RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL
STUDENT'S MANUAL
LESSON EIGHTEEN (18)
DATE: 30TH OF DECEMBER, 2018
TOPIC: PRACTICAL LOVE IN MARRIAGE (PART 1)
SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN
1. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.
2. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.
3. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.
4. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.
5. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I'll be in Sunday School.
6. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?
MEMORY VERSE : "My little children, let us not love in work, either in tongue; but n deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18.
BIBLE PASSAGE : 1 Corinthians 7:2-5
2.Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3.Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4.The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
5.Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
LESSON INTRODUCTION :
Love is a fundamental characteristics of who God is. 1 John 4:7-8. Everything God does is prompted and influenced by His love. The Bible uses several different words for "love" in the Hebrew and Greek, interchanging them depending on context. Some of these word's mean "affectionate love"; others indicate "friendship"; and still others, "erotic/sexual love" as we "sacrificial/charitable love".
LESSON OUTLINES
1.EROS" EROTIC/SEXUAL LOVE.
2. PHILO" FRIENDSHIP LOVE.
EROS" EROTIC/SEXUAL LOVE.
Erotic/sexual love is derived from the Greek word "Eros" as the sexual love or feeling of arousal that are shared between people who are physically attracted to each other.
It is godly fulfillment in a legal marriage between a man and a woman ( Matt.19:5).
The bible admonishes married couples not to deny each other of erotic/sexual love. (1 Cor. 7:2-5). Sexual intimacy in marriage approach should be sought by Christian couples.(Songs of Solomon 1:13-15; Eccl.4:11; Prov. 5:19-20). Knowledge on how to properly explore this type of love should be sought by Christian couples through counselling and Christian literatures (Hosea 4:6). Erotic/sexual activity in marriage should not be viewed as sin. However, it becomes a sin when it is perverted or expressed outside marriage. (Rom. 1:24-28; 1 Cor. 6:9; Rev. 21.:8; 1 Thess. 4:3).
PHILO" FRIENDSHIP LOVE.
Phileo/Philia" refers to brotherly/friendship love which is exhibited in a close, friendly relationship. Prov. 18:24. Best friends will display this generous love for each other as each seeks to make other happy. The scriptural account of David and Jonathan is an excellent illustration of phileo (friendship) love (1 Sam. 18:1-3). Since phileo love involves feelings of warmth and affection towards another person, married couples see each other as best of friends. This love cherishes the beloved but it expects a response (Rom. 12:10). It is a love of relationship, comradeship, sharing, communication and friendship (Prov. 17:17). Married couples should share in each other's thoughts, feelings, attitudes, plans and dreams (Eccl. 4:9-10). They should also confide in each other the most intimate secrets, fears and needs that they would phileo will be unsatisfactory no matter the passion in the bedroom. God's desire for the husband and wife is that they tenderly love each other while they overtook each other's fault and failures (1Peter 4:.
CONCLUSION :
The love that lasts longer than dinner and movie must be made up of Eros ( physical attraction) and Phileo (friendship). Do your best to be intimate with your partner marriage.
QUESTIONS:
1. Briefly explain your understanding of erotic/sexual love.
2. What is the importance of friendship love in marriage?
ASSIGNMENT :
Find out ten (10) reasons why some couples quarrel or fight.
*For Further Reading:* 1 Cor. 13::7; Galatians 5:22.