Marriage Is a Place for Joyful Sacrifice

At the Core of Marriage

Probably the core of Christ as the bridegroom is sacrifice. He gave himself up for his church. A marriage without the willingness to sacrifice will never work. If you have demand meeting demand, you end up with a war of kingdoms which is a horrible place to live.

I have to be willing to say no, but not no to the other person—no to myself. No to something I may have wanted, no to my demands for schedule, no to the way that I think about things because I'm now not living by myself—I'm living with somebody else—and I can't demand to have my way all the time.

Marriage

Paul David Tripp

A marriage needs something sturdier than romance. Popular author and pastor Paul David Tripp encourages readers to make 6 gospel-centered commitments with the aim of making Jesus Christ the foundation of their marriages.

I have to be willing to have conversations that start out awkward and uncomfortable. I have to be willing to lay down my rights to meet the needs of another person. I think every day in a good marriage is just a series of sacrifices that you joyfully make and that you then enjoy the fruit of that spirit of sacrifice. Look at the amazing fruit of Jesus's willingness to lay down his life. When I'm willing to do that as well, I experience all kinds of good fruit.

Paul David Tripp is the author of Marriage: 6 Gospel Commitments Every Couple Needs to Make.

Paul David Tripp (DMin, Westminster Theological Seminary) is a pastor, an award-winning author, and an international conference speaker. He has written numerous books, including Lead; Parenting; and the bestselling devotional New Morning Mercies. His not-for-profit ministry exists to connect the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life. Tripp lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Luella, and they have four grown children.

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