How Have a Biblical Marriage with Mutual Respect
Learn how to have a Biblical marriage based on scripture but where both the wife AND the husband treat each other with mutual respect.
Hey y’all, Tiffany here.
I once heard it said that the first year of marriage is always the most difficult. I always thought it meant my husband and I would argue with each other over where to squeeze the tube of toothpaste (from the end, duh), or which direction the toilet paper roll should go (over the top – always).
While my husband and I have certainly had some squabbles over him eating the last of my favorite cereal (do NOT touch my Cinnamon Toast Crunch!), I never dreamed the biggest fight would be in would be the fight for my life, not one to save my marriage.
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease a couple of years before my husband and I were married. At the time, it was well-managed and caused me very few problems. I thought that as long as I took my medicine, it would be fine.
I quickly learned otherwise – I was hospitalized 13 times in our first 9 months of marriage, and in 35+ times in the last seven.
5 Ways to Have a Biblical Marriage With Mutual Respect
Needless to say, our seven years of marriage together have been anything but normal! However, looking back, we wouldn’t change it for anything. There have been some hard, hard times, but they’ve made us stronger: both individually and as a couple.
Read also: 4 Key Lessons From Health Issues in Marriage
I was so worried those first few months when it became apparent that my health had taken a permanent turn for the worst: worried that my husband would say, “Psh, this isn’t what I signed up for! See ya!” and walk out the door. On the contrary: he has never once complained. Not one single time. He hasn’t been resentful or blamed me……ever.
Instead, he and I have allowed these difficulties bring us closer together and help us grow. We’re at the point that we wouldn’t change a thing, even if we could. While it is still hard (after all, there is no cure for Crohn’s), we’ve learned a few things along the way that make these challenges a blessing as opposed to a stumbling block.
Put God first in a Biblical marriage
When we were married, we made covenants with each other and with God. The three of us form a triangle, with Lord at the top.
As we get closer to Him, we also get closer to one another. When we keep our covenants, it makes our covenants with each other stronger.
With everything we go through, it gets easy to get caught up in doctors, work, school, caring for children – life gets busy. However, when we take the time to truly have God in our lives and have Him first, then the rest fits in.
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
You may also want to check out this post with 15 Tips for a Healthy & Successful Marriage.
Let God teach your spouse in a Biblical marriage
When we were first married, my husband inadvertently said something that hurt my feelings on our way to my parents’ house for dinner. When I showed up with red eyes, my father asked me if I was okay.
Before I continue this story, I should mention that my parents probably like my husband even more than they like me!
I tried to brush it off by saying something flippant, “Oh, I just haven’t trained Phillip how to talk to his wife the right way yet.”
Note: I almost never say things like this. I strongly feel that it is extremely disrespectful to joke about how men aren’t great at “watching kids” or cleaning up laundry, even if it is “just a joke.” But that’s for another day!
Read also: 5 Keys to Living Happily Ever After With Your Spouse
My father didn’t laugh; instead he stopped me, looked me straight in the eye, and proceeded to explain a concept and perspective about marriage that I had never considered before.
This was the most important marriage advice I’ve ever gotten.
Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
Remember your spouse is a child of God – use mutual respect in your Biblical marriage
As you communicate with your spouse, remember who they are. He (or she) is a child of God. You have been entrusted with the love and care of one of Heavenly Father’s precious, beloved children. How would you want your child’s spouse to treat them?
You are the most important, most influential person in your spouse’s life. That is a precious gift that should not be taken lightly simply because it is commonplace.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Let God be the third partner in your Biblical marriage
We often hear that God is the third partner in our marriage, but most of us leave that as saying prayers as a couple, scripture study, and more. However, we tend to stop there. We don’t truly involve Him as a third partner.
Let me give an example of what this could look like:
You decide to surprise your husband with his favorite dinner, which usually takes a lot of work to make. He comes home late without telling you and in a bad mood. Dinner is already cold; he eats it without a thank you, then heads off to the living room and watches TV.
Now at this point your feelings are hurt. In your mind, you have two choices. You try to take the “higher road” and not mention it, in an attempt to be understanding. Or you could go talk to him about it, but that might lead to a fight, or might just make him feel guilty.
Note: we are approaching this as if you are in a healthy, functional relationship; not an abusive or one-sided marriage.
Either of your options leaves one of you with hurt feelings. However, there is another option: talk to the third partner in your marriage.
Find out how in our post What to do When Your Spouse Hurts Your Feelings
Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth….is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
Keep an eternal perspective with mutual respect
Everything that we have learned in our seven years of marriage with so many health issues can be summed up with this: keep an eternal perspective. It means that no matter what comes up, we keep our eternal goal in mind.
Read also: The Most Important Marriage Advice You Will Ever Hear
Whether it’s a week in the hospital with doctors informing my husband that it’s time to say our goodbyes (which has happened multiple times), or him coming home late from work after putting the toilet paper roll on wrong that morning – we try to always remember that we’ve made covenants. With God and with each other.
Those covenants are how we do it. They’re how we make our marriage work….successfully.
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
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Thank you for this! I almost didn’t read it, but I am so glad I did!
I think the thing that struck me most was the reminder that when my husband is struggling (whether he is being overly cranky, or doubting, or hurtful) I can turn to God, the third partner in our marriage, to seek counsel and help. I don’t have to take everything head on, myself, and risk creating a bigger contention, or hurting him further. After reading this a week ago, this is the main thing that has stuck with me. Thank you so much.
The first time I heard this, it struck me the same way! I am not perfect at it by any means, but when I do take the time and effort to approach issues (that are really non-issues, like grumpiness due to lack of sleep or something), it makes a huge difference overall.
Hey Tiffany: I enjoyed your article and insights about God as the third partner, and you are right that we need to turn to Him more often than we do.
Although not a cure all or guaranteed remedy for Chrohns, I have many friends who have ‘cured’ their Chrohns issues with a natural clay product called ‘Redmond Clay’. Let me know if you would like more information on how to use it.
Good luck and keep writing and sharing.
I have looked into it in the past and not found it effective for me. It’s crazy how different everyone’s bodies are. But I thank you for the suggestion!