Love And Respect In Marriage
Brody Holloway : Marriage Conference : Love and Respect : October 21, 2018
“However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
Ephesians 5:33
This verse is a summary of Ephesians 5. Husbands are commanded to love their wives with these three characteristics: Sacrificial love, Sanctifying love, and Self-love. In verses 22-24 wives are given the instruction and explanation of how to love their husbands and what the role of the husband is. In that context, the word “submit” is used. That makes people uncomfortable, or really angry in today’s culture. We need to understand the biblical meaning of the word, and we DON’T need to change that meaning or ignore it. If we look at Ephesians 5:20, we see that we are called to submit to one another in the Church and told that even Jesus submits to the Father, even though He is equal in all things with the Father.
Husbands, if you are frustrated and feel like your wife is not willing to submit to your leadership and headship, you might examine your own submission to Christ. Is it solid and clear? Men, if we expect our wives to follow our lead and submit to what we feel God is calling us to, then we must first be in complete submission to Christ, and to other believers. A godly wife is able to encourage and equip her husband to step up and lead. It’s okay to be driven and pushed from behind, but don’t be so lazy that your wife and kids leap past you! Jesus, the suffering servant, is our example.
Resources:
- “Love and Respect: Basics for Marriage” by Doug Wilson (Desiring God)
2025 Marriage Conference
October 2025