Is God Real? How God Answers This in the Things He’s Made – Part II

Part II: How God Uses Marriage to Reveal His Character

Throughout Scripture, God uses both men and women—and specifically the covenant of marriage—to point back to Himself and reveal the core message of the gospel.

To understand this picture, we have to go back to the beginning. In Genesis, God created Eve and presented her to Adam. Adam’s response was immediate recognition:

“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” — Genesis 2:23

This relationship was established not just as a human union, but as a living metaphor for something much greater: the relationship between Christ and His Church.

1. How Men Metaphorically Reflect Christ

In Ephesians 5:30, Paul writes that believers are “members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” This direct phrasing echoes Adam’s words in Genesis, showing us how the husband’s role in marriage reflects Christ.

Consider the parallel between Creation and the Cross:

• • In Genesis, Adam was put to sleep, and a rib was taken from his side to form his bride, Eve.
  • On Calvary, Jesus died on the cross, and His side was pierced. From His side poured blood and water—making a way for His bride, the Church, to be redeemed and stand beside Him.

Scripturally speaking, when we are born again, we become co-heirs with Christ:

“And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” — Romans 8:17

Just as Adam’s bride came from his body, the Church receives its spiritual life and inheritance through the sacrifice of Jesus.

2. How Women Metaphorically Reflect the Church

The role of the wife in marriage reflects the bride of Christ. Throughout the New Testament, believers are described as a bride betrothed to one Husband, waiting for His return:

“For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 11:2

Revelation paints a powerful picture of the final fulfillment of this marriage:

“Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” — Revelation 19:7–9

3. Marriage as a Mystery and Gospel Witness

Ephesians 5 ties these roles together, showing how the dynamic between husband and wife serves as a earthly picture of heavenly reality:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.” — Ephesians 5:25–30

Mutual Submission and Humility in Marriage

This relationship dynamic brings us to the principle of mutual submission. In Scripture, God commands husbands and wives to submit to one another in marriage—a principle demonstrated first and foremost by Jesus Christ.

Christ humbled Himself for humanity, leaving His place in heaven to save us. On our own, we were far too weak to approach God or escape His judgment.

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…” — Isaiah 64:6

Had Jesus not humbled Himself to come down to us, we would all be lost. We see a vivid demonstration of this humility when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, taking on the role of a lowly servant. Through this act, He taught two crucial lessons:

1. Humility & Fellowship: If Jesus did not humble Himself to serve and cleanse us, we could have no part with Him (John 13:8.)
2. A Pattern to Follow: He instructed His followers to wash one another’s feet—commanding us to follow His example by humbling ourselves before one another (John 13:13-14.)

Though Jesus holds the highest position of authority, He humbled Himself first. In response to His great love, we—as the body of Christ—humble ourselves in submission to Him. Scripture calls this our reasonable service:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” — Romans 12:1

How Mutual Submission Functions in the Home

This divine picture should reverberate throughout every healthy, God-honoring marriage. Husbands and wives are called to continually submit to and serve one another in the spirit of humility. It looks like both the husband and wife operating out of mutual consideration and respect for one another.

When Ephesians commands wives to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord, it speaks to honoring and respecting the husband’s leadership, feelings, and counsel. A wife demonstrates this by prioritizing her husband’s voice above outside opinions—so long as his direction aligns with God’s Word (Colossians 3:18.)

Practical Examples:

Mutual submission was explained to me by an elder at an old church as both the husband and wife making concessions for one another out of humility, care and respect. The husband, who is a pastor doesn’t stay at the church too late praying for others. Instead, he has a cut-off time to consider his wife spending time with her.

The Woman Submitting:

I see this in action with my best friend. If we are on the phone and her husband calls, she will put me on hold or say she’ll call me back. She actively makes him a priority out of honor and respect for his place in her life.

Similarly, if someone outside the marriage offers advice or suggestions, a wise wife brings those ideas to her husband first to seek agreement. She values his counsel above others, provided it aligns with sound biblical truth.

When both spouses walk in Christlike humility—the husband loving selflessly and the wife respecting honorably—the marriage becomes a living reflection of Christ and the Church.

Marriage is more than a social institution; it is a sacred object lesson. The devotion, sacrifice, honor, and unity within a marriage are designed to show the world how Christ loves His people—and how His people love Him in return.

Next in Part III: We will explore how God uses gardening, the soil of our hearts, and the light of the sun and moon to teach us about spiritual growth and representing Him to the world.