A Picture of Biblical Love in Marriage | Song of Solomon

Summary

What does biblical love look like in marriage? The Song of Solomon provides God's blueprint for finding, making, and maintaining authentic love between husband and wife. Through the passionate words of a bride to her beloved in Chapter 8, we discover that true marital love must be irreversible (strong as death), exclusive (fierce as the grave), unquenchable (like a mighty flame that floods cannot extinguish), and unconditional (cannot be bought or earned).

Love in marriage encompasses both feelings and choices—choices rooted in wedding day commitments when emotions fade. The floods of life will come—financial stress, parenting conflicts, health issues, and seasons of distance—but biblical love endures because it's fueled by God's Spirit within us. This earthly love in marriage serves as a beautiful picture of the ultimate love story: Christ's unwavering devotion to his bride, the Church.

Key Takeaways

The wife in Chapter 8 of the Song of Songs provides us with God's vision for love within marriage.

• Love must be irreversible 8:6b - Love is strong as death
• Love must be exclusive 8:6c - Jealousy is fierce as the grave
• Love must be unquenchable 8:6d-7a - Love is a mighty flame and cannot be extinguished even by a flood
• Love must be unconditional 8:7b - Biblical love cannot be bought or sold. It can't be earned, and it can't be lost.

Discussing and Applying the Sermon

For Self Reflection

• Contrast your experience of love with God's portrayal of love. Where are they similar? Where are they different? What needs to change?
  
• God's love for you is biblical. How would your thinking and actions change if you were convinced that God's love for you was irrevocable, exclusive, unquenchable, and unconditional?
• To experience this love in marriage, TA said, there is a need to die to “Me” and “Mine”, and normalize “We” and “Ours”. In light of that, what are the things you need to die to regularly?
  

For Singles Community

• Have you ever seen these visions for love and marriage in your family of origin? Describe what you saw or didn't see within your family.
• Which of the four visions of God's love for you is the easiest to embrace? Which is the most difficult?
• What could your next step be in your spiritual transformation and understanding of God's love for you?

For Married Community

• After examining the vision for love in a God-focused marriage, how would you rate your marriage on a scale of 1 to 10?
• What are some mistakes you've made in your marriage that you need to own and make amends for?
• Which of the four visions of love in marriage could you, not your spouse, grow in? What should your next steps be?
  

Recommended Resources:

• Read the Watermark Elders' statement on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage
• Watch "Biblical Love in Marriage Part 2 | Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage".