Scriptures: Ephesians 5:22-33, 5:18, 1 Corinthians 11:3

God established the family relationship as the preeminent relationship of all and within the family relationship the relationship of the husband and wife above every other relationship. Today that model seems to be broken, with the home revolving around children, or possessions, or success. God’s design for the family is completely different. He wants them to be, first of all, Christ-centered, but then He wants it to be marriage-centered. God intended for the husband-wife relationship to take priority over all other relationships in the home. In this message, Dr. Merritt uses the example of the Green city of Ephesus to draw a distinction in the roles of husband and wife according to Scripture. When we understand the original intent and design of the marital relationships, we can be fruitful in our roles as we grow more like Christ.

"The word 'submit' means to voluntarily place yourself under another person’s authority. It is a word that literally means 'to give up your rights.' The fact that God tells us to do this clues us in that submission is not a social issue, nor a philosophical issue, nor an intellectual issue, but it is a spiritual issue." --Dr. Merritt

Keywords: marriage, husband, wife, roles, married, submission, rights, authority, partnership, covenant, holy, home, family, love, leadership, divorce, polygamy, adultery, fornication, unhappy, Ephesus, Paul, Martin Luther