Chapter 17—Mutual Obligations
Each Has Individual Responsibilities—The two who unite their
interest in life will have distinct characteristics and individual respon-
sibilities. Each one will have his or her work, but women are not to be
valued by the amount of work they can do as are beasts of burden. The
wife is to grace the family circle as a wife and companion to a wise
husband. At every step she should inquire, “Is this the standard of true
womanhood?” and, “How shall I make may influence Christlike in my
home?” The husband should let his wife know that he appreciates her
work
The wife is to respect her husband. The husband is to love and
cherish his wife; and as their marriage vow unites them as one, so
their belief in Christ should make them one in Him. What can be more
pleasing to God than to see those who enter into the marriage relation
seek together to learn of Jesus and to become more and more imbued
with His Spirit
You now have duties to perform that before your marriage you
did not have. “Put on therefore, ... kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering.” “Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved
us.” Give careful study to the following instruction: “Wives, submit
yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband
is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church....
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to
their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even
as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it.
[115]
God’s Instruction to Eve—Eve was told of the sorrow and pain
that must henceforth be her portion. And the Lord said, “Thy desire
shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” In the creation,
God had made her the equal of Adam. Had they remained obedient
to God—in harmony with His great law of love—they would ever
1
Manuscript 17, 1891
.
2
Manuscript 36, 1899
.
3
Testimonies For The Church 7, 46
.
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