Honour Your Spouse; What Does God Say?
"Instead of asking the Bible to talk to us about what we’d like to hear — what we need is to be led to the Bible to hear what God has said. " - Scott McKnight - Northern Seminary
Honour your spouse? In a society that knows little of honour, honouring anyone is a foreign concept. Little is known of honour; less is experienced. The following scriptures are God's view of honour within a marriage. Since I am a wife, I am sharing those relating specifically to a wife. Husbands are instructed to honor their wives also. Some of the following verses are for followers of Christ in general. Because this would include wives and husbands who are believers in Christ, I have listed these verses too.
There is no room for personal opinions or interpretations when applying the Holy Scriptures. Either we believe what we read or we instead choose to read what we believe. A subtle shifting of word order instantly changes the entire meaning. I personally have made a commitment to believe what I read in God's Word and adjust my life to fit His way. Period. That's the end of the story for me. There isn't any debating or arguing needed. I believe what God says. If what He says differs from my own personal opinions or desires, I change mine to match His. Everyone will make their own decision as to how much of themselves they will devote to honouring God's Word. This is a working of the freewills we have been given by God Himself. It is also another aspect of honour.
For now, though, we'll focus specifically on wives honouring their husbands. However...if we were to really break this topic down, as followers of Christ we are being made into His Bride. This would make God the Son our husband. The book of John tells us that Jesus is the Word. Therefore, if Jesus is the Word, then honouring the Word of God is also honouring our future heavenly husband Jesus. I think we'll save this for another day though. Without further adieu, here is what God says about honouring our husbands:
Romans 12:10
Honour your spouse? In a society that knows little of honour, honouring anyone is a foreign concept. Little is known of honour; less is experienced. The following scriptures are God's view of honour within a marriage. Since I am a wife, I am sharing those relating specifically to a wife. Husbands are instructed to honor their wives also. Some of the following verses are for followers of Christ in general. Because this would include wives and husbands who are believers in Christ, I have listed these verses too.
There is no room for personal opinions or interpretations when applying the Holy Scriptures. Either we believe what we read or we instead choose to read what we believe. A subtle shifting of word order instantly changes the entire meaning. I personally have made a commitment to believe what I read in God's Word and adjust my life to fit His way. Period. That's the end of the story for me. There isn't any debating or arguing needed. I believe what God says. If what He says differs from my own personal opinions or desires, I change mine to match His. Everyone will make their own decision as to how much of themselves they will devote to honouring God's Word. This is a working of the freewills we have been given by God Himself. It is also another aspect of honour.
For now, though, we'll focus specifically on wives honouring their husbands. However...if we were to really break this topic down, as followers of Christ we are being made into His Bride. This would make God the Son our husband. The book of John tells us that Jesus is the Word. Therefore, if Jesus is the Word, then honouring the Word of God is also honouring our future heavenly husband Jesus. I think we'll save this for another day though. Without further adieu, here is what God says about honouring our husbands:
Romans 12:10
Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.
Ephesians 5:33
However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].
Hebrews 13:4
Let marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonored); for God will judge and punish the unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous.
1 Peter 2:17
Show respect for all men [treat them honorably]. Love the brotherhood (the Christian fraternity of which Christ is the Head). Reverence God. Honor the emperor.
1 Peter 3:2
When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him—to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].