Colossians 3:18–4:1 (ESV)
Rules for Christian Households
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands,
love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers,
do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For
the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
4 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing
that you also have a Master in heaven.
I find it interesting that women are
to submit to their husbands and husbands are to love their wives. What I find interesting is nowhere in the bible are women commanded to love their husbands. I hear many wives claiming that they are filing for divorce because they don’t love
him anymore. Well, unfortunately… love was never a requirement. But if the husband loves his wife as Christ loved the church, she most likely would love him too. When love fails, unfortunately… that falls on the man. These
are tough words. The Lutheran Study Bible states: “People have to work together. But the heart of the old nature is to seek personal advantage, which causes frustration, resentment, and violence. Paul urges us to resist this temptation, no matter
what our calling in life may be. Resistance becomes a reality when we live by faith “in the Son of God, who loved [us] and gave Himself for [us]” (Gal 2:20). In Christ, we know that we will not miss out on anything.”
I pray: “Lord, lead us to spend our lives in loving service for You and others, for You have so dearly
loved us. Amen.”[1]