Christ-like Love: Keys to a Successful Marriage

Have you ever asked yourself the question what does God require of me as a spouse? How you can  you develop Christ-like love? Here are some suggestions on how becoming a disciple of Christ can improve your marriage.

What can we learn about love from the scriptures?

The word Love can be so expansive that contriving a simple definition can be terribly confusing. Despite loves complex nature, people can with only little reflection describe “love” using only  a short phrase.

The general authorities have said the following about Christ-like love:

Elder John A. Widstoe “Love is a positive active force. It helps the loved one. If there is need, love tries to supply it. If there is weakness, love supplants it with strength. … Love that does not help is a faked or transient love.”

“Thus, when we plead for the gift of charity, we aren’t asking for lovely feelings toward someone who bugs us or someone who has injured or wounded us. We are actually pleading for our very natures to be changed, for our character and disposition to become more and more like the Savior’s, so that we literally feel as He would feel and thus do what He would do.” Sheri Dew

So what does love look like? How is Christ-like love manifest in marriage.

Very simply God has given us two over arching commandments that encompass all  that God requires of us. Christ said “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt 22:36-39)

Once while talking about marriage my friend Danielle Thornton asked me a simple question, she said, “What does it mean  to have someone love YOU?” Danielle then shared with me a simple list of ways she felt that someone might show you that they love you:

• They want to spend quality with you.
• They desire your complete and total happiness.
• They do all they can to better and bless your life.
• They remember the minute details about our lives.
• They are loyal and keep their promises.
• They are forgiving of your weaknesses and mistakes yet they expect you to strive to reach your potential.
• They do and say little things to help you know that they care.
• They are thoughtful.
• They build you up and motivate you to be better in every way.
• They want what is best for you even when its not what you want.

Not only is this a way that as human beings we can express our love but if you reread this list with Christ in mind you can see how these apply to how Christ shows His love towards mankind.

Very simply God has given us two over arching commandments that encompass all  that God requires of us. Christ said “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt 22:36-39)

“Real love does take time…Love demands action if it is to be continuing. Love is a process. Love is not a declaration. Love is not an announcement. Love is not a passing fancy. Love is not an expediency. Love is not a convenience. ” (Elder Marvin J. Ashton)

Of all the commands given to the children of men none is more importunt than when the Savior declared “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt 22:36-39)

What is love?

The word Love can be so expansive, that contriving a simple definition can be terribly confusing. Despite loves complex nature when asked people can with a little reflection describe “love” using only  a short phrase. But what does love look like? How is Christ-like love manifest in marriage.

Elder John A. Widstoe suggests that “Love is a positive active force. It helps the loved one. If there is need, love tries to supply it. If there is weakness, love supplants it with strength. … Love that does not help is a faked or transient love.”

Sheri Dew said “Thus, when we plead for the gift of charity, we aren’t asking for lovely feelings toward someone who bugs us or someone who has injured or wounded us. We are actually pleading for our very natures to be changed, for our character and disposition to become more and more like the Savior’s, so that we literally feel as He would feel and thus do what He would do.” 

Have  One-on-One Interactions

Be Understanding

Find Joy in one another

Though the world may have their own beliefs about love and its definition yet Christ stands as the embodiment of love. It was He who when asked said the following about love:

I once thought while studying the scriptures that love is manifest in the amount of attention we give to something or someone. The more I have pondered on that original idea the more I have realized the truth in that simple yet beautiful concept. Of all of the attributes we need to acquire while here on earth the character trait that is of most importance is love. For indeed, if we are to “be perfect even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect” than we must learn all we can about love.  The more we learn about love the more we understand the nature of God for as the scriptures say “God is Love. ” Christ and his atonement are the embodiment of perfect love.