The Responsibilities of a Christian Wife/Mother.

1) Submit Eph. 5:18-33; Col. 3:18; 1 Pet. 3:1-6

2) Support Prov. 31:10-31

3) Stabilize 1 Pet. 3:4-6

4) Socialize Titus 2:3-5

Role / functions of a wife

1: Be a helper to your husband. While all of us are called to be helpers to others, the Bible places a special emphasis on this responsibility for wives. Genesis tells us that God realized it wasn’t good for man to be alone, and that He decided to make a “helper suitable for him” (Gen. 2:18). It is interesting to note that the Hebrew meaning of the word helper in this passage is found in the Bible to refer only to God as He helps us. The fact that this same word is applied to a wife signifies that we women have been given tremendous power for good in our husbands’ lives. God has designed wives to help their husbands become all that God intends for them to be.

A godly wife is a woman of faith, virtue, intelligence and beauty. A virtuous woman is not ignorant or slothful, but an enterprising leader, using time, talent and abilities for the good of the family and community.

2. Respect your husband. In Ephesians 5:33, Paul says, ” … the wife must respect her husband.” When you respect your husband you reverence him, notice him, regard him, honour him, prefer him, and esteem him. It means valuing his opinion, admiring his wisdom and character, appreciating his commitment to you, and considering his needs and values.

3: Love your husband. Titus 2:4 calls for wives “to love their husbands.” A good description of the kind of love your husband needs is “unconditional acceptance.” In other words, accept your husband just as he is—an imperfect person. Love also means being committed to a mutually fulfilling sexual relationship.

There is a whole lot more to love than sex, but we are looking at how to fulfil God’s command to love our husbands. Therefore, we must look at love from their perspective, not just our own. Surveys show that sex is one of a man’s most important needs—if not the most important. When a wife resists intimacy, is uninterested, or is only passively interested, her husband may feel rejection. It will cut at his self-image, tear at him to the very centre of his being, and create isolation.

She is to meet his sexual needs and to protect him from temptation to have a sexual affair. Likewise, she abstains from things that might lead her to be physically attracted to someone other than her husband.

4: Submit to the leadership of your husband. Misconceptions: Some husbands and wives actually believe submission indicates that women are inferior to men in some way. Others fear (some with good reason) that submission leads to being used or abused. Another misconception is that submission means blind obedience on the part of the woman. What does God have in mind? Colossians 3:18-19; Ephesians 5:22-30. These Scriptures make it clear that a wife should submit voluntarily to her husband’s sensitive and loving leadership. Building oneness in marriage works best when both spouses choose to fulfil their responsibilities voluntarily, with no pressure or coercion. When you entrust your life to the Father, it’s much easier to be the wife of an imperfect man, particularly when you may have disagreements.

Loving, forgiving, and submitting do not mean that you become a doormat or indefinitely tolerate significantly destructive behaviour.

Proverbs 31:10-31 gives four roles for a woman. These roles apply perfectly to the marriage relationship. Many may disagree with these roles, but it is clear that this was God’s plan for wives.

5. The wife is to be discrete.

Proverbs 31:10-12 says a woman’s virtue and discretion is priceless (See also 1 Timothy 5:11-14; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:1-4). She keeps the secret details of her intimate family life separate from others. She is devoted to bring good to her husband and does not gossip to others about him. She shares her heart with him as he does with her. This verbal intimacy and private time develops a deep trust and strengthens their bond to one another.

6. The wife is to be the keeper of the home. (1 Corinthians 1:1-16; 1 Timothy 2:12-14; Ephesians 5:22-32). Keeping of the home includes normal household duties such as cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, decorating, and managing household affairs in addition to other things. This is not to say that the husband cannot do any of these things and should not help where needed, but God has given this role to the wife. When a wife keeps a home, it creates an environment to which her husband can come home and share time with his wife. It also creates an environment where children can be raised with structure and order. This helps establish the family dynamic as one that is devoted to loving and supporting each other and establishing a family way of doing things that is in keeping with God’s charge of how to raise children and run a home.

7. She is a facilitator:

The role she plays is also a pivotal one between the father and the children; and at times requires the gift of mediation to help facilitate communication and good will, especially with adolescents.

8. She ministers to her husband:

Incorporated in the wife’s role in a Christian marriage is not only the ability to properly manage the household, but primarily to minister to her own husband. A wife has the God-given power to make or break a man. By understanding a man’s need for intimacy and acceptance, a godly wife can help the husband become all that God intended for him to be.

9. The wife is to be a Spiritual minded.

Although the husband must provide for the wife’s Spiritual needs, she must develop a close relationship with Jesus Christ so that she can model Christ. When a wife strives to model Christ, she influences her husband with her Godly behaviour (Romans 12:18-21; 1 Corinthians 7:13-17; 1 Peter 3:1-6). As she fulfils her role motivated by her love of Christ, she demonstrates reverence for her husband and sets a Christ like example for her children.

When genuine love and respect prevail in a marriage, the husband and wife learn much from each other. Each brings strengths into the relationship. For example, wives often excel in relationship- related needs. Husbands often have a strong orientation toward problem solving.

Husbands and wives who become aware early in their marriage that each brings strengths to some aspects of their relationship and discuss how they together can use those strengths to their mutual advantage gain the most from His instructions.