Role And Responsibility Of Husbands Pt 2 Series

“Healthy Relationships”

The Role and Responsibility of Husbands Part 2

Ephesians 5:22-33

REVIEW

I. Our Wealth and Worth In Christ 1-3

II. Our Worthy Walk in Christ 4-6

A. Live in Unity 4:1-16

B. Live in Newness of life 4:17-24

C. Live in Love 4:17-24

D. Live in Purity 5:3-14

E. Live in Wisdom 5:15-6:9

1. Seize every opportune moment 15-16

2. Seek to understand the will of the Lord 17

3. Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit 18-20

a. Speaking and singing truth to one another and praise to God

b. Giving thanks for all things

c. Submitting to one another in the fear of Christ

Healthy responses by either husband or wife are the result of one who continually lives under the influence and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. One who lives their life by His power is evident by the singing of truth to others and praise to God, giving thanks in all things and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Paul amplifies what he meant by “submitting to one another” in the verse that follow.

Wives submitting to husbands who are to sacrificially love them

Children submitting to parents who are to love and nurture them

Slaves submitting to masters who are to treat them with respect

1) Wives submit to husbands who are to love them 22-33

Introduction

The state of marriage during the time of this writing had fallen to a horribly low level.

One writer said, "We have courtesans for the sake of pleasure; we have concubines for the sake of daily cohabitation; we have wise for the purpose of having children legitimately, and of having a faithful guardian for all our household affairs." Another writer claimed it was a husband’s aim that a wife "might see as little as possible, hear as little as possible and ask as little as possible." Socrates said, "Is there anyone to whom you entrust more serious matters than to your wife – and is there anyone to whom you talk less?" The ancient pagan man breathed adultery. The marriage bond was virtually meaningless.

Kent Hughes describes Paul's instruction here concerning marriage as a "bare-knuckled swing at the domestic ethics of his time." We have considered what Paul had to say to wives; both their role of willing support in their marriage and their response to their husbands.

I. The Role and responsibility of wives

A. Role: Willing Support

B. Response

1. Submit to husbands

2. Love husbands and children Titus 2:3-5

3. Respect you husbands Ephesians 5:33

We also got started on the God ordained role of the husband and his responsibility toward his wife.

II. The Role and Responsibility of husbands 5:22-33

A. Role: Loving Leader

For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. Ephesians 5:23

God established husbands as the head of the home; the loving leader. God will hold men as the one ultimately responsible for what happens or doesn’t happen in the family. God established the husband as the leader but not just any leader. God established the husband as LOVING leader just as the woman’s role is WILLING support; President and Vice-President working together toward to a God-given direction. The original rebellion corrupted the natural God-ingrained drive in men to lead, create and protect just as it derailed the natural drive in woman to willingly respect and support. Rather than serving the family by loving leadership and God-given gifts, man demanded control and defaulted to a tyrannical lording it over those he leads. From this passage and from the family passage in 1 peter I want to focus on three major responses required of husbands toward their wives.

B. Response

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

1. Love your wife

a. Love as Jesus loves

Sacrificial – gave Himself up for her

Intentional – Provides the necessary resources for spiritual growth and development

Purposeful – establishment of an intimate relationship

Even a cursory study of how Jesus loves the church will unearth a wealth of specifics related to loving our wives.

• Christ continually intercedes for the church – husbands need pray daily for their wives.

• Christ teaches the church – husbands need to share spiritual truth with their wives.

Of course, teaching presumes learning.

• Christ encourages the church – husbands need to encourage their wives by words and actions.