Bible References:  Ezra 10:1-44; 1 Peter 2:9; Romans 7 Ezra confronted the people over their sin especially with their marriages to foreign women.  Why?  Because unlike Ruth, who had chosen “You God will be my God and Your people, my People”, these foreign women had brought their gods and culture into the homes of the Jewish people. They did not live in the ‘temple’, which we today are called to live in.  So Ezra had to confront the problem which took a lot of courage.  God didn’t want the people to just confess their sin, He wanted them to repent.  When someone confesses they say “I’ve done the wrong thing” however, unless a person repents, they will eventually repeat the sin.  Repentance is about turning away from what you are doing wrong and going God’s way. The men listed in Ezra Chapter 10 had to not only confess their sin of marriages of foreign women, but they had to divorce the women and send them and any children from that marriage away!  This seems a harsh decision, bu

Bible References: 1 Peter ch 3; Prov 31; Ephesians ch 5; Ephesians 5:22-31 Obey God in Our Marriages.  Why is Marriage important?  It is a picture of Christ's relationship with the Church.  God has set an order in marriage.  Wives are to submit (obey) their husbands.  Husbands are to love their wives and submit to God (humble themselves).  God wants husbands to be husbands - NOT bosses in their marriage.  Being a husband is not a title - it is living the role (fulfilling the role). Marriage is between one man and one woman for life.  Salvation is between God and person.  As Christ loved the Church so much He was willing to give up everything for the welfare of the Church.  As Christ put aside even his life for the Church, a husband puts aside "his life"for his wife's welfare. Obedience from wife will come when a husband shows tender love.  The husband wants to make his wife holy - totally set apart just for him.  (Jesus Christ sets the Church a part for himsel