Topical Bible: Wife: Loyal

◄ Wife: Loyal ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, the concept of a loyal wife is deeply rooted in the principles of faithfulness, devotion, and partnership as ordained by God. The Scriptures provide numerous examples and teachings that highlight the virtues and responsibilities of a loyal wife, emphasizing her role within the family and her relationship with her husband.

Biblical Examples of Loyalty

One of the most prominent examples of a loyal wife in the Bible is Ruth. Her unwavering commitment to her mother-in-law Naomi and her subsequent marriage to Boaz exemplify loyalty and devotion. Ruth's declaration, "Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God" (Ruth 1:16), underscores her steadfast loyalty and faith.

Another example is Sarah, the wife of Abraham. Despite the challenges and uncertainties they faced, Sarah remained loyal to Abraham, supporting him in his journey and sharing in the promises God made to him. Her loyalty is evident in her willingness to leave her homeland and follow Abraham to an unknown land (Genesis 12:1-5).

Teachings on Loyalty in Marriage

The Bible provides clear teachings on the importance of loyalty within marriage. In Ephesians 5:22-24 , wives are instructed to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, reflecting a relationship of respect and loyalty: "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything."

Proverbs 31 offers a detailed description of a virtuous wife, highlighting her loyalty and industriousness. Proverbs 31:11-12 states, "The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will lack nothing of value. She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life." This passage emphasizes the trust and confidence a husband places in a loyal wife, who consistently seeks his well-being.

The Role of Loyalty in Marriage

Loyalty in marriage is foundational to the covenant relationship between husband and wife. It reflects the faithfulness of God to His people and serves as a model for marital fidelity. Malachi 2:14-15 addresses the significance of loyalty, stating, "The LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant."

The New Testament further reinforces the concept of loyalty in marriage through the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 19:4-6 , Jesus emphasizes the permanence and unity of the marital bond: "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." This underscores the expectation of loyalty and faithfulness within the marriage covenant.

Conclusion

The biblical portrayal of a loyal wife is one of dedication, faithfulness, and partnership. Through examples, teachings, and the overarching narrative of Scripture, the role of a loyal wife is celebrated as integral to the family unit and reflective of God's design for marriage.

Nave's Topical Index

Genesis 31:14-16
And Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Gehazi
... She did this, not as a slave of Naaman's wife, but as a free human soul, and ... knows
Boswell, and with all his faults it loves him still, for he was loyal to a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/milligan/men of the bible some lesser-known/gehazi.htm

A Confirmation of what Has Been Said by a Noteworthy Comparison.
... bring down the haughtiest woman in the world to the love of so loyal a lover ... a great
multitude of wives, he iniquitously usurps and takes away the wife of poor ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter ix a confirmation of.htm

The Goths
... His wife saw him approaching from a distance, and flew to meet him ... upon the wall
of his banquet-chamber, and testify the admiration of Arcadius for a loyal chief ...
/.../gathering clouds a tale of the days of st chrysostom/chapter xxv the goths.htm

The Wheat and the Tares
... Like many a wife, she thought that it was better to be loyal to her husband than
to God, and so her honour was 'rooted in dishonour,' and she was falsely true ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/the wheat and the tares.htm

The Perfect Heart.
... toes, through his eyes, and through his tongue, to his wife, and to ... loyalty to God,
thoroughly given over to God's side, irrespective of consequences,"loyal. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/booth/godliness/chapter viii the perfect heart.htm

Letter cxviii. To Julian.
... succession two young unmarried daughters, and that Faustina, most chaste and loyal
of wives ... After untold trials a wicked wife was still left to the blessed Job ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxviii to julian.htm

At Liberty
... crime to another, Nero had descended, until he had murdered his own mother, and
then his wife. ... But the apostle felt that so long as he was loyal to God, he had ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 46 at liberty.htm

Life at Herrnhut.
... the parson." No man was allowed to strike his wife, and no wife was allowed to ... As
the Count was a loyal son of the Lutheran Church, and regarded the Augsburg ...
/.../hutton/history of the moravian church/chapter iv life at herrnhut.htm

The Blood.
... It was a long time before he succeeded, but at last he got money enough to send
for them. The wife's heart leaped for joy. ... May God make us loyal to Christ! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/the blood.htm

Letter clxvii . To Rusticus, Bishop of Gallia Narbonensis, with ...
... a pardonable act, so long as he has known no woman whatever save his wife. ... because
there can be no presumptuous rashness where the most loyal carefulness has ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/letter clxvii to rusticus.htm