Ephesians 5:25-30

How Can I Be a Better Husband?

Ephesians 5:25-30

• “Husbands, love your wivesHusbands, love your wives, just as Christ also as Christ also loved the churchloved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodiestheir own bodies; he who loves his wife loves he who loves his wife loves himselfhimself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishesnourishes and cherishescherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.”

“Cares for, strengthens, encourages, supports

—helps her to be all she can be”

Esteem, revere, adore, cleave to or hold close…or…treats her with tenderness and affection

1 Peter 3:7

• “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them dwell with them with understandingwith understanding, giving honorgiving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hinderedthat your prayers may not be hindered.”

• Consideration• Respect• Recognition

Intimacy: 1 Corinthians 7:3

• “Let the husband render to his wife the Let the husband render to his wife the affection due heraffection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.”

Be a man…not just big boy

• Some husbands act as though they want another “mother”

• Solomon told to “show” or “prove” himself a MANMAN

1. Do so by keeping God’s commands

2. Men take responsibility

Finally…

• Woman is the “gloryglory” of man—1 Cor. 11:71 Cor. 11:7

• Position a man places his wife in speaks either well or ill of him

• Back to Ephesians 5Ephesians 5 …Marriage relationship a physical pattern of spiritual relationship of Christ and his bride (church)

• Husbands: Husbands: Does your relationship with Does your relationship with your wife mirror Christ and church?your wife mirror Christ and church?

Invitation…

• A failing husband must repentrepent and confessconfess his sins to those he has sinned to those he has sinned againstagainst

• No husband who sees his failings can be a better husband unless he is willing to CHANGECHANGE…To do otherwise is to be stubborn—and risk the judgment of God