What a discussion. I LOVE this kind of discussion......because it's respectful and USEFUL....and describes the different perspectives for an ACTASIF.
I kind of agree with both of you (omg)---
I think Bill has honed in on ndsm's WORDS and Puppy is honing in on the connotation, the SENSE we get from him. We don't know what the actual case is from his W's perspective.
Men are called not to love their wives unconditionally (that's agape, God's love), nor to treat them like princesses, but to LOVE THEM AS CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH, even to the point of laying down their lives.
"25. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26. to make her holy, cleansing 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 his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, 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.” 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...
....
Colossians - Chapter 3:19
19. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them."
So be really GOOD to your wife. Take care of her. Treat her sweetly, don't be harsh. But, Puppy has a great point about the princess thing. There's a sillyness about that, something that lends itself to worship of the wife.
NDSM---
What can you tells us about what your WIFE thinks about some of these things?
sg
sg Love is PATIENT, love is KIND, LOVE never fails / DB since 2001
