“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:22-27
I truly believe that one of the primary reasons for the breakdown of the home today is that husbands and wives don’t understand or practice their roles and responsibilities. They have bought into the confusion of our culture and as a result their marriages suffer.
The verses above give us a clear definition of the roles God has designed for husbands and wives. And in a world in which equality is promoted as the highest ideal it’s not popular. But remember that equality does not mean “sameness.”
We are heirs together of the grace of God as men and women, and we are absolutely equal in value in God’s eyes. But He has assigned specific and strategic roles and responsibility within the marriage relationship. And we are to live and to practice these roles.
But here’s what I want you to notice:The bulk of the responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders of men! Men, we are called to love our wives as Christ has loved the church. And if we do, our wives will respond to our sacrificial and steadfast love”¦because that’s the way God has created them. But, men, it must start with us.
So husbands, love your wife. And wives, respond to the love of your husband. That’s how you practice a covenant marriage!
PRACTICE THE SPECIFIC AND STRATEGIC ROLE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU IN YOUR MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP.
