1. A Godly Family In An Ungodly World How a spouse is to be treated. God has given us His formula.

2. Introduction This is your sermon as well as mine. I asked for input and received it. Actually, nothing surprised me. It is amazing how close each one is in their thinking on this subject.

3. How To Treat My Spouse Will this cover everything? Not likely. Will this be enough? Perhaps. Will there be improvement in your relationship? We hope so.

4. How To Treat My Spouse Putting this into words is difficult. When we look at God’s word we find God’s rules and instructions on how we are to treat each other. This is what we will call HIS FORMULA A spouse is to treat their spouse just like they are supposed to treat everybody.

5. How To Treat My Spouse Our focus here is to notice some exceptions to this rule. Practically speaking, this does not work in a marriage because the two are to show special attention for each other. They belong to each other, and the rule is: HANDS OFF ALL OTHERS. The right of sexual activity is reserved for a husband and wife (THEIR OWN) only. Hebrews 13:4 “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge”.

6. Love Your Neighbor Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘you shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy’, but I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”. Whether close friends or enemies, God tells us to treat all people the same.

7. The Golden Rule Matthew 7:12 “Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets”. This should work in all human relationships. Those who don’t, are considered evil. It also works in marriage.

8. C.A.R.E. Philippians 2:1-2 “If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose”.

9. C.A.R.E. Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others”.

10. C.A.R.E. COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATION RESPECT EFFORT

11. COMMUNICATION You cannot be of the same mind and intent on one purpose if you do not learn to communicate. The baseball players use signals to communicate to their teammates what course of action to take in certain situations. The quarterback uses code words and signals to communicate what he wants the other players to do.

12. ASSOCIATION Spend your free time with your spouse. Try to do everything together. This builds the team concept. Vacation together Vacation together as a family. Make time for intimacy.

13. RESPECT Treat your spouse with such. Respect each others role in the marriage. Do not be demanding, But consider your spouse as the most important person in THIS world. Speak respectfully about your spouse when communicating with other people.

14. EFFORT Give, Give, Give, There should never be any take. Do not be selfish. That is the major cause of all divorces. 100% is what you are to put into your marriage. Anything less, the marriage can fail.

15. Care For One Another 1 Corinthians 12:25 “that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. The formula for a successful marriage is also the same formula for a strong church. The passage in Philippians was written to Christians, and is God’s instruction for them. God’s formulas work in every human interaction to produce the results that are best for mankind.

16. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT While written to Christians, we can see if these are applied in the marriage, it would be good. Galatians 5;22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

17. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT While not considered the fruit of the Spirit, these instructions to other Christians are just as important to marriages. Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you”.

18. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT Colossians 3:12-14 “And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you, and beyond all these things, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity”.

19. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT Colossians 3:18-21 “Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them. Children be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, that they may not lose heart”.

20. CONCLUSION Every passage in the New Testament on how a Christian is to treat others can and should be repeated in the instructions of marriage. Everything in a marriage should be geared toward building a family that honors God and each other. A godly marriage is a foretaste of heaven in so many ways. It is an ideal life we should strive for.