The “Vision” of Ephesians 5:25

The thing about Ephesians 5:25 that most men struggle with is that “vision” of what laying out life down for our wives as Christ did the church. So many men will tell me they will take a bullet for their wives. Reality is, that is not what God is implying.

Being male – our nature is compiled of carnal sins. These are the sins that kept the Israelites out of Canaan. Lust, greed, sloth, etc . So in our roles to become Christlike men, we must “die” to these flesh needs. – This is what God is asking us to do. As a “man” we must come to realize that we try to fill our needs in worldy ways – instant gratification. But we know when Christ went to the Cross for you, He had no idea if you would accept His message – there was no instant gratification for Christ. God told him, He must do this so He did. Just as God asks, and I say “asks” because you do have a choice (free will), you go to the Cross for your wife. You have no idea if your Wife will respond back. No idea if she will open her heart back up to you. No idea if she will forgive you. Christ went first with the faith that you will receive His message. You must go first and have faith that your Wife will receive your message. And the reality is, she may not because just like you, she has free will. So when you say you are not sure if you should continue to pursue her, I infer you are not getting the response you want or expect and are getting frustrated. – And to this emotion, you must die. Your wife will sense this. For most of the men that actually do win their wives hearts back – consistency is the number one factor that helped them succeed.

If you have a chance, I have a literal translation of the verse 25-33 on my website www.ephesians525.org. I believe the KJV says wives should reverence their husbands. First the word reverance was not “invented ” until the late 1300’s. Everytime God tells a man how to love his wife, He uses the Greek word AGAPE. Agape is defined as unconditional sacrificial love. When God tells a wife to love her husband, He uses the Greek word Philias – which is a conditional love. (this is consistent through out the Bible – not just in Ephesians). So God is telling the wife, “if” the husband does verse 25-32, then he has earned her love and she should respond with that conditional love. So as we always say, the wife is the responder. So at this point – if you have not presented your wife washed by the Word, Holy and unblemished, she is not called to respond back with love to you. See how that unfortunately ties back to male frustration because you are not getting the response and gratification you expect?

In His service…. TimothyPaul

Timothy Paul