What If Marriage Was Never About Power?

Conversations about sex, marriage, and singleness have never been simple. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the complexity of relationships today, you’re not alone. These challenges aren't unique to our generation. The early Church was wrestling with the same issues—figuring out how to live out a new kind of ethic shaped not by culture, but by Christ.

That’s the heart of Christian sexual ethics: not a list of rigid rules, but a call to reimagine relationships through the lens of Jesus' love and sacrifice.

When we talk about marriage or sexuality, emotions run deep. There’s history, culture, pain, joy, and confusion all wrapped together. And here’s the good news—God gets it. He’s not distant from these conversations. He steps into them, allowing space for us to process, question, and heal.

From the beginning, God has been present in human stories, making provision for us to navigate these complex areas—not with quick answers, but with guidance rooted in love.

In Ephesians 5, Paul writes to a church caught between two worlds. Ephesus, a Roman colony, was steeped in hierarchy and patriarchy. Marriage wasn’t about partnership—it was about power. Sex wasn’t about mutual care—it was often a display of dominance.

Paul starts where his audience expects: “Wives, submit to your husbands…” A Roman citizen would nod in agreement. But Paul doesn’t stop there. He flips the script: “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.”

This wasn’t about maintaining control. It was about surrendering it.

The Christian sexual ethic didn’t reinforce societal norms. It challenged them by placing Christ’s sacrificial love at the center of every relationship.

It’s easy to read ancient letters and think they’re outdated. But when Paul wrote about mutual submission, patience, vulnerability, and care, he was planting seeds for conversations we’re still having in 2025.

The early Church didn’t get everything right. They were learning in real time, just like we are. They began to see marriage not as a contract of control, but as a reflection of Christ’s relationship with His people—marked by humility, service, and faithfulness.

Centering Jesus required reimagining sexuality in a way that protected the vulnerable: women, slaves, the poor. Their ethic wasn’t about moral superiority, but about honoring every person as an image-bearer of God.

If we’re honest, conversations about sex, marriage, or singleness often carry wounds—personal, cultural, even spiritual. That’s why moving forward requires more than just opinions or doctrines. It takes healing. It takes humility to admit we don’t have all the answers. And it takes curiosity—about others, about ourselves, and about what God might be doing right now.

At the core of Christian sexual ethics is this belief: every person reflects God’s image. That truth changes how we listen, how we love, and how we build relationships that honor both God and each other.

We’re not called to live like it’s 1995—or 1969—or first-century Ephesus. We’re invited to walk out these conversations today, keeping Christ at the center.
God’s faithfulness hasn’t changed. He’s still present in our questions about marriage, sex, and singleness. And just like He did with the early church, He invites us to model that same faithfulness with one another—walking patiently, listening deeply, and creating space for growth.

No matter your story, know this: nothing can erase God’s image from your life. Whether you're single, married, divorced, or figuring things out, God sees you fully—and faithfully.

So, let’s keep our eyes on what matters most. Not outdated norms. Not power dynamics. But the kind of love that lays down privilege for the sake of another. The kind of community that honors the image of God each other.