Relacionamentos
Os relacionamentos são centrais na vida cristã. A Bíblia orienta sobre amizade, casamento, família e convivência, sempre tendo o amor como fundamento de toda relação.
Amor e amizade
O amigo ama em todo tempo. A Bíblia valoriza amizades verdadeiras que edificam, fortalecem e desafiam ao crescimento mútuo.
A friend is always loyal,
and a brother is born to help in time of need.
As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend.
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.
If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Casamento e família
O casamento é aliança sagrada. O marido deve amar a esposa como Cristo amou a Igreja, e ambos devem cultivar respeito e submissão mútua.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.
Instructions for Christian Households
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him."
But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.
Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,
but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.
A Wife of Noble Character
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
You are altogether beautiful, my darling,
beautiful in every way.
Convivência saudável
Os relacionamentos florescem quando tratamos os outros como gostaríamos de ser tratados, com amor crescente e caráter maduro.
The Golden Rule
"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’"
And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.
But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.
The Temple of the Living God
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
Choose a good reputation over great riches;
being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.