So, for the past few weeks, I’ve been reading an incredible book by Rob Bell, called Sex God.  It’s a book that is, as the subtitle plainly states,

“Exploring the Endless Connections between Sexuality and Spirituality.”

It really is a great read.

For those who don’t yet know, my girlfriend and I are engaged, and are about to get married in just about 4 months (which is rapidly approaching, yet feeling like it’s way too far away at the same time).  And this book has really been my pre-pre-marital counselor, if you will.  For instance, the chapter I’m currently reading is based on a passage from the letter to the Ephesians, starting chapter 5, verse 21.  In it, Paul (the author of the letter), starts by giving the command, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  And then what follows is a breakdown of how different sets of people are to practically live that idea out.

Children and parents.

Slaves and masters.

And wives and husbands.

In the verses where Paul addresses the husband’s role to the wife, it reads “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (verses 25-27).

That is, well, that is a ton of love and responsibility.  I mean, the husband has a huge job to love the wife, just as Jesus loved the church.  To make the point even clearer, the Greek would show that the word here for “love” is agape.  This same word is used in John 3:16, which describes the type of love God has for the whole world.  A love that stopped at nothing to remedy the problem of sin.  An unconditional love, that accepts people just as they are, no strings attached.  That is the type of love the husband is to have for his wife.

Leading up to this passage, Paul says something extraordinary, though, that gives us all the responsibility of living a life of love, just as Christ did when he walked this earth.

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved (agape used again!) children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

So, it’s pretty plain.  What sort of life do you live?  Do you agape the world, just as God so agaped the world, that he gave his Son for us?  Do you agape the world, just as Christ agaped you and gave himself up for you?

Let’s love the world like Christ loved the world.