• There are five basic relationships for mankind
    • Christ/church – for man’s salvation
    • Family – husband/wife; parent/child
    • Government – civil powers/citizen
    • Economical – employer/employee (Genesis 2:15; Ephesians 4:28)
    • Social – neighbor/neighbor (Luke 10)
  • The Christ-church relationship
    • This is the greatest relationship.
    • Planned from eternity (Ephesians 3:10-11)
    • Purchased with Jesus’ blood (Acts 20:28)
    • The relationship that glorifies God (Ephesians 3:21)
    • Jesus saves (Ephesians 5:23)
  • The husband-wife relationship
    • The second greatest relationship:
    • Is honorable (Hebrews 13:9)
    • He who finds a wife finds a good thing (Proverbs 18:22; 21:9; 27:15)
    • Husband/wife relationship patterned after the Christ/church relationship (Ephesians 5:23-26)
    • A godly wife is an honorable thing (I Peter 3:7)
  • There is no greater shame than the way these two relationships are degraded in our society.