What Does God Call a Wife to Do?
The Bible is clear about the roles of husbands and wives in marriage. In Ephesians 5:22 and 25, the Apostle Paul writes, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. … Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (ESV).
The command for wives to submit to their husbands is often misunderstood. It does not mean that wives are inferior to their husbands or that they must obey their husbands without question. Instead, it means that wives should willingly submit to their husbands’ leadership. Submission is not about power, but about love and respect.
Husbands, on the other hand, are called to love their wives sacrificially. This means that husbands should put their wives’ needs before their own. They should provide for their wives’ physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Husbands should also protect and provide for their wives, and show them respect and honor.
At the same time, both husbands and wives are called to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21, ESV). This means that both spouses should put the other’s needs before their own. They should strive to understand and meet each other’s needs.
God also calls wives to be helpers to their husbands. This means that wives should support their husbands in their roles as leaders of the family. They should encourage their husbands to make wise decisions and be willing to help them carry out those decisions.
In addition, wives should be faithful to their husbands. This means that wives should remain loyal to their husbands in all aspects of their marriage. They should be honest and trustworthy and should not engage in any behavior that could harm their marriage.
Finally, wives should be obedient to God. This means that wives should seek to follow God’s commands and live according to His Word. They should strive to live lives that honor God and seek to bring glory to Him.
In summary, God calls wives to submit to their husbands, love their husbands sacrificially, submit to one another, be helpers to their husbands, be faithful to their husbands, and be obedient to God. When wives fulfill these roles, they can experience the joy and blessing of a God-honoring marriage.
