Husbands Love
Husbands Love. The example God gives to husbands is the example of Christ, Who gave His life for the church. In doing so, Christ sanctifies and cleanses His people with the washing of water by the Word.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:25-27, NKJV
Husbands Love
In our last devotion, we discussed Ephesians 5:22-24, where Paul commanded wives to submit to their husbands. Paul did not stop with these three verses but went on to discuss the role of the husband. Note that Paul only spent three verses on the role of the wife, but now spends nine verses on the topic of husbands loving their wives. There is so much in these nine verses that we will take just a few at a time.
The example God gives to husbands is the example of Christ, Who gave His life for the church. In doing so, Christ sanctifies and cleanses His people with the washing of water by the Word. Why? Christ, then, presents the church, His Bride, to God as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle--holy and without blemish.
As we ponder these things, we begin to realize that the husbands have a difficult role as well. They are not at liberty to "rule" their wives in any manner they please. Rather, they are in charge of the spiritual welfare and nurture of their wives. Christ gave everything for His church, and husbands are to give everything for the welfare and well-being of their wives.
In other words, the role of the husband is an active role. He is to guide his wife by example, encouraging her to live her life faithfully for the Lord. He is to be sure that she understands how to accomplish that. He does this by spending time in the Word of God, understanding and living the precepts of God's Word so that he may direct his wife in doing the same.
Also, the husband must be actively praying for his wife. He, above all people, understands his wife and her special needs--especially spiritual needs. If she is lacking, it is his duty to help supply those needs through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Just as it is not natural for a wife to submit to her husband, so it is not natural for a husband to take an active role in spiritually guiding his wife. We, as wives, must be careful that we do not usurp this role, for often our husbands are most willing to let us do so. Rather, let us pray for our husbands that they will take up the mantle given to them by God, Himself, and lead their families in the Lord.
A quick look at the state of marriages in this, the 21st century, shows that the church has not done a very good job in these areas. Even in the church, Satan has launched a frontal attack on marriage. Is it no wonder that so many young couples are not even considering marriage, but rather, just choose to live together?
Let us pray for our Bible-believing churches and the marriages within those churches. Let us pray that God's Word will be honored and obeyed and that God will bless His children with happy and faithful marriages. Let us pray that believers today would be faithful and obedient to all of the commandments given in the Word of God.
As we consider the command, Husbands love your wives, let us look to Christ, for He, alone, can give us the victory in these difficult areas.
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