The Husband's Role in Marriage: Dwell With Understanding and Honor
"Your wife is a daughter of God. Dwell with her according to knowledge, give her honor, and your prayers will not be hindered."
We are in a series on marriage. We began by saying that marriage outside the Lord is sin. Then we looked at the role of the wife. Today we come to the role of the husband.
"Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered" (1 Peter 3:7).
Freedom Means Choices
God has given us freedom, and freedom means choices. Right choices bring blessing. Wrong choices bring a curse and problems. Everyone has a mountain in front of them. Change yourself first, and you will see your circumstances begin to change.
Carry Your Own Load
"For every man shall bear his own burden" (Galatians 6:5). Don't look at another man's cross and think yours is heavier. Pick up your own load and carry it. And don't compare your life with someone else's.
Don't React. Be Proactive.
When you are irritated, don't react. Make a plan. Fix your prayer life and your devotion. Men tend to keep things inside and suffer inside. That is why men need good leadership and need to learn to lead.
Men, Do Not Abuse Women
I want to say this clearly to the boys and men. Respect women. Do not abuse them. Don't carry your frustration from outside and take it out at home. Your wife is a daughter of God. Peter calls her the weaker vessel, and that means she is to be protected, not hurt.
I ask every man to make a covenant before God: I will not abuse a woman. I will honor my wife. I will give her space.
What 1 Peter 3:7 Asks of a Husband
Dwell With Understanding
To dwell according to knowledge is to have the wisdom to lead. It means you know your wife, you understand her, and you lead with that understanding.
Give Honor
Honor is not just a feeling. It is how you speak to her and about her, in private and in public.
Remember You Are Heirs Together
She is a co-heir of the grace of life. You are walking toward the same inheritance.
That Your Prayers Be Not Hindered
This is serious. If you hurt your wife, your prayers are blocked. You cannot pray your way out of a problem while you are wounding the person God gave you.
Give Your Wife Space
Give your wife space for her own devotion and for rest. And be present yourself. If a man is married and still lonely, what was the point of marrying?
The Family Table
My father insisted that our family eat together. Life has a way of coming back around, and today I see the value of what he did. A family meal is a celebration. You pray over the food, you have family devotion, and you catch up with one another.
There is a well-known story of a simple fisherman who chose time with his family over chasing more and more. Less food with love and joy is more fulfilling than plenty without them.
Real marriage is the union of two lives, not a ritual. And nothing in life is neutral. Every habit in your home is either building it or breaking it.
Prepare Before Marriage
Marriage is not a reformation center. Settle your character and your emotional stability before you marry.
Joseph prepared in the good years for the bad years (Genesis 41). A man must think ahead like that.
Work With Your Hands
We pray, "establish thou the work of our hands upon us" (Psalm 90:17). For God to bless the work of your hands, there has to be work in your hands. Every man has a unique grace. Some work with the mind, others with labor. Some are gifted in administration, some in service, some in technical work. Find your grace and develop it.
Firm Yet Gentle
A man's ego can be big. Learn to be firm yet gentle. A house with daily fighting has no blessing in it. A man also needs a passion, a dream, something God has put in him to pursue.
Godly Men Build Godly Homes
The kingdom of God and the church depend on godly men. A good home is one where the wife is happy, the children are happy and even the grandchildren are happy.
This is not a full stop. It is a comma. We will continue with the men next week.
The Marriage in the Lord Series
This is Part 3 of a 9-part teaching on marriage in the Lord. Here is the full series in order:
Part 1: Marry Only in the Lord: Why Your Marriage Covenant Shapes Your Destiny
Part 2: The Wife's Role in Marriage: Helper, Glory and Keeper of the Home
Part 3: The Husband's Role in Marriage: Dwell With Understanding and Honor (you are here)
Part 4: Becoming Ready for Marriage: Leave, Cleave and Choose Wisely
Part 5: The Family God Builds: A Man's Calling as Leader, Lover and Protector
Part 6: Love Her as Christ Loved the Church: The Husband as Priest, Teacher and Provider
Part 7: How to Make Your Marriage Blessed: Fear God and Keep His Word
Part 8: What God Has Joined: Faithfulness, Agreement and a Godly Seed
Part 9: Pursue Peace in Your Marriage: Recognizing and Breaking Toxic Patterns
Previous: Part 2: The Wife's Role
More Teaching Series
The Mystery of Open and Closed Doors: Start with Part 1: The Stealer of Joy
The Decision Series: Start with Part 1: Why Decisions Matter
The Lordship Series: Start with Part 1: Is Jesus Your Lord or Only Your Savior?
Declarations
I will dwell with my wife according to knowledge.
I will honor my wife in private and in public.
I will never abuse a woman, and I will not take my frustration out at home.
My wife and I are heirs together of the grace of life.
My prayers will not be hindered.
I will work with my hands, and God will establish the work of my hands.
I will be firm yet gentle.
Stay Connected & Grow Deeper
Watch the full message: Part 3 of the Marriage in the Lord series on YouTube. Please note that the message is preached in Hindi.
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💬 Leave a comment below: Husbands, which part of 1 Peter 3:7 is God speaking to you about? Share it below.
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