To experience a bit of heaven on earth, one must not simply get married. Marriage itself is of no guarantee to be a delight or joy. It is not your spouse in their strength, ability, personality, or personhood that enters into heaven and brings you peace, tranquility, satisfaction, and relief. The aspect of heaven on earth is found in experiencing the love of God and then expressing the love of God in your marital covenant with your spouse.

The English Puritan Richard Steele has a beautiful treatise about the family unit as God has ordained, created, structured, and instructed. Steele is not a contemporary household name of the Puritans and is perhaps most known for being one of the church leaders to ordain Matthew Henry in 1687 (Click here to read a short summary of Steele’s life and works).

“Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33)

Marriage is the foundation of all society, and so this topic is very important. Explaining marital duties to you is much easier than persuading you to do them. Conform your will to Scripture, not vice versa. Take Ephesians 5:33 to heart.

Imagine such a statement today! To say that marriage is between a man and a woman, and is the foundation of society? That strikes against some of the most prevalent thinking in the unbelieving world. Some secularists may even categorize such a statement as hate speech. Yet it is a biblical truth upon which the foundation of human social community rests. Despite our sin as humanity, railing against God’s good commands, the Lord has, since the fall, graciously been about the work of establishing his redemptive purposes in time and history, including redeeming the family from all self destructive rebellious enterprises.

A. Every husband’s duty. To love his wife. This is not the only duty but it includes all others. He should love her as himself. This is both how (the Golden Rule) and why he is to love her.

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