Sunday I preached about marriage using Paul’s exhortations to the entire household of those who love and follow Christ.

God has a special word for husbands. He wants husbands to reflect the image of Christ as they live out their faith.

“Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh to them” (Colossians 3:19)./blockquote>

You may recall that in Ephesians Paul called for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25). The Greek word for love in this context is the word Agape, a word referring to unconditional love. The word carries the connotation of seeking the very best for the person you love.

From this definition you can probably surmise that this word was used only rarely in Greek society. But Agape is the word used throughout the New Testament. It is God’s kind of love, and it is how God tells husbands to love their wives.

Agape is an action word. It is not how you feel, but it is what you do.

This is how a believing husband should love his wife.

But Paul goes further. He also tells husbands not to be harsh with their wives. This teaching as well was unheard of in the First Century A.D.

Men of that day as well as in our day seem to have a propensity to being harsh. God gave specific instructions in this regard. Love your wife by not being harsh.

Finally, Paul emphasized that husbands should live sacrificially for their wives. They should give of themselves.

None of these ideas fit the world of Paul’s day. When Christ came, He turned the world and its way of thinking upside down.

Because those early believers lived radically for righteousness, much of paganism came to faith in Christ. If we live in obedience and faith, we will see that same kind of change.

Tomorrow at waylonbailey.com: “How Wives Love Their Husbands”