matthew 28:18-20). However, there is a caveat – we must remain unspotted by the world (James 1:27; Galatians 6:1). Someone wrote:

The social life of a Christian, so far as his contact with the world is concerned should be kept to a minimum. This is not because he has no interest in his worldly friends, but because he finds greater joys in his associations with his brethren in Christ, those with whom he enjoys like precious faith. However, to whatever degrees Christians may find it necessary to associate with their neighbours, they should always maintain the true dignity of the Christian life so that all who come in contact with them will realize that their lives are being governed by higher principles than are those of the world. The real social life of the Christian is enjoyed within the community of his brethren in Christ, and here, as in all the phases of his life, his first consideration is not to be that of pleasing others, but doing the will of God.

CHALLENGES OF CHRISTIANS AND SOCIALIZATION

In communities where Christian populations are few, Christians are faced with peculiar challenges. This has led to Christians joining meetings organized by unbelievers so that when they die, they will be buried by a large number of persons. It has also led to Christians marrying unbelievers because of scarcity of marriageable persons.

Whatever challenges we face as Christians in our respective communities, we should realize that communal lifestyles, most times run counter to Christian culture. At I Peter 4:2-4 God enjoin us:

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.

    

In our quests to socialize with others, we should not follow the multitude to do what are not right (cf. Matthew 7:13-14; Exodus 23:2).

PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE A CHRISTIAN’S SOCIAL LIFE

There are principles to guide Christians in their social lives. First, wisdom should guide Christians socially. At Luke 7:33-35 we read:

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

The world in which we live is filled with sharks. It takes wisdom to overcome them. At Matthew 10:16, Jesus counseled:

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”

         

          In view of these, the following principles should serve as our guide:

1.     Protect your image as well as that of other Christians

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.- I Corinthians 8:8-13. 

       2.     Avoid any form of entanglements

      No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries        to please his commanding officer. - II Timothy 2:4. 

     3.     Be careful of those you socialize with – If Dinah had not gone out, she 

          would not have been violated by Shechem

Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and raped her. His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. And Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.” – Genesis 34:1-4.  

   4.    Understand that whether absent or present, your goal should be to please the Lord

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it - II Corinthians 8:9-10 

   5.     Your social life should be an avenue for evangelization

If my social life does not shed light on Jesus Christ and His Gospel, then my Christianity should be questioned. 

6.  As Christians, our social lives should be transformative, not conformative  

A more modern translation of Romans 12:2 says, “Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do....”

7.     Let your Christian life be reflected in your social life

In his book, Christians and Social Dance: Should We or Should We Not? Evangelist Jacob Achinefu (2019:43) writes,

Know it that there is an aspect of religion in social matters. If not, we should allow each Christian to live his/her social life without restraint. It is his religion that checks his social behaviours. … a Christian is everywhere a Christian and should be spiritual wherever he is found.” 

He then quotes Brother Ben. Ukaegbu (CRV, 2015:17) as saying, “… Anyone who is not a Christian everywhere is not a Christian anywhere.” 

8.     Let your social life be a cause to praise God

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God - Corinthians 10:31-32.   

CONCLUSION

          The wisdom to guide our social interactions without compromising our Faith and morality is one that every Heaven-oriented Christians should seek. Do not let your social life outweigh your spiritual life. Let your spiritual life moderate your social life.

BEAUTY AND BENEFITS OF DEATH

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better…. Philippians 1:20-23

“For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” – Philippians 1:21.

One day LIFE and DEATH came into contact with each other. LIFE asked DEATH, “Why do people love me, but hate you?” DEATH looked at LIFE, laughed and responded: “Because you are a beautiful lie, but I am the painful truth.”   

Everyone of us here today love life, but hate death. Whenever and wherever death strikes we weep and wail, calling Mr. Death all manner of unprintable names. I do not like death because he is wicked and lacks compassion.

A story was told of how death became uncompassionate: One day God sent Death on a mission to pluck the life of an elderly man. When he arrived, the people wailed and pleaded asking him to allow the old man to at least enjoy the fruits of his labours having suffered to raise his children. Death listened and went back and reported to God. Another day, he was sent to pluck the life of a young person. When he arrived, the people cried and pleaded, asking him to be compassionate having seen that this young person was still full of life and should be allowed to enjoy life a little more. As before, Death listened and went back. This scenario kept playing until one day God asked Death to draw near because He had a message for him. When Death came, God pierced through the eyes of Mr. Death and blinded him. He also dug His fingers into his ear drums causing him to become deaf. Therefore, whenever and wherever Death arrives, and whoever he lays his hands on, no matter how much we cry and plead, Death would not listen.

At Philippians 1:21 Apostle Paul enthused, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

    

Each time I read this passage or hear it read, I always ask myself, “What gain is there in death?”

Without mincing words, I affirm that Death is both beautiful and beneficial. Without death, earth would be a terrible place to live in. Imagine living with all the Adolph Hitlers, Idi Amins, Osama Bin Ladens, Sani Abachas’ etcetera of this world. Earth would be a living Hell. This is why Hell is a terrible place for anyone who goes there because in Hell you would not find one single good person. Unlike Heaven, there will be no single unrighteous person there.     

If there is no death, Mama whom we have gathered today to bid farewell to would still be racked by the sickness that took her life. My own mother died of stroke almost five years ago. If not for death, she would still have been plagued by that terrible malady.

Earthly life is a journey which terminates at physical death, but continues in another conscious realm of existence in eternity. Man is a being whose origin transcends time. He is created in eternity, born in time and returns back to eternity. Time is the period of tests and transition in which the soul’s Heaven’s worthiness is ascertained or its unworthiness revealed.

Death is not the end of man, but the unclothing of mortality and encasement of immortality in eternity’s two great divides of either joy or sorrow bespeaking of the need for man to carefully moderate his activities in this realm, aware that the good or ill that defines his activities are what determines his place in eternity. Those who are wise use time to prepare for eternity, not to jeopardize it.     

In Divine order of things, man is to be born and man is to die (Ecclesiastes 3:1). His days are numbered, so much so that not even one day of his life will be extended (Job 14:5). For every birth, there is a death.

Death is not the end of life in its entirety. It is the end of one chapter and the beginning of another chapter in another continuous conscious existence.

HOW IS DEATH GAIN?

1. Death is a Cleanser

a.     This is in consonance with the natural order of things. It clears off the old to make room for the young.

b.    If there is no death, there will be no birth. In my community, there was a time when the community was losing too many of her indigenes to death. So, a “powerful” juju man was commissioned to prepare a strong medicine that would stop death. He did. For years no one died, but no child was born! The medicine had to be destroyed. People began to die and births were recorded.

2. Death is Rest (Revelations 14:13)

    a. Imagine what would have happened if we are to live

forever in a world tainted by sin – what would happen to our pains and sicknesses? At death, all these are terminated.  

b. To Christians, death is rest. Revelations 14:13 says:

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth:’ Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”   

3. Death Unravels the Treasure God has in Store For

    us (I Corinthians 2:9)

a.     To unravel what God has laid in store for each of us requires that we should first die to be able to access them. I Corinthians 2:9 says:

But as it is written, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

b.Jesus envisages our individual death when He said:

“Do not let your heart be troubled: in My Father’s House there are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there you will also be.”(John 14:1-3).  

c.     Any time any of us dies, Jesus has come to take such to be with Him in that Holiday of Glory. Luke 16:22 says,

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom....”

4. Death is the only passage to Heaven.

   a. It was Peter Tosh who sang, “People want to get to Heaven, but no

       one wants to die.”

b.    Righteous people are not afraid to die, but unrighteous people do. Righteous people look forward to dying because they know that death is the only avenue through which they will enjoy eternity with God in Heaven. At Numbers 23:10, Prophet Balaam said:

Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

c.     Truly, righteous people know that what they experience when they “die” is nothing but the “Shadow of death” (Psalms 23:7). Those who suffer Death in the real sense of the word are the unrighteous.    

   

 5. Death is a Leveler.

    At death, a poor man in time can become a wealthy man of eternity while the wealthy man in time can become the poor man of eternity (Luke 16:19-31).   

   6. Death Wipes Away our Physical Deficiencies and

       Enables us to Put on New Natures

a.     At death, we exchange mortality for immortality. I Corinthians 15:53-55 says:

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

b.    When I die, my physical disabilities will become a thing of the past.  

   

WILL YOUR DEATH BE A LOSS OR A GAIN?

When Christians die, Earth loses, but Heaven gains. When unbelievers die, Earth’s loses and Heaven loses. The question that we should ask are: “If I die today, will Earth lose and Heaven gain?” or, “If I die today, will Earth lose and Heaven lose?”

If my death is gain to Christ (because He has harvested me), how is my life beneficial to Him? Am I living to bring glory to God?  

Why is the death of Christians a gain to God?

1.    Their death are precious to Him. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” – (Psalms 116:15).

2.    They did not bring shame to Him while they lived (Hebrews 11:14-16)

What we do in time will affect us in eternity. How we live here on Earth determines our fate in the great beyond. 

When we talk about death, we are talking about eternity. Eternity matters are serious matters, which require urgent action. Eternity is that period in our respective histories when time ceases to exist.

How would you enter eternity – in a state of grace or disgrace? The best way to prepare for eternity is to enter into a covenant relationship with God in Christ.

Why not now? 

NOW THAT YOU HAVE IT, BUILD IT - MESSAGE FOR THE NEWLY MARRIED

This topic is informed by the story of a man whose son had pestered on him to set up a business for him. After he had done that, at the handover date, he told his son, “Son, now that you have your business, build it!”

Marriage is a favour and a favoured business (Proverbs 18:22). The moment you set your mind to get married, God sets in motion various machineries of favour. All that you need is the willingness and readiness to make the necessary sacrifices. Do not be afraid to get married. Just have the vision and God will make the Pro-vision.

Man was created for woman and woman for man (Genesis 2: 18, 21-23).

In Greek mythology, it was said that God made man a god with four hands and four legs, but when he became two proud, He cut him into two equal parts and separated him from himself. Ever since the two parts have been searching for each other. When they find each other, they become welded together. The original English word wedding was welding - the act of attaching two objects with similar qualities or materials.  

Marriage is like a magnet looking for metal. The moment the two meet, they get glued.

Marriage first exists in the mind. When two minds agree because their hearts beat as one, the process of marriage is initiated and when completed becomes official.   

Now that you have found each other, build your union.

Understand that Marriage is a Covenant (Malachi 2:14)  

a.     To build this union, you must first understand that

     marriage is a covenant, not a contract.  

b.     This is not just a covenant between a man and a woman but a covenant between man, woman and God. 

In other words, your marriage is your covenant with God. He is the chief Witness Who is constantly watching you.

At Genesis 31:49-50, Laban said to Jacob: “The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another... no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.”

Because God is involved in your marriage, your prayers can be enhanced or hindered as a result of what you do to each other (I Peter 3:7)  

  Be Open – be naked to each other (Genesis 2:25).

a.     Nakedness is about openness and openness is about trust.  Build your marriage by building trust. One of the powerful ingredients in marriage is trust. If you lose it, you have lost everything. You cannot build trust if you are not open to each other.

b.     Why must you be naked? No one who is naked can put his hand in a pocket.

c.        Be open to your spouse on your whereabouts, plans, investments and resources.

Serve God Together (Luke 1:5-6).

a.     Serving God together is one of the greatest insurances you need in your marriage.

b.     When you serve God together, you will be able to weather any storm that comes your way (Luke 1:7).

c.     Each time you see couples who serve God together, you will continually see peace and progress.

i.       Aquila and Priscilla served God together (Acts 18:1-2).

ii. The day you dig your marital grave is the day you stop serving God in truth and righteousness – the case of Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11).

   Put Yourselves in Each Other’s Shoes (Matthew 7:12)

a. That which you wish to be done to, do it to your partner by provoking him or her to it (Hebrews 10:24).

b. How do you want your spouse to treat you? Do it first!  

CONCLUSION

          May your marriage be a blessing to you, your various families, the Church and society. May your marriage bring honour to God and cause those who are contemplating getting married to see the beauty of doing so. 

PAYING THE PRICE FOR A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE

First, let me congratulate you over your decision to become man and wife. Aside salvation decision, marriage is one of the greatest decisions anyone can make.

Marriage is status conferral. It confers on you the status of honourability (Hebrews 13:4) and responsibility. The moment you are married, society considers you an honourable person. Your status of as a man or woman changes. When you meet the man, you would ask, “How is Madam?” and when you meet the woman you would ask, “How is Oga?” You are now “Oga” and “Madam.”

No matter how highly placed you are, if you are not married, you are not considered “responsible.” No matter how poor you are, the moment you are married you are considered “responsible.”         

Aside your decision to marry is your decision of who to marry. Who you marry is critical because it will determine what your life on earth and in eternity will be. Your life can be made a living hell on this plane of existence or a foretaste of Heaven on earth. Socrates once advised:

By all means marry. If you get a good wife (husband) twice blessed you will be; if you get a bad wife (husband) you will become a philosopher.    

Today, I want to speak to you on what I captioned: Paying the Price for a Successful Marriage. It is said that you cannot make an omelet without breaking an egg. You want to eat an omelet? You have to sacrifice at least an egg or two.

For every PRIZE there is a PRICE. Marriage is the only institution you do not graduate from until you die. In marriage, you are a student for life. Some people think that marriage is all dovy: we do not quarrel, we love ourselves, etcetera. It is all a lie. You have to work on your marriage to make it work.

To make your marriage work, first:

1. BURN THE BRIDGES

“So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant” (I Kings 19:21).

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24).

In marriage, a new relationship is created. Previous relationships become inconsequential. All admirers and admirees should cease. Your parents should now play only advisory roles, not directors.  

2. AVOID COMPARISONS

^“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” (II Corinthians 10:12)

Avoid comparing your wife to your mother and avoid comparing your husband to your father. Do not compare each other to just about anyone. To do so is to hurt and destroy your union.  

Do not compare your friends’ wives to your wife and do not compare your friends’ husbands to your husband. Do not compare your marriage or family to another’s.    

3. NOURISH AND CHERISH

“So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church” (Ephesians 5:28-29).

Marriage is not a restaurant where we are called to be served, but to serve. One of the duties of man and woman in marriage is to feed each other.

Feed to be fed.

Many people come into marriage with “Entitlement mentality” in which they expect to enjoy certain privileges. Men have their expectations while women have theirs.

It takes sacrifices for a couple to Nourish each other. Nourishing your spouse should be a holistic affair: physically, emotionally and psychologically. You have to forget yourself for your Significant Other.   

4. AVOID “STOLEN WATER”

“Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.” (Proverbs 9:17-18).

Marital fidelity is not a subject to trifle with. It is a grave matter. It is not only a sin against your spouse, but against God, society and yourself.

Stolen waters may be sweet and bread eaten in secret may be pleasant, but know that death is the end.   

5. BEAR WITH EACH OTHER’S WEAKNESSES

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2).

One of the mistakes we often make in marriage is to think that the person we marry is an angel, not a human being. Even angels have their weaknesses.

In marriage, you marry both assets (strengths) and liabilities (weaknesses).

CONCLUSION

Woman, make RESPECT for your husband the pivot of your relationship with him. (Ephesians 5:22).

Man, make love for your wife the pivot of your relationship with her (Ephesians 5:25).

Avoid anything that will make you to keep secrets from each other.