If we understood “marriage vows” as a death sentence, we would have been better spouses to our husbands/wives.

“You pushed it too far!” You may say.

But look, the Word says, “Husbands love your wives as Jesus loved the church.”

It doesn’t end there; it continues to say, “as Jesus died for her”.

Isn’t that clear? I think it is. It doesn’t say, “I think it will be nice if you die for her”.

Many men would have been happy (fleshly) if there was a Bible verse that goes like this:

“If your wife is nice, love her. If she is nasty, kick her out of your house. If she says “No” for sex, send her back to her parents. You are free by doing that.”

Can you just imagine how many times, throughout my 17 years of marriage, my hubby would have kicked me out of the house?

Aren’t you thankful for the Word of God? I am!

Husbands are called to live and die for their wives as Jesus lived and died for the Church. When Jesus was on earth, He never lived for Himself. NEVER!

“Wives, submit to your husbands as the church submits to Jesus”.

Precious, you will easily find out on the Book of Revelation what this Church looks like.

She lived for Him so that He would be glorified, praised, proclaimed, honored, revered and respected.

Disrespecting Him? Dishonoring Him? Putting Him down? Despising Him? Are you serious? She lived for Him as He died for her!

One has to die completely to let their spouses live to their potential.

That is our call. Yes, marriage vows are death sentences! If we take them as they are (death sentences) and live accordingly, we shall enjoy an abundant life in our marriages.

After all, the call of a Christian is this: To deny self; to count everything as loss to gain the life that is in Christ Jesus.

Listen what the Bible says: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24

This is what I think and believe this verse is saying: Die for yourself so that many will live! Die for one day so that you live for a thousand years.

If we say “No” to this call, we continue our existence, going out and coming in, eating, drinking and sleeping, to wake up the next day to do those things all over again. And no trace of our footsteps would be found; no footprints for our kids to follow after. That kind of life is not called “living” but “EXISTING”.

We shall live if we die. Our marriages will be resurrected if we die to one another.

Oh, abundant life always comes immediately after resurrection but don’t ever forget, there is no resurrection without death!

How can we die in our marriages? By following our marital call regardless of our feelings, emotions and our surroundings. ///

P. S. As always this advice can’t be applied to the marriage where there is mental, spiritual, emotional and physical abuse.