The foundation of marriage is love and the foundation of love is the Gospel. It is the husband’s
primary job to love his wife--give. The wife’s primary job is to respect her man. This does not mean
love has no part in her role:
Titus 2:3-5
The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not
given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4That they may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children, 5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good,
obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Women are to love their husbands, if they don’t it blasphemes God’s word. But respect is also there--
obedience to their husbands. If this is the reflection of the church to Christ then the church loves
Christ and shows this love by respectful obedience to Him. The church does not love anyone or obey
anyone else, only Christ, the head of the church. Husbands are never told to reverence their wives--
Christ does not fear His church.
1 Corinthians 7:32-34
But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to
the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33But he that is married careth for the things that are of the
world, how he may please his wife. 34There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The
unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit:
but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
You care for each other, each gives to the other because they both love each other.
Song of Solomon 2:10-16
My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
11For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 12The flowers appear on the earth; the time
of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
13The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. 14O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the
secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice,
and thy countenance is comely. 15Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our
vines have tender grapes. 16My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
S of S 7:10-13
I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. 11Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field;
let us lodge in the villages. 12Let 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.
13The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which
I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.
Marriage is a separation, a going together to a new place just for the two of you.
Matthew 19:3-9
The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put
away his wife for every cause? 4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he
which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5And said, For this cause shall a man
leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6Wherefore
they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put
asunder. 7They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and
to put her away? 8He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to
put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall
put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and
whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
1 Peter 3:1-7
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also
may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2While they behold your chaste
conversation coupled with fear.
The Husband can sanctify, change, the wife by loving her; the wife can sanctify her man by treating
him with a respectful attitude. Chaste conversation--pure, innocent behavior
3Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of
putting on of apparel; 4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even
the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5For after this
manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in
subjection unto their own husbands: 6Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose
daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 7Likewise, ye
husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker
vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Husbands honor-- translated price. A precious thing put in a special place, your wives, if you don’t
expect God to be silent on your behalf.