Warning to Remain Faithful
Part 1—To Husbands

 

Below is a list of list warnings written in the New Testament for the husband to consider and overcome in order to have a victorious walk with Christ Jesus, and to be a spiritual blessing to his family and a good example to his community:

The New Testament provides several warnings and exhortations for husbands, aiming to help them navigate their roles in marriage and their relationship with Christ. These warnings are designed to prevent behaviors that could hinder their spiritual growth, damage their marriages, or tarnish their witness. Here is a list of key warnings and principles directed toward husbands, drawn from the New Testament, to guide them in having a victorious walk with Christ:

1. Warning Against Being Harsh or Overbearing

• Colossians 3:19: “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”
• Ephesians 5:28-29: “In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church…”
• 1 Peter 3:7: “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

Explanation: Husbands are warned against being harsh or unloving toward their wives. Christ’s love for the church is the model for how husbands are to treat their wives—sacrificially, gently, and with great care. A harsh or domineering approach can create division and hinder a husband’s relationship with God, as it impedes spiritual harmony in the home.

2. Warning Against Lack of Understanding and Consideration

• 1 Peter 3:7: “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
• Ephesians 5:28-29: “In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies… they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church.”

Explanation: Husbands are called to be understanding and considerate toward their wives, acknowledging their emotional and physical needs, and recognizing their equal worth as heirs of God’s grace. Failing to do so could result in spiritual barriers, specifically hindering the husband’s prayers.

3. Warning Against Loving the World More Than God

• 1 John 2:15-16: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
• Luke 16:13: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”

Explanation: Husbands, like all believers, are warned against being entangled in worldly desires and materialism. If a husband prioritizes worldly success, possessions, or status over his relationship with God, it can deeply affect his marriage and his spiritual walk. A divided heart leads to spiritual and marital instability.

4. Warning Against Being Selfish or Self-Centered

• Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
• Ephesians 5:25-28: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her… In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.”

Explanation: Selfishness is a serious spiritual danger. Husbands are called to model Christ’s sacrificial love, which is always others-centered. A husband who is selfish or self-absorbed will not lead his family well or honor God in his role as a husband. Selfishness prevents sacrificial love and the building of a godly home.

5. Warning Against Neglecting the Spiritual Leadership of the Home

• Ephesians 5:23: “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.”
• 1 Corinthians 11:3: “But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”
• Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (applied to Christian context): “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Explanation: Husbands are responsible for the spiritual leadership of their homes, guiding their families in faith, prayer, and the teachings of Scripture. Neglecting this role leads to spiritual dysfunction in the family and can cause both the wife and children to stumble. Spiritual leadership is not about domination but about loving guidance, care, and responsibility.

6. Warning Against Provoking or Exasperating the Wife

• Colossians 3:21: “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” (Though this is directed toward fathers, the principle applies to husbands as well.)
• Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

Explanation: Though this verse addresses fathers in particular, the principle applies to husbands as well, warning against behavior that provokes, discourages, or embitterments the wife. Husbands should seek to create a peaceful, loving environment where their wives feel supported, rather than criticized or demoralized.

7. Warning Against Being Quick to Anger

• James 1:19-20: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
• Proverbs 14:29: “Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”

Explanation: Husbands are warned against being quick-tempered or easily angered, as it undermines both their marriage and their Christian walk. A man who frequently acts out of anger is not reflecting Christ’s patience, love, or gentleness. Anger tends to escalate conflict, rather than resolving it, and prevents reconciliation and peace.

8. Warning Against Disregarding the Needs of the Wife

• 1 Peter 3:7: “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
• Ephesians 5:28-29: “In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”

Explanation: Husbands must be attentive to the needs—emotional, spiritual, and physical—of their wives. Ignoring or neglecting these needs can lead to bitterness, discontentment, and brokenness in the marriage. Christ nurtures and cares for His Church, and husbands are to do the same for their wives. This includes both active love and attentive care.

9. Warning Against Spiritual Indifference or Laziness

• Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of the Talents): “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.'”
• 1 Timothy 5:8: “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Explanation: Spiritual indifference can take the form of neglecting one’s duty to provide for the family, whether emotionally, physically, or spiritually. A husband who is indifferent or lazy in his responsibility to lead his family spiritually and provide for them is failing to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel.

10. Warning Against Adultery and Sexual Immorality

• Matthew 5:27-28: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
• 1 Corinthians 6:18-20: “Flee from sexual immorality… Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

Explanation: Husbands are warned to flee from any form of sexual immorality, which includes adultery, lust, and pornography. Sexual sin is a serious issue in the New Testament and can severely damage a marriage, a family, and one’s relationship with Christ.

Purity is crucial for a victorious walk with Christ and a healthy, loving marriage.

Conclusion

The New Testament contains many warnings for husbands about how to live out their calling in marriage and their relationship with Christ. These warnings emphasize love, understanding, humility, spiritual leadership, and purity. Husbands are called to reflect Christ in their marriage, sacrificing for their wives, leading with grace, and cultivating an environment of respect and love. By adhering to these principles, husbands can experience a victorious walk with Christ and a flourishing, godly marriage.

 

Outline above compliments of ChatGPT.com

 

For further investigation: Check out:

1. warning-to-remain-faithful-part-1-husbands
2. warning-to-remain-faithful-part-2-wives
3. warning-to-remain-faithful-part-3-elders-deacons