The Christian Husband: What He's Supposed To Be Like And Why

Just last year an old friend of mine got married. She married a fella who is an automobile mechanic. A couple of friends and I agreed that this was a big score for her. What better than to land a guy who can fix cars.

I suppose in a way my opinion has been colored by the Red Green show. At times I watch brief snippets of it. A recurring moniker of the show is this saying "If women donât find you handsome then they might as well find you handy"-- Personally I know that my wife chose me for my mind·.she wanted someone that wasnât as smart as her.

Anyways· oneâs motives aside for choosing a husband, the question before us today is this: What is the primary responsibility of a Christian husband. What command of the scripture is their given to Christian husbands as it relates to their wives.

In the book of Ephesians ch. 5 there is one explicit command given to husbands: the command to love their wives.

The word for love in the text does not have as its focus romance nor the love of friend to friend. The specific word used implies that the love demonstrated comes from a conscious decision of the will. This kind of love remains for the most part independent of feelings. This kind of love does not depend upon reciprocation. This kind of love is unconditional. This kind of love is lasting.

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As you might have noticed, this text is a lot fuller in content as compared to its parallel in Colossians 3:18-4:1. You probably are also aware that the discussion of the text goes beyond talking about husbands and wives. Paul in this section of scripture is addressing all who were members of the church of Ephesus (husbands, wives, Fathers, slaves, masters, children).

I. One very important observation that you and I must note from this text is this: you canât talk or study deeply about marriage without talking about Jesus and his place in it.

Throughout our text every responsibility and every description of both man and wife is somehow related to Jesus

Paul could have just done what he did in Colossians. He could have said "Wives, submit to your husbands" "Husbands, love your wives". But thatâs not what Paul does in this passage: He doesnât talk about marriage or its responsibilities without somehow relating it to Jesus Christ.

At times you have heard me speak of how we are to have Christ centred marriages. This is the perfect passage for one to refer to, for in every reference to marriage ötied firmly to the discussion is Jesus Christ.

II. A second important item to note from our text is this: Within the context of instructing husbands and wives regarding their fundamental marital responsibilities 3 pictures of the church emerge for us (they are not new pictures either).

1. There is the picture of the church as one who is to be subject in all things to her head: Jesus Christ. As the head of the church, which is also called his body, Jesus is our captain, our leader, our master.

The springboard for this picture of the church is the instructions that are given to wives: to be subject in all things to their heads: their husbands.

The churchâs submission to Christ teaches us about what submission is to look like for a Christian wife to her husband . Our submission as the church, to Jesus is to be willing and joyful for we serve one who loves us and gave himself for us. We are servants of Jesus who in all things cares for us and in our submission to him every conceivable benefit and blessing becomes ours.

2. There is the picture of the church as the bride of Christ.

For us, the bride of Christ, Jesus sacrificially gave his life that we might have life and that we might be fitted for heaven. While we are pictured as the bride of Christ, Jesus is spoken of as the groom.

Jesusâ sacrificial love for us, his bride, stands as the example for us men on how we are to sacrificially love our wives.

This is not the only time in the scriptures that portrays the people of God as being a bride or wife to God. Israel was often referred to as the wife of God. Scattered throughout the N.T the church is consistently called the bride of Christ and what is it that we anticipate: The Heavenly Wedding Banquet of the Lamb.

3. There is the picture of the church as the body of Christ- with him as the head.

The reason Jesus cares and loves for us so much is because we are one with him, we are his body. The reason husbands are to love their wives is because they are one with them.