If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. Titus 1:6
This is not the first time where we read of the requirement that those who would take responsibility for the Lord’s people to be the husband of only one wife. Twice in 1 Timothy 3 we read of this requirement, in verse 2 where the qualifications of an elder, or bishop, are cited, and in verse 12, which outlines the requirements for a deacon. In our text, Paul is describing the type of men who Titus is to appoint as bishops, or elders, in the Assemblies in Crete. This should not be seen as a new requirement by God, because the same faithfulness was required among Old Testament spiritual leaders. In Leviticus 21, which describes the qualifications for the priests who would serve in the tabernacle, we find this stipulation: They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband, for he is holy unto his God. In this case, the character of the wife is seen as having a direct relationship with the ability of the priest to serve in his holy office. Why are the Scriptures so particular about this? Because marriage is such an important representation of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His bride.
The reference in our text to the husband of one wife means far more than that the man and woman be married to each other. It carries the deeper meeting of absolute faithfulness and devotion to each other, in full obedience to both the holiness and the commitment of the marriage bond. It may have been some time since we recited the marriage vows, but those vows had some very strong language concerning the marriage commitment. We do well to recall those vows and to consider how faithfully we are living up to the words that we recited on that special day. And while we are at it, we do well to consider how faithfully we are living up to our commitment to our heavenly Bridegroom.
The Word of God gives clear instructions for the relationship between husband and wife, and the marriage is blessed indeed where these instructions are carried out. The Word of God also gives clear instructions for those of us who are the bride of Christ in our relationship to Him. Our happiness in our Christian experience is based on how well we obey those instructions.
The day is coming when the Lord Jesus will receive forever His bride. That will be a happy day, far beyond our abilities to grasp now. But we can enter into some of the joy of that glorious reunion if we will be faithful to our Bridegroom – and to our earthly partners – now. – Jim MacIntosh