Roles of Husbands and Wives

Wives Be Subject To Your Husband

Women are the same as men positionally but not functionally. Men are of no greater value to God than women. We are equal in his sight. Unfortunately, sin has perverted this. Women feel as though they need to be liberated from the oppression of men. Men sometimes see women as less than men. Neither of these are true.

When Paul says that women are to be subject to their husbands as to the Lord, this means it is a volunteer surrender of her rights to her husband. She is to live her life to serve her husband as we are to live our lives to serve Christ. It should be a desire rather than forced. Forced submission is tyranny. When a woman voluntarily is submissive to her husband, the husband will lay down his life for her.

Submissiveness is difficult for women because of the fall:

To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain [e]in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.” Gen. 3:16

The phrase “your desire will be for your husband” is not sexually, but it means that you will want to control him. This is a fight that many women have. God says that you will not be able to control him, but that he will rule over you.

Paul says that women should be submissive to their husbands as the church is to Christ. The church has no authority or power to affect God plan without being submissive to Christ . If you want your marriage to be what God intends for it to be, then the wife must be submissive to the husband.

Wives are to be submissive in all things. What does this mean to you? Spending, Intimacy, Family decisions, Work or not Work, where to live. ect..

Husbands Love Your Wives.

5 Characteristics of Love that Men are to Have for their Wives

1. It is to be sacrificial - husbands are not to be selfish. They are to do things for their wives.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

2. It is to be purifying - Our love for our wives is to make them better. It is not to be one that tears them down.

so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word

3. It must be caring - We are to love our wives the way we love our bodies. We feed them. We groom them. We take good care of our bodies.

28 So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies.

4. It is an unbreakable love - it is not conditional on your wife’s behavior. It is for better or for worse. Divorce is not an option.

31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

5. The foundation of your love is in Christ! - It is not just you and your wife in the marriage. It is you your wife and Christ!

32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

Respect & Love

Wives are called to respect their husbands. This is more than mere submissiveness. To respect your husband is to think highly of him. This will be evident in the way you talk to others about your husband. This will also be evident in the way you treat your husband.

In what ways do you see yourself respecting your husband?

2. How do you know your husband feels respected?

3. What are consequences of not respecting your husband?

Men are called to love their wives. This is more than telling them that you love them. Love requires actions. You must demonstrate your love by your actions.

In what ways do you demonstrate your love toward your wife?

How do you know your wife feels loved?

What are the consequences of not loving your wife well?