THE WIFE’S RESPONSIBILITIES IN MARRIAGE
 
 

 

 


II. THREE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE WIFE

Loving Her Husband
 
 

 

 


  

  A.  THE FIRST RESPONSIBILITY: LOVING HER HUSBAND

 

1.      Loving Her Husband

 

      Titus 2:4- “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands…”

 

a.      Love is an attitude of unconditional acceptance.

 

                                                                           i.      This acceptance is not based upon the performance of your husband, but on his worth as  God’s gift to you.  He is not perfect, but is a perfect gift.

 

                                    ii.  Accept his thoughts and feelings.

 

iii. Accept him despite his failures.

 

b.      Love is Sacrificial Action

 

                                                                           i.       Keeping your husband in focus is a top priority.

 

                                                                         ii.      Be available to your husband in terms of time and energy.

 

                                                                       iii.      Be active in your listening.

 

c.      Love is Physical Responsiveness.

 

          I Corinthians 7:3-4- “Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.”

 

     Song of Solomon 7:10-12- ‘ I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.  Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.   Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my  loves.”    

 

                                                                           i.      A rich sex life is extremely important to your husband.  It must never be underestimated or degraded.

 

                                                                         ii.      Save time and energy to meet your husband’s need in this area.

 

 

Supporting Her Husband
 
 

 

 

 


     B. THE SECOND RESPONSIBILITY:  SUPPORTING HER HUSBAND

 

     Proverbs 31:10-12- “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no  need of spoil.  She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”

 

1.      This support focuses on completing, not competing with your husband.

 

      Proverbs 21:9- “It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.”

 

2.      Your support will encourage your husband to become a godly leader.

 

a.      This support is called submission in the Bible.

 

Ephesians 5:22-23- “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church…”

 

b.      Submission does not mean:

 

                                                                         i.      To be inferior.

 

                                                                       ii.      To lose your identity and become a non-person.

 

                                                                     iii.      Blind obedience.

 

                                                                     iv.      To feel used.

 

                                                                       v.      To allow your husband to violate the law or to be abusive.

 

c.      Submission does mean:

 

                                                                         i.      Responding to your husband with a view to God’s design for marriage.

 

                                                                       ii.      To encourage your husband to lead by showing a willingness to follow his leadership.

 

                                                                     iii.      To respond to your husband’s leadership, by supporting his initiative.

 

                                                                     iv.      To honor God’s Word.

 

Titus 2:5b- “…obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

    

3.      He needs your support in his work.

 

4.      He needs your support in front of others.

 

Proverbs 12:4- “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.”

 

 

Respecting Her Husband
 
 

 

 


    C. THE THIRD RESPONSIBILITY: RESPECTING HER HUSBAND

 

1.      In the Bible, respect means to voluntarily lift up another person for special consideration and treatment.

 

      Ephesians 5:33b- “…and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”

 

2.      For a husband to feel successful as a man, he must be respected by his wife.

 

3.      Respecting your husband involves understanding and appreciation.

 

a.      Understand and appreciate his responsibilities and pressures.

 

b.      Understand and appreciate his unique needs as a man.

 

c.      Understand and appreciate his differences as a man.

 

4.      Encouragement demonstrates respect that gives confidence to your husband.

 

a.      Encouragement means specific acts of building him up.

 

b.      Encouragement says, “I believe in you and I want to follow you.”

 

     D. CONCLUSION

 

Proverbs 14:1- “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.”

 

1.      As you commit yourself to and practice God’s design for marriage, you will be able to demonstrate the love, support, and respect your husband needs to become the servant-leader God has called him to be.

 

REMINDER:  Growing as the wife your husband needs and as God intends begins with an attitude of entrusting yourself to God. It requires a decision of your will.