Ephesians 5:25,28 (NKJV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
Marriage is subject of much debate at this point in history. There are mixed emotions and ideas as to what are the roles in marriage. Above all, when Jesus Christ is the center of marriage or any relationship, it is then that such a relationship will be a success.
Just think of God and how He has treated us. He loves us enough to give His life for us. He provides all that we need – nothing more and nothing less. He would give us much more, but He knows what is best for us. He knows all of our needs – spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, social, financial and all other needs that we encounter. His timing may not be ours but He will always provide for our needs. This is only of glimpse of how Christ loves the church and gave Himself for it. But, this is an example that all husbands must learn.
Never in scripture are women commanded to love their husbands because they naturally love their soul mate. It is the man that is commanded to love sacrificially, even the point of death. A man needs to choose to love his wife and cherish her. This is not always easy since he is wired differently than the woman. He is to love her as he loves himself.
Paul gives the chain of command. “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God”, (I Cor. 11:3, NKJV). If you notice, the only comparison which uses a superior person is the comparison of man and Christ. God is not superior to Christ, they are both God, but God the father has taken the leadership role. The man is not superior to the woman he is just the leader in the union of marriage. Christ is superior to the man in every way possible. So, as we see here the man has a very great responsibility. He not only needs to become like Christ in sacrificially love and amazing leadership. He also needs to give Himself for her, providing for all her needs just as Christ does the church.
Most women do not like the word submit, but a woman who is seeking to obey God, will willingly submit to a man who loves her and would give anything to provide for her emotional and physical needs in life. When Christ is the center, the man loves the woman as Christ does the church and the woman respects the husband, this is a union that cannot be broken. “And a threefold cord is not quickly broken”, (Ecclesiastes 4:12b, NKJV).
Thoughts, comments, objections, prayer requests.
Daniel A. Smith
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