Husband's Love

Dear Victorious,

I know the Bible says that the husband is supposed to love the life "like Christ loved the church." What exactly does this mean? (It sounds pretty vague and ambiguous if you ask me.) And how then should the wife love the husband?

Kyle H. - Albuquerque, NM

Dear Kyle,

It would only sound vague and ambiguous to someone who is know familiar with how Christ loved the church. The story of Christ is told in exhausting detail in the Bible. You need only read it to become informed of the facts. Then we need only look at that example to see what we should do as husbands.

So what does it mean for a husband to love his wife "as Christ loved the church?" Basically it means that he is to love her sacrificially. He is expected to make extreme sacrifices for her long term benefit. The husband is to offer forgiveness to the wife - every time for every thing. In fact, he should already plan to offer forgiveness even before she offends him (and she will). The husband should offer grace to the wife in every situation, help when help is needed. Simply put, his love for his wife should make her a better person. The husband is to bring out the best in his wife.

If you think about it (and I didn't invent this train of thought), we as Christians didn't love Christ first. He loved us first, and we simply respond to His love. That's how the wife is to love her husband. She responds to his love for her. In other words, she loves him because he first loves her.