You're Loving Your Wife Wrong: The Bible's Secret Command Exposed

Have you ever wondered if you're truly loving your wife the way the Bible commands? Most husbands would confidently say yes, but what if I told you there's a deeper, more profound way to love your spouse that many men completely miss? The Bible contains a powerful command about marriage that goes far beyond the simple instruction to "love your wife" – it's a secret that could transform your relationship forever.

The Biblical Foundation of Marital Love

The New Command: Love as Christ Loved

Jesus said, "I give you a new command" – and this command wasn't just about loving God or loving your neighbor. The new command was revolutionary: love your wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. This isn't just romantic love or even the brotherly love (phileo) mentioned in 1 Corinthians 16:22. This is the highest form of love – sacrificial, unconditional, and transformative.

The issue isn't in the act of love itself, but in the process of producing adequate and continuous love while fighting against the seeds planted in my generation by sexist role models I grew up with in my environment. Many men struggle with understanding what it truly means to love their wives biblically because they've been influenced by cultural norms that prioritize male dominance or emotional distance.

Understanding the Complexity of Your Wife

When God says, "Husbands, love your wives, and do not be bitter toward them" (Colossians 3:19), He speaks of the woman as a complex being. He calls every man to love his whole wife just as every man loves his whole self (Ephesians 5:28-29). This means that a husband must do all he can to understand his wife's world – her thoughts, feelings, dreams, and fears.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them (Colossians 3:19). This command isn't just about avoiding negative behavior; it's about actively cultivating positive, nurturing love. The Greek word used here for love (agape) is the same word used to describe God's love for humanity – it's selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional.

The Eight Admonitions to Love

What follows are eight admonitions to love that every husband should embrace:

  1. Love without bitterness - Your love should be free from resentment or anger
  2. Love sacrificially - Be willing to give up your own desires for her benefit
  3. Love understandingly - Take time to truly know her heart and mind
  4. Love consistently - Show love every day, not just when it's convenient
  5. Love patiently - Don't rush her or become frustrated with her pace
  6. Love protectively - Guard her emotional and physical well-being
  7. Love honorably - Treat her with dignity and respect
  8. Love eternally - Commit to love her through all seasons of life

A healthy marriage is a beautiful relationship, but it can be a lot of hard work. Luckily, if you're a Christian, you have the benefit of God's word to help guide your marriage. The Bible is full of poignant passages about love, including a number of verses that speak specifically to how someone should treat their wife.

The Secret Command Most Men Miss

The enduring command "Husbands love your wives," rooted deeply in Christian faith, resonates through time as a divine directive that continues to shape the sacred institution of marriage. But here's the secret most men miss: it's not just about feeling love or even expressing love – it's about becoming love.

To fulfill God's wishes for your marriage, cherish your wife. The word "cherish" in the original Greek (thalpo) means to warm, to keep warm, to foster, to treat with tender affection. This goes beyond basic love – it's about creating an environment where your wife feels completely safe, valued, and nurtured.

What Does the Bible Say About Loving Your Wife?

(Other than literally saying, of course, "love your wife")? The Bible provides extensive guidance on how to love your wife:

  • Love her as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25) - This means being willing to sacrifice everything for her
  • Love her as your own body (Ephesians 5:28-29) - Take care of her needs as diligently as you care for yourself
  • Love her with understanding (1 Peter 3:7) - Study her, learn her love language, and meet her emotional needs
  • Love her without bitterness (Colossians 3:19) - Keep your heart free from resentment and anger

The Challenge of Modern Marriage

Both Christian parents and their married children can have difficulty with the balance between the concept of "leave and cleave" and honoring parents. This tension can create stress in marriages, making it even more crucial for husbands to understand their biblical role in loving their wives.

The Bible points husbands to the supreme example, the husband par excellence as the one who is to be both the model and motivation for loving their wives. This example is Christ Himself, who demonstrated the ultimate form of love through His sacrificial death on the cross.

Love in Action: Beyond Words

Love does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

These verses provide a practical framework for how love should look in action. Are you patient with your wife when she's struggling? Do you believe the best about her even when she makes mistakes? Can you endure difficult seasons without withdrawing your love? These are the real tests of biblical love.

The Truth About Secrets and Honesty

Tweet: "Do you think it's okay to keep secrets from your spouse?" Here's a Bible study on this question. All people are liars. The Bible is not very flattering to us as it says, "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" (Numbers 23:19).

This raises an important question about honesty in marriage. Can you truly love your wife if you're keeping significant secrets from her? The issue of secrets in marriage is complex, but the biblical principle of truth and transparency suggests that genuine love requires openness and vulnerability.

Practical Steps to Love Your Wife Biblically

Understanding Her World

Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered (1 Peter 3:7). This means:

  • Taking time to understand her emotional needs
  • Learning her love language and speaking it fluently
  • Creating emotional safety in your relationship
  • Being her biggest encourager and supporter

Becoming the Husband God Calls You to Be

If you are governed by this approach to love and honor and holiness in a sexual relationship, I don't think it is wrong for a husband to want his wife sexually and to think about having her and to hold her in his mind the way he would hold her in bed. The key is that this desire should be rooted in love, respect, and commitment rather than selfish lust.

The Power of Modeling Love

So if you're the bigger person in this situation, you are modeling love and acceptance for your kids. However, do not let your wife yell at or berate you for what you do wrong. You may be the bigger person but that doesn't mean you're a doormat. Biblical love includes healthy boundaries and mutual respect.

Conclusion: The Secret Command Revealed

The secret command that most husbands miss is this: Love your wife as Christ loved the church by becoming love itself. It's not enough to simply express love or feel love – you must transform yourself into a person whose very nature is love. This means:

  • Sacrificing your own comfort and desires for her benefit
  • Studying her and learning to meet her unique needs
  • Creating an environment of emotional and spiritual safety
  • Committing to love her through every season of life
  • Becoming the kind of man who naturally expresses love in thought, word, and deed

When you embrace this secret command, you'll discover that biblical love isn't just about how you treat your wife – it's about who you become. And that transformation will not only revolutionize your marriage but will also draw you closer to the heart of God Himself.

Loving_Your_Wife (u/Loving_Your_Wife) - Reddit

Loving_Your_Wife (u/Loving_Your_Wife) - Reddit

Loving Your Wife | New Song Christian Fellowship

Loving Your Wife | New Song Christian Fellowship

100 Answers to 100 Questions about Loving your Wife — Christian

100 Answers to 100 Questions about Loving your Wife — Christian

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