Solutions to Marital Problems
Actually, the solution to problems in marriage offered here is not new or original, but it works. The antidote to marital disharmony is to follow the commands and principles of the Scriptures. In a home where strife exists, does the husband love the wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (Eph. 5:25)? A man might say, "But you don't know what she's like. Let me give you some examples…." Did Paul and Peter not know that some wives do unlovable things? Yet the latter wrote that husbands should "dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel…" (1 Peter 3:7). Surely, he could expect some man to tell him privately, "She's not worthy of honor." Regardless of objections such as these, the obligation remains. Are we worthy of God's love?
In a less than ideal marriage, does the wife submit to her husband (Eph. 5:22-24; 1 Peter 3:1-6)? A woman might reply, "Are you kidding? He doesn't know what he's doing half the time. Why he was ever appointed head of the home is beyond me. I have to constantly remind him to take care of things." An even harder question to ask the ladies might be this one: "Does the wife reverence (KJV) or respect (NKJ) her husband, as Paul commanded in Ephesians 5:33?" Some women might reply, "Are you kidding? Respect that old goat?" Despite whatever fervent protests might be offered, the commands remain.
The problem is that occasionally we focus too much attention on ourselves. A mate may not be meeting, let alone exceeding, our expectations at any given point of time. There may be legitimate reasons for altered behavior, or there may not. The point is that each husband must continue to be what God commanded, and so must each wife. The husband who loves his wife will not make it necessary for her to nag him about things that need to be done. The wife who respects her husband encourages him, by her very actions, to want to cooperate in achieving important goals.
No mate who feels unappreciated should ever consider committing adultery. Such acts do not improve marriages, they destroy them. Some who have erred in this way have convinced themselves that they were justified. Does anyone think God approves (Heb. 13:4)? We may fool ourselves, but God's Word remains unchanged, and it is doubtful that the church, one's friends, or even one's family members will agree with such actions. Husbands and wives must follow His Word at all costs.