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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
March 20, 2011
The Role of the Husband
Colossians 3:19
Introduction
It is good to be back. While it is always encouraging to hear good preaching such as occurred at the Shepherd’s Conference a week ago, Al Mohler was correct in his assessment that preachers want to preach, and I would just as soon have been at the pulpit where he was or at least tag-teaming with him than sitting in a seat. It is a great joy and privilege to be able to study the word of God and then bring the fruit of that study to you.
This morning we return to Colossians 3 and Paul’s commands concerning relationships in the family. I found it curious how many commentators wanted to make this section of this letter independent from what Paul had written in the prior verses, but it is not. Our relationships with one another are dependent upon living as those who have been raised up with Christ. Having minds that are set on the things above instead of the things that are on earth is not about neglecting the things here on earth. That would result in people that are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. It is rather having a proper view of life in the present because of having heaven as our destination. (See: Consequences of Life in Christ) As Peter so succinctly put it in 2 Peter 3:14 regarding the promise of a new heaven and new earth, “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.”
Proper relationships in the family and in the workplace are dependent upon us putting off the old man and putting on the new. Each of us are to “consider the members of [our] earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed” (See: Mortifying the Flesh, Pt. 1) and put aside “anger wrath, malice, slander and abusive speech.” (See: Mortifying the Flesh, Pt. 2) The old self is dead, so we should quit dragging around its corpse with its lying and evil practices. (See: Mortifying the Flesh, Pt. 3) Instead, we are to put on the new man and “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other.” We are to follow the example of the Lord Jesus and let His peace rule our hearts and be thankful. (See: Christian Virtues, Pt 1; Part 2; Part 3; & Part 4) We are to let the word of Christ richly dwell within us and encourage and teach one another accordingly. (See: Expressing the Indwelling Word of Christ) Paul summed up his general exhortations in living the Christian life, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17- See: Doing All in the Name of Jesus). That command includes everything we communicate and all our actions and behaviors.
It is on the basis of these general commands to all Christians that He now gives instruction to the various members of a family and in the work force starting with the most intimate relationship and working his way outward in three sets: wives and husbands, children and parents, slaves and masters. Let us read though Colossians 3:18-4:1 again to set the context.
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, that they may not lose heart. 22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who [merely] please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. 4:1 Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
The Importance of Marriage
Paul begins with the marriage relationship for it is not only the foundation for the family, but it is also the foundation of all of society. If marriages decline so does the rest of society, and tragically we are seeing that happen in our own time in our own society. As America continues its flight from God and godliness, it increasingly promotes sinful perversions and abominations.
The so called sexual revolution of the 1960’s is the direct precursor to the homosexual revolution of our current times. Both are predicated on the false basic premise that the “pursuit of happiness” enshrined in the preamble of our Constitution means that there should not be restrictions on the hedonistic fulfillment of one’s desires. That those desires are sinful before God and detrimental to themselves and to society are irrelevant to the mind entrapped by sin. As hedonistic selfishness gains a greater influence on society, its demands progress from tolerance, to acceptance, to equality, to superiority.
At present, religious based foster care agencies are under attack in Illinois because they do not refer children to homosexuals. In other states religious based adoption agencies and charities have lost their licenses to operate because they do place children in homosexual homes or hire them. In Canada religious broadcasters are forced off the air and fined if they quote any of the many scriptures that condemn homosexuality because it is considered “hate speech.” The fact that homosexuals are plagued with appalling diseases that are rare in the general population or have a mortality rate in the 40’s instead of the 70’s or 80’s as the general population seems to be of little concern. The perversion of homosexuality has moved from being tolerated by society, to gaining wide spread acceptance, to equality in some states, and now superiority. Constitutional freedoms of religion and speech are trumped by rights made up by legislation to allow the practice of sexual perversion with impunity.
We already have already seen from our previous study that God established marriage in Genesis 3 so only He can define it. We also saw from Ephesians 5 that marriage is to be a picture of Christ and the church, so any advocation for marriage to be between anything other than a man and a woman is a perverse evil. Those promoting such perversions need to repent and turn from their sin to the forgiveness and freedom from sin that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are in serious danger of the Lord turning away and leaving them condemned in their sin for eternity as explained in Romans 1:18-32.
God is also the only one that can define the role of the husband and the wife. Those advocating roles different from what He has declared are also promoting perversion and evil and need to repent. Sadly, there are many professing Christians that do not fulfill the role God has given them within marriage either due to ignorance, immaturity or selfishness. It is time for them to become wise, walk in maturity and become selfless in serving their spouse according to God’s design. While that will appear to be scary to some, it is the only way to glorify God and have a truly fulfilling marriage.
I already talked about the role of the wife a few weeks ago, so I will not repeat that here expect to encourage you to fulfill that role of being submissive to and respecting your husbands as is fitting in the Lord. If you were not here or don’t remember what was said, then get a copy of the audio or text versions of the sermon from either the website or ask for the CD or printed notes. Ladies, do not fall for or continue in the mindset of feminism that has had such a negative effect on our society. You can have a much better life and marriage by living it God’s way than their way. (See: The Role of the Wife)
This morning I am going to address the specific role of the husband in marriage, however everyone else also needs to pay attention. Wives need to know how to encourage their husbands to fulfill his role. Unmarried men need to know God’s expectations if they do get married. Unmarried women need to know what qualities they should be looking for in a husband if they get married.
The Role of Husbands
Paul makes two commands concerning husbands in verse 19. “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them.” There are additional instructions in other passages, some of which we will look at this morning, but these two are contrasting and all encompassing. If the husband will do these two things, then the commands to the wife will be easy for her to fulfill. It has been generally observed, and I think accurately, that what women desire the most is to be truly loved and what men want the most it to be genuinely respected. It is not hard for a woman to genuinely respect a man that truly loves her, and neither is it hard for a man to truly love a woman that genuinely respects him. Those are the very commands God gives to each to fulfill.
However, fighting against this happening in the marriage is the curse of sin. Men and women are both innately selfish so instead of giving of themselves freely, they seek to get from the other want they want. But true love cannot be gained by manipulation and neither can genuine respect be gained through oppression. Like two leeches they seek to gain life from the other but only manage to suck the life out of the marriage leaving a shell of what could and should have been. However, when a husband and wife set aside their old sinful ways and walk in the newness of life that comes with following Christ, then there is a basis for each to fulfill their God given roles within the marriage and God can be glorified in and through them. I cannot stress enough to you husbands that you must walk with Christ if you are to fulfill your role in your marriage.
Love. The first of Paul’s commands here is that you are to love your wife. This is not a reference to either being physically attracted to her or fond feeling of affection though both of those should also be part of a healthy marriage. The love commanded here is ajgapavw / agapaô, the love that arises from the will and sacrifices itself for the best interest of the one loved. This is the love Jesus has for us. This is the love that we are to have for one another. This is the love a man is to have for his wife. This love is contrary to the sinful bent of mankind because it seeks to give instead of get.
Ephesians 5:25-33 gives further description to this love. In that passage the husband is commanded three separate times to love his wife. Verse 25 commands, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” That is complete sacrifice. Until you have died in the place of your wife, you have not loved her to this extent. That means that every husband here today still has room to grow in his love for his wife.
Verses 28-29 commands and explains, “So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one every hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church.” Here there are two examples given. The first is to love her with the same consideration you give to yourself. Treat her with the same kind of care you give to your own body, and lets face it, everyone seeks to treat their body with the utmost care. Even when we vigorously exercise it is for the good purpose of keeping out body fit. It takes time, money and thoughtful planning to do all the things that are part of caring for our bodies – feeding it, cleaning it, exercising it, making it look good, health care for it and pampering it to make it comfortable. Husband, do you give that kind of consideration to your wife?
The second example is harder for Christ is the example and His care for the church is complete and sacrificial. His care for the church is actually better than our care for our own bodies because He does know what is best while we guess at that. Yet that is still the example set for a husband to follow in loving his wife.
Paul also points out the pragmatic aspect of this too. A husband is to care for his wife because she is part of him. We may not understand all of what it means in the quote from Genesis 2:24 repeated here in verse 31, but there is definitely some aspect in which the two individuals have become one flesh in marriage. In marriage he is part of her and she is part of him. So even from a more selfish point of view, for the man to love his wife is really to love himself – as Paul states at the end of verse 28.
Think about that a moment men. Is there anything that you could do for your wife that would not ultimately come back to you for your benefit? Certainly there are some exceptions in women that are so self-centered that they are not fit to live with, but in general, is it not true that if you treat your wife well, she will also treat you well? If you give consideration to her, she will also do the same for you. If you lead her in all godliness, she will be a more godly woman. If you love her as the scripture says here, she will be much more easily able to fulfill her role in submitting to your leadership and showing you respect. If you demonstrate sacrificial love to her, she is much more apt to sacrificially love you too.
Love your wife as Christ loved the church. Cherish her as you cherish your own body.
Paul’s third command to love your wife is in verse 33 – “Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself.” The arguments here are really the same. Everyone loves themselves. There is no lack and has never been a lack of self-esteem in the human race. Instead it is just the opposite. Humans are by nature self-centered and proud. We love ourselves. The Bible uses that fact as a prod to get us to understand that we need to love others. The general command given by Jesus in several different passages is that you are to love your neighbor as yourself. Here Paul applies that directly to every husband. You are to love your wife as you do yourself.
Let me now give you a couple of examples to prod your thinking about applying these commands in practical ways.
1) Your wife calls you to dinner and you find that she is actually serious about making the family diet more healthy, and if it tastes like it looks you will be losing a lot of weight very quickly. What is your reaction? A) Grateful for her service to you and care about your health, B) Irritated you didn’t get something you like C) Making plans to go out and get a burger later
2) You have been planning an event with your friends for sometime – fishing, hunting, watching an important game, etc. and when the day arrives your wife has the flu. She looks and feels like death warmed over. How do you feel about the prospect of staying home and taking care of her and the kids? A) What an opportunity to prove how much I love her. B) Why is God punishing me? C) Maybe her mother can come watch her and the kids?
3) Your busy reading the paper or watching your favorite sporting competition and your wife sits down and says, “honey, I have a problem.” Do you A) Get excited that she thinks so highly of you that she wants your help, B) Want her to go away and come again some other day, or C) Get a chill running down your spine that you could be in trouble?
4) You have listened to your wife’s problem and given her a very intelligent and logical solution, but she keeps talking about it. Do you think: A) Why doesn’t she just thank me and leave me alone now, B) Uh oh, she’s a bit dense today or C) Wow, this problem has really affected her. I wonder how else I can encourage her and let her know that I care?
Gentlemen, to love your wife the way Christ loved the church, to love her as your own body, to love her as you love yourself will require you to sacrifice yourself for her. Let me quickly add here that this includes the idea of protection. You place yourself in harm’s way in order to keep her safe. There is a price you will have to pay in order to love her in the manner God commands. You will have to be humble and learn to put her best interests over your own, but isn’t that what we are called to be as Christians anyway? Philippians 2:3,4 commands us to “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Not Embittered. Back in Colossians 3:19 we also find that Paul commands husbands to not be embittered against their wives. The word embittered is pikraivnw / pikrainô. The root of the word means to cut, prick due to being sharp, pointed. In reference to smell or taste it is disagreeably pungent. The word is used in Revelation 8:11 in reference to the waters being made bitter. It can also refer to a sour stomach as it does in Revelation 10 when John’s stomach was made bitter from the little scroll he ate. The noun form is used in James 3:11 as a contrast to sweet water, but more often the cognate forms are used metaphorically in reference to attitudes that are bitter, sharp, harsh, angry, jealous. Peter wept bitterly after denying the Lord (Matt. 26:75). Those lacking wisdom have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in their hearts (James 3:14). The unrighteous have mouths full of cursing and bitterness (Romans 3:14) and a root of bitterness causes trouble and defiles many (Hebrews 12:15).
Why would Paul have to warn husbands to not let such bitterness rise up in their lives against their wives? This command is the contrast to the command to love. If the husband and wife are properly fulfilling their roles he will not become bitter against her, but if either fail to do so, then bitterness could rise quickly. Paul’s command is to keep that from happening.
Even a man that generally does walk properly with the Lord can respond sharply to the wife he claims to love if he is caught off guard, over stressed or momentarily selfish. A man who is not diligent to walk with the Lord can easily turn against his wife and become harsh or even respond in anger if he is not getting what he wants. That can happen even when she is trying to do the right thing but is misunderstood, but it is nearly a given if she is disrespectful or he senses she is trying to manipulate him for her own advantage. Bitterness may be sharp, but it does not have to expend itself all at once like anger. It can also burn slowly over a long period which is why a root of bitterness can cause so much damage. It continues to fester and smolder for longer periods causing damage long after the initial spark that set the fire going has faded away. Such behavior ought not to be and so Paul warns against it. Love should and will prevent it, but at those points when love is lacking or he finds his wife especially irritating for whatever reason, he is to heed the caution and not allow bitterness into his life.
Paul contrasts wrong and right behavior and attitudes in Ephesians 4:31-32 saying, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Bitterness is an attitude and action of the old man and so it should be put away from you as you walk in the new man. It should not even show up in your speech much less your actions. You are not even to let an unwholesome word proceed from your mouth but only such words as are good for edification according to the need of the moment that it might give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:31). There is no room in the Christian husband’s life for jokes and comments that disparage his wife.
Peter’s command to husbands in 1 Peter 3:7 is helpful in preventing any bitterness from arising. “You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman’ and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” An “understanding way” is literally, “according to knowledge.” Your wife is to be your life study. Yes, she is very different from you because she thinks very differently than you. You both should praise God for that. It is your responsibility to study her and learn how she thinks, reasons and why she feels the way she feels. Her reasoning and emotions do not have to make sense to you, but you do need to strive to recognize them and respond accordingly. Too often men make it a one way street demanding their wives figure them out and change accordingly, but it is actually a two-way street with the greater responsibility placed upon the man. Older women are to teach the younger women how to love their husbands (Titus 2:3-5), so they do have a responsibility to learn about you, but the greater responsibility still lies on you men to do this. Why? Because you are the man and she is the woman who is a weaker vessel.
Feminists recoil at Peter’s statement here that women are weaker vessels and there is much debate about exactly what Peter means by the statement. However, Peter points this out as a reality and why men need to take on this responsibility. I do not think this is a reference to women being weaker physically. While women generally lack the upper body strength of a man, they often show much greater physical stamina. Hence the old adage that a man works from rising to setting sun, but a woman’s work is never done. Like the Eveready Battery Bunny she keeps going, and going, and going. Nor do I think that this refers to general intellectual ability since women often prove themselves to be equal to and sometimes even superior to men in various fields of study. My personal opinion, for which I think I can make a scriptural case, is that this refers to her emotional makeup which can lead her astray. Paul states in 1 Timothy 2:14 the reasons he did not allow women to teach or exercise authority over a man was the order of creation and that it was Eve that was deceived, not Adam.
The husband then needs to take on the responsibility to strive to understand his wife and live with her accordingly granting her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life. She is in no way his inferior. The husband and wife simply have different gifts and God given roles.
Leadership – There are a couple of other roles that husbands have in the marriage that I want to mention briefly this morning. The first is leadership. Ephesians 5:23 states, “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself [being] the Savior of the body.” 1 Corinthians 11:3 adds, “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.” The man has a responsibility to lead his wife as her head. This is not license for him to do anything he wants at her expense, but rather to take the responsibility to direct his family in the ways of the Lord, for Christ is his head. Men, you are under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and that is regardless of whether you even profess faith in Him or not. Notice in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that the statement that Christ is the head of every man is without qualification. The Lord Jesus is your creator and He will hold you accountable and judge you for how well you have followed His commands in leading your family. An additional sobering truth is that a leader has the responsibility for the decisions made in the family including those made by his wife or children.
That leadership will encompass many areas of life, but a primary one is leading in holiness. In Ephesians 5 the example of the love of Christ is that He sacrificed Himself for the church so that He might sanctify her. He wanted her to be all that she could and should be, without spot or wrinkle, being holy and blameless. Husbands are responsible to love their wives with the same goal in view. He is to lead her into holiness. Husband, what are you doing in lead your wife into holiness? The priorities and example of your life will answer that question – your own church involvement, personal Bible study, family devotions, personal integrity. All of these are part of it plus your encouragement for her to take the time and be involved in her own personal devotions and in ministry for the Lord.
Your example is even more important if your wife is not a Christian. Your walk with the Lord and how you treat her should do one of three things. 1) Attract her to salvation in Christ. 2) Drive her away because of her rejection of Christ – again be sure it is Christ in you that drives her away and not you! 3) She thinks you are a fanatic but she stays with you anyway because she knows no other man would treat her as well as you do.
Leadership also encompasses an element of protection from the physical danger and moral evils that exist all around us. Decisions regarding even things such as where you live, the jobs you do, the friends you keep, the activities you participate in, and even entertainment choices will have major influence on the way in which you live. If you do not lead your wife into holiness then you will be leading her away from it, and that will wear even on a godly woman. Protect her from evil influences by your godly leadership.
Provider. The last responsibility I want to mention this morning is being a provider. 1 Timothy 5:8 states, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household , he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever” The context of this verse encompasses not just your wife and children, but also widows in the extended family when necessary.
Providing is not about how much money you make, but rather about your own trust in the Lord to do things His way knowing that He is the one that actually provides. Jesus’ promise in Matthew 6:33 is crucial to being a godly provider – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” God will provide the food, shelter and clothing you need and by which you should be content if you put Him first. And remember that 1 Timothy 6:8 makes it clear that we can be content in just having food and covering. If these truths do not direct your efforts to provide, then you will be caught in the trap of materialism and coveting will lead you into all sorts of evils.
There are couples that live together but remain unmarried because it gives them a financial advantage in taxes or income. There are many more that purposely disobey God’s commandments and compromise their moral convictions in order to take or keep a job. There are even more that fail to keep the priorities God has set for the family in order to pursue gaining lots of stuff in the false belief that is what it means to be a man and provide. Men who work 60-70-80 hours per week consistently and unnecessarily and often have their wife working too in order to have a big home, luxury cars, fancy meals, exotic vacations and lots of toys and gadgets. What your wife and children need is you, not the abundance of stuff you can provide. Live in a smaller home with less stuff, drive an older car, eat simply and provide your wife and family with what they really need – your sacrificial love, time and godly leadership. That is the true role of a husband.
KIDS CORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help.
Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Write down all the verses mentioned in the sermon and look them up later. 2) Count how many times “husband” is used. Discuss with your parents the role of a husband in marriage and how it can be carried out.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. Why are our family and work relationships dependent upon living as those who are raised up with Christ? How should a person live on earth if they are looking forward to Christ’s return and the new heavens and earth? What are some of the activities and attitudes we are to put aside when you become a Christian? What are some of the activities and attitudes you should put on when you become a Christian? Why is marriage so important? Who defines marriage and what is that definition? What can be said about any attempt to change that definition? What is the role of the wife in marriage? What will be the response of most women if they know their husband truly loves her? What will be the response of most men if they know their wife respects him and willing follows his leadership? How effect does the curse of sin have upon marriage and why? What kind of love is the husband to have for his wife? Examine Ephesians 5:25-33 and explain the three commands & examples concerning how a husband is to love his wife? How should a husband respond to his wife when she does not fulfill his expectations / desires? Why? What is the purpose of marriage according to Ephesians 5? Why does Paul command husbands not to be embittered toward their wives? What are the sources for such bitterness? 1 Peter 3:7 commands husbands to live with their wives in an understanding way – according to knowledge. What does this mean in practical application? What does it mean that the wife is a “weaker vessel”? How should the husband grant her honor? A husband is to lead his wife as her head – what does that mean in practical terms? Whose authority is the man under? Holiness is a key area of leadership according to Ephesians 5:25-33. Give some practical ways in which a man can lead his wife in holiness and dangers from which he should protect her. A man is also to provide for his family – 1 Timothy 5:8 – while that includes the material needs of life, why is provision more about trusting God than about how much money you make? What are the dangers of materialism in seeking to provide? What is more important to your wife than material goods and comforts? What are the most important things a godly husband can provide?
Sermon Notes – 3/20/2011
The Role of the Husband – Colossians 3:19
Introduction
Our relationships with one another are dependent on living as those who have been raised up with _____
Put off the _____________ and his ways – Colossians 3:5-11
Put on the ______________and his ways – Colossians 3:12-17
Colossians 3:18-4:1 – family and work _________________
The Importance of Marriage
_________________ is the foundation of the family and of society
The quest for _________________ fulfillment is antagonistic to godliness and detrimental to society
_________established marriage (Genesis 3), only He can define it and the roles of the husband and wife
The Role of Husbands
If a husband will ________ his wife it makes it easy for her to respect and submit to him and vica versa
The curse of sin and its innate ____________makes it difficult for husband and wife to fulfill their roles
Love – ajgapavw / agapaô – the love that arises from the will and ___________itself for the good of the other
Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands, love your wives just as _______also loved the church and gave Himself up for her
Ephesians 5:28-29 – So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own ___________
The love a husband gives to his wife will be to his own _____________
Ephesians 5:33 – each husband is to love his own wife even as ____________
To love your wife as God commands will require _____________ on your part
Not Embittered – pikraivnw / pikrainô – disagreeable, harsh, ____________ , angry, jealous.
This command is a contrast to love – and is applied when the proper roles are _______ being fulfilled.
A husband who does not love, even momentarily, can become selfishly ___________or be provoked to it
Ephesians 4:31-32 – bitterness is part of the old life that is to be ____________
1 Peter 3:7 – “live with her according to knowledge” – your wife is to be your life ____________
Titus 2:3-5 – older women are to teach younger women how to __________ their husbands
Women are declared to be a “weaker vessel” – most likely a reference to her _____________ makeup
The husband is to grant her ___________ – being a “weaker vessel” is not being inferior
Leadership – Ephesians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 11:3
The husband has a responsibility to __________ his wife as her head
All men are under the authority of and accountable to the _______Jesus Christ – including non-Christians
A leader is responsible for ________decisions made under him – including those of his wife and children
A primary role of leading is to direct the wife and family to ___________- Ephesians 5:23-24
The _______________ of an unequally yoked husband is even more critical
Leadership also encompasses responsibility for ____________ from physical danger and moral evils.
Provider – 1 Timothy 5:8
Provision is more about trusting the ___________- Matthew 6:33 – than how much money you make
1 Timothy 6:8 – we are to be ____________with just food and covering.
The quest to provide material things can become the trap of materialism and ____________
Disobedience to God’s commands or failure to keep His priorities only leads to ______________
What your wife and family needs is _________, not the abundance of stuff you can provide.
______your wife sacrificially, give her your time and godly leadership – that is the true role of a husband
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