What Is "He" Looking For? - Part 1

Introduction * Part 1 * Part 2 * Part 3 * Part 4 * Part 5 * Part 6 * Part 7 * Part 8 * Part 9 * Conclusion

1. "The first qualification is that she love the Lord and be His disciple."

If a woman does not understand the relationship between Christ and His church, how can she have a proper understanding of the relationship between a man and his wife? Ephesians 5 draws a clear parallel between the headship of Christ over the church and the headship of a husband over his wife.

"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.... For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church" (Ephesians 5:23-24, 31-32).

Marriage is a wonderful picture of Christ and His bride, the Church.

Here on earth, however, both the husband and the wife are sinners; they are going to fail. Without God's Word to guide and the Holy Spirit to convict, a marriage can fall apart before the honeymoon is over. A young woman must be a sincere disciple of Jesus Christ, seeking His ways as revealed in His Word, before she is ready to fulfill the great role of a godly wife.

Yet it is not enough merely to conform on the outside. A girl who has all the outer show of a godly wife, yet does not have a love for Christ, is leading a futile life. Colossians emphasizes that all we do must be done to the glory of God.

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men: Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:23-24).

When others are not around to watch, what are we living for? During our years at home, are we obeying our parents because it makes life easier for us, or because we possess a deep love for Christ and His ways? If all of our actions are driven by a love of Christ, our obedience to His Word will not depend upon outward circumstances. However, if we lack love for Christ, all that we do is motivated by a desire for selfish gain or for the approval and good opinion of others.

Conversely, a woman who professes faith in Christ, yet whose actions do not reflect this, has a "dead faith." "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou has faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works" (James 2:18).

This passage goes on to say, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:19-20, 26). The outward evidence that a woman is a disciple of Christ - one who has faith in Him - is a desire to do all to the glory of God, in accordance with His Word. Her actions reveal where her allegiance lies.

Introduction * Part 1 * Part 2 * Part 3 * Part 4 * Part 5 * Part 6 * Part 7 * Part 8 * Part 9 * Conclusion