Refer to chapter 7 in A Jewel in His Crown.
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‘For a moment set aside those things that would normally help you to make a decision concerning a man, and consider what the Lord has said in His Word” (p. up).
1. How would a believer’s approach to dating differ from a non-believer’s approach?
2. What do you learn about a husband’s ideal love for his wife from your study of the following Scriptures? (If you are currently in a dating relationship, keep these principles in mind so that you can gauge how well your man exemplifies these values.)
Ephesians 5:28, 33 ....
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Colossians 3:19 . ......
1 Peter 3:7 .
So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. Ephesians 5:28
“if you are already married, pray that the Lord will continue to develop these characteristics in your mate” (p. up).
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3. In Ephesians 5:25 Paul compares a husband’s love for his wife to the way Jesus loves the church. From a careful reading of Ephesians 5:25-29, what observations can you make regarding Jesus’ love for the church?
4. A man’s love for a woman should be pure, as Christ’s love for the church is. Read Paul’s instruction to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12. How should a godly man respect and contribute to a woman’s purity?
... for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church. Ephesians 5:29
“We’ve made some had decisions, and sometimes our history almost destroys us through guilt. However, this guy in your life should see you as a pure woman of God just as the Lord Jesus Christ does” (p. no).
5. Study Ephesians 5:23. Describe the husband’s role as the spiritual leader of a marriage.
“Not only must he know Gods Word, but he must also he able to understand it. Simply put, this man must be your spiritual leader. He must lead by example through his life and his attentiveness to God and His Word” (p. 124).
6. What boundaries does Scripture outline for sexuality before and within marriage? See Matthew 5:28; Romans 13:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; Hebrews 13:4. How well are you staying within these boundaries?
A Perfect Match
7. Take some time to reflect on what God’s Word says about the relationship between a man and a woman. Review Scriptures we’ve studied as well as any others you wish to include here.
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8. In what areas have you settled for less than the biblical ideal of who your “perfect match’’ should be? If you are already married, what should you pray about regarding your relationship with your mate?
9. Are you worried that you’ll never meet a godly man like this? Are you afraid your marriage can never mirror these godly principles? Write out your concerns in an honest prayer, and remember—nothing is impossible with God.
Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4
10. What verses or insights from today’s study were particularly significant to you? Write them below and journal about what they mean to you.
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11. What will you do differently as a result of today’s study?
Allow these verses to inspire your prayerful response to God today:
□ 1 Corinthians 7:4 —For me to love my mate sacrificially.
□ 2 Corinthians 6:6 —That my mental and sexual purity will be commendable in God’s sight.
□ Ephesians 5:21 —That the way I handle my love relationships will honor Christ.
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