Love Is A Many Splendored Thing (by Pastor Bob Rester)

There is an old love song that attempts to define love about as well as any secular thoughts could. It says, “Love is a many splendored thing”. But when you try to define “splendor” you run into as much difficulty as you did attempting to define love. They are both beautiful, but almost infinite words. Only the Bible seems to break the word down to describable terms. 1 Cor.13:4-7 describes the Characteristics of love while Ephesians 4 and 5, shows us the working out of it in everyday worship and an offering to our most loving Heavenly Father. But Ephesians. 5:21-33 is very clear about how love makes marriage work to the glory of God. It appears very clear to me, that a husband and wife can’t truly love one another unless they love God first, and if they abuse the advice and leadership set forth in the scripture, they don't truly love God. The life of true believers were intended to be lived as worship to our Creator. That's why the scripture says; “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers” It’s very difficult, if not impossible to live in harmony with someone who doesn’t have the same spiritual values as you, not to mention the same spiritual goals and purposes.

I won't mention the wife’s Biblical instructions because I believe that except in rare and unusual cases a wife will yield to her husband if he loves her in Biblical fashion. The wording of Ephesians 5 beginning at verse 23, names the husband as head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church. Paul doesn’t say the ‘boss’ or ‘dictator’ of the Church, even though authority is implied. The head of any organization is the leader, and the rest, follow the leader.

So, let's look at how Christ is the ‘Head’ of the Church.  First of all, He first loved us, and He gave (spent) Himself for us. Even though He is God’s only Son, He spent Himself for us (bought us back). This is the picture of God’s plan for us, which is a mirror for marriage. Verse 25 exhorts husbands to love their wives just like Christ loved the Church and spent Himself for it. It’s not hard to “say” I Iove you, It’s (1 Corinthians13:4- 8), the spending part, where the Church is struggling. But when we love each other like Christ loves His Church and spend ourselves for each other like He spent for His Church, love truly is a many splendored thing.