Use Your Bible

Dan S. Shipley

The Wife As God Would Have Her

Intro.

1. "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing..." (Prov.18:22), especially when that wife knows and respects God's will for her in marriage 2. The God-given place of the wife is one of dignity and honor. She honors God and husband no better than when she remembers and appreciates this 3. Wives, as husbands, need reminding of what God would have them be ...

I. LIKE THE HUSBAND, SHE MUST LEAVE ONE FAMILY RELATIONSHIP IN FAVOR OF ESTABLISHING ANOTHER (Matt. 19:5, 6)

A. The latter must have precedence over the former 1. Marriages suffer when the wife does not leave mother & father 2. Every wife has obligations to her own family over all others

Ii. She Is In Subjection To Her Husband

A. From the beginning (Gen. 3:16) B. Subjection to be "as unto the Lord" (Eph. 5:22) 1. Role only appreciated by the wife who is a Christian 2. Suggests willful, desirable, beneficial subjection 3. Opposed to assertiveness, dominance, threatening behavior C. Subjection to be comprehensive: "In everything" (Eph. 5:24) 1. At no time, no place, and in nothing is it proper for the wife not to be in subjection to her husband (excepting principle of Ac. 5:29) D. Subjection even to unbelieving husbands (1 Pet. 3:1; 1 Cor. 7:13) E. Such subjection is "fitting in the Lord" (Col. 3:18) 1. Note: Such subjection is no more degrading than for the church to be in subjection to the Christ'.

III. SHE IS TO BE A TRUE HELP-MEET (Gen. 2:18, 20) (i.e., compatible and appropriate to her husband's needs; a helper)

A. She helps meet his physical needs 1. Including companionship and sex (1 Cor. 7:1-4)

B. She helps meet his domestic needs 1. Includes being a "worker at home" (Titus 2:5; 1 Tim. 5:14; Prov. 31:27)

C. She helps in spiritual matters 1. As an example of faithfulness (1 Pet. 3) 2. In influencing his salvation (1 Cor. 7:16) 3. Encouraging, serving with husband as "joint heir of grace of life" 4. She helps rear her children for heaven

IV. SHE TRULY LOVES HER HUSBAND (Titus 2:4)

A. Such love must be cultivated and expressed continually 1. Cannot subsist on romance and emotions (takes diligence, effort)

B. Such love is based on respect (Eph. 5:33) 1. Such respect often appears as "fear" or "reverence" (Mk. 6:20) 2. Wife respects husband in spite of faults or lack of enabling qualities

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