Scripture Post #562: *AS THEIR OWN BODIES*

Ephesians 5:

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

Disclaimer: The image used for this Scripture Post, in its original form, was from an image search engine. It is not an image of my own. 

This Scripture was from Apostle Paul to the Saints of Ephesus (Eph. 1:1).

This Scripture Post shows us how we love others as ourselves. When we love others as ourselves, we are actually loving others as our own *bodies*. Self = body. It's instinctive and natural to love yourself this way. (Which is the reason for this statement in verse 29: "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh…"—no man hates his own body, because it's unnatural to hate one's own body.) It is not, however, always instinctive and natural to love others. Which is why JESUS commanded us to love our neighbor (unnatural) as ourselves (natural).

Matt. 22:39: "…Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

JESUS didn't just say, "love thy neighbor," and leave it at that. HE gave us something *familiar* or natural to compare it to, so that we'd get it. 

Husbands must love their wives as CHRIST loved the Church. Husbands love their wives *AS THEIR OWN BODIES*, as JESUS loves the Church-Body! The Body of CHRIST. HIS Body. 

Eph. 5:25: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;"

V. 26: "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,"

V. 27: "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

V. 28: "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself."

V. 29: "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:"

Originally Published: Fri. 3/28/14