This passage poses an important question to those who are drawn too close to those who live as God’s enemies. “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?” Furthermore, the Bible also says, “that the friendship of the world is enmity with God.” Immediately, our flesh rebels against what this could mean for our worldly relationships. We might conclude: “But shouldn’t we love the lost?” Your mind might be directed toward those loved ones who are yet unsaved. These truths are not meant to convey that we should no longer be concerned with the eternal destination of those that we know. The Bible does, however, teach that we should not develop close associations with those who live ungodly. God drives this truth home by saying, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
The Bible reflects the special relationship that should exist between a husband and his wife. The Lord wants us to recognize the importance of this relationship by likening it to the Lord's relationship with His church. Three times the Lord commands the man to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He commanded this because He knew man's biggest problem would be faithfully and unconditionally loving his wife. The Lord was not one-sided in His commandments concerning the marriage relationship. He commanded that the woman in the marriage relationship should obey her husband. Our passage also says that she should reverence him. A woman craves the love of her husband. Likewise, the man needs respect from the woman God gave him. A godly wife will not belittle or humiliate her husband but instead show him respect as the head of their home.
