Harry Ironside was approached by a young man on one occasion who came to confess a fault. He told the preacher that he felt he was loving his wife too much. “In fact, I’ve put her on such a high plane, I fear it’s sinful,” lamented the young husband.
“Do you think you love your wife more than Christ loved the church?” inquired Ironside. He didn’t dare say he did. “Well, that’s the limit to which we must go,” he continued.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it (Ephesians 5:25).
Harry Ironside (1876-1951)
Cited in An Appeal To Husbands, by Don Currin
The Awakener (Vol. 9, No. 1)
The Patriarchs' Journal 
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August 24, 2011 at 3:46 pm
John Whitten
Recently it has come to me to question the issue of how Christ “gave Himself for the church”. I was taught the traditional perspective that He died for the church, but every where else I find that He died to provide atonement, that He gave His life as a ransom for many. I am suspecting that in relationship to churches that “He gave Himself” to be head over them, assuming the leadership and protective role. Dying for sinners, but living for churches. Are we as husbands expected by God to die for our wives and leave them without leadership?
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August 24, 2011 at 4:18 pm
sandres2k8
Wise comments. I think most miss this most excellent point.
Paul does NOT tell us to love our wives “even as Christ also loved the church, and DIED for it” (Ephesians 5:25). God has called us to love our wives by giving ourselves to them. This obviously, by the illustration of Christ used, directly involves our loving, self-sacrificing headship.
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