Question 1

How does God want a man to treat his wife?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 2:23-25“At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.God wants a man to be one with his wife in every way. This means making all other relationships secondary, continually working at unity.Proverbs 18:22The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.A husband should deeply appreciate his wife and treat her as a rare treasure.1 Corinthians 7:3-5The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.A husband should treat his wife with tender love and sexual intimacy.1 Corinthians 7:32-34An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband.A husband must forego some of his own plans or ministries in order to take care of his wife and please her.Ephesians 5:23A husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.A husband must exercise responsibility and leadership, which involves sacrificial service to his wife.Ephesians 5:25-33For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.Colossians 3:19Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.A husband must treat his wife with gentleness and kindness, a love marked by a sacrificial attitude.1 Peter 3:7In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.A husband must treat his wife with honor and understanding. Women in general may be a mystery to a man; being married to a woman will give him the life-long challenge and opportunity to understand one woman.

Question 2

How does God want a woman to treat her husband?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 2:18Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”A wife should see her husband as her partner in life, finding ways to help him and creating teamwork that will allow them to accomplish more together than either could ever do alone.Judges 13:22-23He said to his wife, “We will certainly die, for we have seen God!” But his wife said, “If the Lord were going to kill us, he wouldn’t have . . . appeared to us and told us this wonderful thing and done these miracles.”Proverbs 31:10-31Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night. Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy. She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes. She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns. Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders. She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.A wife can certainly find various activities and roles that fit her gifts and abilities in order to contribute to her household. Whatever she does, she can become a blessing to her husband, her children, her employers, or her neighbors.Matthew 27:19Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”A wife should act as a counselor and advisor to her husband. A husband should expect his wife to sometimes have wisdom and spiritual insight beyond his own.Matthew 1:18-19This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.A wife must be faithful and loyal to her husband; her husband must be the same toward his wife.2 Chronicles 21:6Jehoram followed the example of the kings of Israel and was as wicked as King Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab’s daughters. So Jehoram did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.A husband should expect his wife to influence his decisions based on her character, either for good or for evil.

Wives