That’s right. Yesterday we took out the garbage, today we are going to get the Jesus answer to the question:

What Does it Look Like for a Husband to Live Out Ephesians 5:25-23?

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

In this scripture, there is no coincidence that the word love appears 7 times. It’s Perfect. 

“Husbands, love your wives”
“Christ loved the church”
“husbands ought to love their wives”
“He who loves his wife”
“loves himself”
“must love his wife”
“as he loves himself”

Paul directs Christ-like love that prioritizes GIVING sacrificial love, thriving in unity and connection. The passage commands husbands to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Paul uses the body as an illustration comparison as how the husband cares for his body is how he cares for his wife. This is the Hope Paul gives us:

Love Sacrificially – “Love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”

Jesus – Gave us his sacrificial love, not authority and control. 

Husband – Gives sacrificial love by stepping into the trenches of family life and does not expect his wife to carry the burdens alone.

Seek Her Thriving – “Christ loved the church to make her holy and radiant.”

Jesus – Gave rather than dominate.

Husband – Is humble and repentant, takes initiative and uses influence to give, not control.  

Love Your Own Body – “He who loves his wife loves himself.”

Jesus – Christians are described as members of His body. Christ nourishes, sustains, and cares for them the way a person cares for their own physical body. 

Husband – Understands he is one flesh with his wife. Harming her means harming himself and or his own body. A husband is attentive to her needs, sharing in the burdens of life, and is consistent in affection and admiration for her. 

Teamwork and Unity – “He who loves his wife loves himself.” 

Jesus – Sees the people as His own body. Because we are joined in Him, Jesus does not separate us from Him. He is caring for what is joined Him. We are ONE with Him. 

Husband – Through teamwork and unity the Husband joins his wife, caring for her as he would care for his own body, working TOGETHER as a couple to be ONE.

Connection – “must love his wife as he loves himself”

Jesus – Jesus expressed his love through self sacrifice by giving of himself  (his life) for another. Jesus treats His people with dignity and purpose and brings them into a relationship with Him. 

Husband – Emotions are the main building block of intimacy. Husbands recognize their own emotional maturity and observe, witness, and practice becoming emotionally aware of their wives’ emotions TOGETHER in a relationship as a couple.  

A husband lives out Ephesians 5:25–33 by following the example of Jesus. He loves his wife with sacrificial devotion—nurturing and seeking her prosperity in thriving, caring for her as his own body, and walking with her in unity and connection so that their marriage reflects the life-giving love of Jesus.