Paul teaches two things in Ephesians 5–how husbands should love their wives, and how Christ loves the church. Young man, it’s vital that you know how to love your future wife. But it’s a critical prerequisite that you know the Love of Christ.

Christ loved us, setting aside His own desires, and putting the our needs before His own (Mat 26:39). He loved us, sanctifying us to make us holy both in the sight of God (1 Cor 6:11) and physically holy in the world (Eph 5:8). He washes us “with the water of the word” so that we might be spotless and clean. The sacrifice that Jesus made to bring us sanctification was complete–he undertook the whole wrath of God for our sake.

Our calling then, is to love as Christ did, in every circumstance where we are called to love:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. – Matthew 22:37-39