Skip to main content

Ephesians 5:25: Husbands, Love Your Wives


Ephesians 5:25
[25] Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (ESV)

So much of what is called love is not at all what the Bible is talking about when it talks of love.  We think in terms of romantic love.  Husbands think of love in terms of giving their wife flowers, or taking them away on a special trip, or even using certain words to woo their bride. While these can be nice things to do, the fact is that these actions do not rise to the level of love that Paul is referring to here in Ephesians 5:25.

Paul is giving a command to husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.  This kind of love is completely sacrificial.  It isn't contingent upon getting something back in return.  In fact, if nothing was given back in return this kind of love would still be given.  Sovereign love.  Sacrificial love.  A husband's love.

To the husbands reading this I ask you, "How many times have you thought you were doing something loving to your wife, but in reality, you were expecting something in return?"  I remember one day when I bought my wife a huge bouquet of roses.  When I came home from work late at night I placed the flowers on the table.  I waited for the next morning to hear her delight and to hear her tell me how wonderful I was.  She did not respond the way I expected.  I was then very angry.  In reality, I wasn't being loving at all.  I was manipulating her for her response.  Sacrificial love gives.  Period.

Love is a sacrificial act on behalf of another.  If you think that you are being loving but you are demanding something in return you are fooling yourself.  I believe that many marriages collapse because spouses claim that they are doing all of these loving things and are not getting anything in return.  I would argue that they are not being loving at all, but rather manipulative.  I know that this is a tough concept, but it is a biblical one.  If you want a wonderful marriage you must do things God's way.

Husbands, evaluate how you love.  Is it sacrificial?  Or is it manipulation.  Women, pray that your husband will learn to love like the Savior.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 11:24: For If You Were Cut From What Is By Nature A Wild Olive Tree, And Grafted, Contrary To Nature, Into A Cultivated Olive Tree . . .

Romans 11:24 [24] For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (ESV) We continue looking at the illustration of an olive tree. The root of the tree is the covenant relationship relationship of God with Abraham. Abraham's faith is what this spiritual tree is built on. The first branches would have been the faithful people of Israel, who like Abraham, placed their faith in God. They believed God, just like Abraham, and it was credited to them as righteousness. There were branches of the people of Israel who never placed their faith in God. Because these branches were not true followers of God they were broken off of the tree. Faith in God was the essential element that made the branches true branches of this spiritual tree. Some branches remained. Others, the faithless unbelievers, were removed. After Jesu

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co