Family Catechesis—God’s Word to Husbands
To Husbands
Ephesians 5:25–33 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved 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 their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself.”
Other Scriptures To Husbands
1 Peter 3:7 “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving 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 hindered.”
Colossians 3:19 “Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.”
Summary Words To Husbands
Love
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Sanctify
1 Timothy 4:4–5 “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
Cleanse
Matthew 8:2–3 “And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”
Titus 2:14 “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
Hebrews 9:14 “how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Acts 11:9 “But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’”
2 Corinthians 7:1 “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Nourish
Ephesians 5:29 “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.”
Ephesians 6:4 “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”
Cherish
Ephesians 5:29 “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
1 Thessalonians 2:1–8 “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.”
Understanding
Luke 11:52 ““Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.””
Romans 15:14 “Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”
1 Peter 3:7 “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving 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 hindered.”
Honor
1 Timothy 5:17 “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.”
Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;”
Romans 13:7 “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.”
1 Thessalonians 4:4 “that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,”
1 Timothy 1:17 “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Timothy 6:1 “Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.”
Hebrews 2:9 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”
1 Peter 3:7 “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving 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 hindered.”
Not Bitter
Revelation 8:11 “The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.”
Revelation 10:9–10 “So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.”
Colossians 3:19 “Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.”
Romans 3:10–14 “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.””
Ephesians 4:31 “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”
Hebrews 12:14–15 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;”
A Husband’s Prayer
Almighty, gracious God, who instituted the holy estate of marriage, and by the first sign of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, honored and adorned it as an estate pleasing to You, and in which many holy patriarchs and prophets lived godly lives and were pleasing to You. Because You have brought me to holy matrimony, ordained me to the management of a household, and take a special pleasure in three things, namely, when brothers agree, and neighbors love each other, and man and wife live well together. Therefore, I beseech You from the depths of my heart to grant that I may dwell together with my wife in Christian love and unity with discernment, knowing that she is the weaker vessel. Give her due honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, and lead her, our children, and our household to the knowledge of You, and godly honor in all propriety and decency. To that end, grant grace that she may follow and submit to me in every good thing, and to all godliness. Preserve our marriage from the demons, that no division or conflict may come between us, and if we should be overtaken in our weakness and fall into dispute, grant that we may be quickly reconciled. Grant me grace that I may not covet the wife of any other, nor look lustfully upon her to desire her. Preserve me, my wife, children, and household from sickness according to Your will. Grant that as Your servant, I may attend diligently to my calling, eat my bread by the sweat of my brow, and not be aggravated by the heaviness of the toil, since You have made it so. Bestow success and health on my living, that it may be increased by Your blessing without harm or disadvantage to others. Grant me godly servants and faithful workers. Preserve my house and home, and all that You have given me. Help us patiently to bear the cross in our estate, and after this life, gather us together with all godly spouses in Your Kingdom. Amen.
Prayer of a Husband Who Has a Bad Wife
Lord God, Heavenly Father, I know and am assured that this estate in which You have placed me is pleasing to You, and that all that I do and suffer for You in this estate and vocation is an acceptable offering to You because of Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, my Redeemer and Savior, whom I honor, love, and confess. You see what sorrow and misery I am in, and that my peril is so great that no human help can deliver me. I, a poor and afflicted husband, regret to say that I have an unhappy marriage with my wife because of her stubbornness, disobedience, wickedness, and lack of diligence in the management of the household, and it is difficult beyond measure for me in such an existence to live and dwell together with my spouse at length, because I do not have a happy, restful, or peaceful hour with her, and am concerned that my entire household will collapse and be destroyed by this. Therefore, in my distress, I call to You with a troubled heart and cry to You with a voice of supplication that You would take necessary fatherly and gracious regard for this matter, bring timely resolution, and grant my wife grace and spirit to live together with me in a Christian manner, with true sense and understanding, to be always kind, patient, and gentle with me, to have genuine appreciation and fondness for me, and not to be so contrary, stern, and serious with me, that the evil foe may be given no cause or impulse to work any more disunity and discord between us, by which we are hindered in our prayers, and therefore in the blessing and prosperous welfare of body and soul. O Lord, teach us to act according to Your will, and let Your good Spirit lead us on the even way, that we may walk in true, unfeigned, marital love, and especially pursue the laudable virtue of domestic harmony, overlook each other’s faults, and yield to one another, that we may finish our lives in good peace and worthy happiness until we relinquish our marital estate in this world, and live forever with You in the heavenly Kingdom hereafter, and be able to extol and magnify Your wondrous works of majesty. Amen.
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