Battling Change

Talking to a spouse about an object of interest can be a request for a response. Researchers at the University of Washington found that spouses who responded positively toward these requests 87 percent of the time were still married after six years. In contrast, those who responded positively only 33 percent of the time were divorced by the sixth year.

God designed that marriage would be a union of love. However, there was a noticeable change in Adam and Eve’s relationship after they disobeyed God. Before they sinned, Adam dwelt on the unity in the relationship when he spoke of Eve: He said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23).

After sin came in, Adam blamed Eve for his disobedience—showing that he was ready to ignore their unity. At that point, God stepped in to provide a principle that had the potential of alleviating some of the tension in the marriage.

He told Eve, “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16). Although many regard this as a curse, it is important to note that the only thing that God actually cursed immediately after the entrance of sin was the ground. This suggests that God was providing a way for the couple to retain unity.

Other parts of the Bible, such as Ephesians 5, explain that this submission involves respect and occurs in a relationship in which the husband loves the wife. When other passages are brought to bear on God’s principle of submission, it shows that He was not promoting the abuses that merely perpetuate the selfishness that began with sin.

Apply It:

Learn a new way to show love and respect in your family.

Dig Deeper:

Song of Solomon 7:10; Colossians 3:18, 19; Ephesians 5:22–32

Key Bible Texts

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. (Ephesians 5:33 KJV)