Topical Bible: Wives: Duties of, to Their Husbands: To Love Them

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The role of a wife in loving her husband is a foundational aspect of Christian marriage, deeply rooted in biblical teachings. This love is not merely an emotional affection but a committed, selfless, and sacrificial love that mirrors the love Christ has for the Church.

Biblical Foundation

The Bible provides clear guidance on the duty of wives to love their husbands. In Titus 2:4, older women are instructed to "train the young women to love their husbands and children" . This passage highlights the importance of love as a learned and practiced virtue, essential for the harmony and sanctity of the marital relationship.

Nature of Love

The love that wives are called to exhibit is characterized by several key attributes:

1. Selflessness: Love in marriage requires putting the needs and well-being of the husband above personal desires. This reflects the sacrificial nature of love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, where love is patient, kind, and not self-seeking.

2. Respect and Honor: Ephesians 5:33 instructs, "However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband" . Respect is an integral part of love, acknowledging the husband's role and leadership within the family structure.

3. Support and Encouragement: A loving wife supports her husband in his endeavors and encourages him in his walk with God. Proverbs 31:11-12 speaks of the virtuous wife, stating, "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" .

4. Faithfulness: Love is demonstrated through unwavering faithfulness and loyalty. This commitment is a reflection of the covenantal nature of marriage, as seen in Malachi 2:14, where marriage is described as a covenant before God.

Practical Expressions of Love

The love of a wife for her husband is expressed in various practical ways:

· Communication: Open and honest communication fosters understanding and intimacy, allowing love to flourish.
· Acts of Service: Demonstrating love through acts of service, whether in daily chores or special gestures, reinforces the bond between husband and wife.
· Prayer and Spiritual Support: Praying for and with her husband strengthens the spiritual foundation of the marriage and invites God's presence into their relationship.

Challenges and Growth

Loving one's husband is not without challenges. Differences in personality, life circumstances, and external pressures can test the strength of marital love. However, these challenges provide opportunities for growth and deeper reliance on God's grace. Philippians 4:13 reminds believers, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" , encouraging wives to seek divine assistance in fulfilling their duties.

In summary, the duty of a wife to love her husband is a profound calling that encompasses respect, support, faithfulness, and selflessness. It is a reflection of Christ's love for the Church and serves as a testament to the transformative power of love within the sacred bond of marriage.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Titus 2:4
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Duties of Husbands and Wives.
... Shorter and Longer Versions Chapter V."The duties of husbands and wives. ... my sisters,
that they love the Lord, and be satisfied with their husbands both in ...
/.../chapter v the duties of husbands.htm

The Duties of Husbands and Wives.
... Syriac Version Chapter V."The duties of husbands and wives. ... Speak to my sisters,
that they love in our Lord, and that their husbands be sufficient for ...
/.../chapter v the duties of husbands 2.htm

Duties of Husbands, Wives, Parents, and Children.
... Chapter IX."Duties of husbands, wives, parents, and children. ... Let the wives honour
their husbands, as their own flesh; and let them not presume to ...
/.../chapter ix duties of husbands wives.htm

Letter xv. Social and Relative Duties.
... out of it are very properly classed as moral duties. ... Christ, so let the wives be
to their own husbands in ... she reverence her husband." "Likewise ye wives be in ...
/.../letter xv social and relative.htm

The Christian Home
... Paul says, "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ ... Duties of Young and Old.""That
the aged men be ... young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love ...
/.../sell/studies in the life of the christian/study x the christian home.htm

Christ the Believer's Husband
... I say, duties of love ... Moreover, it is required of wives, that they not only love
and ... their husbands, but that they also love and respect their husband's friends ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/christ the believers husband.htm

Homilies on Galatians and Ephesians.
... Fathers, their duties in the nurture of their children, [273]154. Faults, to be
mildly corrected, [274]43. ... Husbands, to love their wives as Christ loved the ...
/.../homilies on galatians and ephesians.htm

Covenant Duties.
... to vow the performance of definite duties that may be incumbent upon them in their
associate capacity. ... Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter iv covenant duties.htm

The Domestic Relation.
... Duties Of The Wife To The Husband. ... of lament that so comparatively few wives have
a ... that the young women be sober, love their husbands, love their children, be ...
/.../orr/the gospel day /chapter xiii the domestic relation.htm

Of the Loving of God in Ourselves and Other Creatures...
... and much more to husbands and wives, which are not ... reverence and gratitude, in providing
for their subsistence, as ... &c.; in the paying of which duties we are ...
/.../chapter v of the loving.htm