What shall the wife do when her husband has no interest in spiritual things?

Question:

I am married to a man who acts like a big kid. He says he believes in God but does not show it and has no interest in spiritual things. I have no spiritual connection with my husband and I feel unhappy because of it. Marriage is not marriage without God.

As I understand the question, I think that it is asked by a woman who was Christian before she married. She should have thought well of the spiritual qualities of her future husband before she married him. Now, however, she must understand well that regardless of the extent to which her husband is interested in spiritual things …

Marriage is a covenant made before God

God is the witness of this covenant, and He asks both the husband and the wife to be faithful to this covenant. In the book of the prophet Malachi, when some men began to disregard the covenant of marriage, God told them,

This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And what did that one do while he was seeking agodlyoffspring? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one dealtreacherously against the wife of your youth. ForI hatedivorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “andhim who covers his garment withwrong,” says the LORD of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” (Malachi 2:13-16)(NASB)

Even if these words are addressed to husbands, they also apply to wives, who must listen to them and not be unfaithful to their husbands and their marriage covenant which they have concluded. God hates divorce. Therefore, do not even think about divorce. Instead …

Win your husband for God

In the I Epistle of Peter the next word is written for women whose husbands are unbelievers:

In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it bethe hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also,who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham,calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is rightwithout being frightened by any fear. (1 Peter 3:1-6)(NASB)

God’s Word is very clear and says specifically that if the husband does not listen to the Word of God (has no interest, or does not want, or opposes) the wife must win him for God and salvation without a word, by her chaste and respectful behavior. The spirituality of the husband will be improved and his interest in a real relationship with God is likely to appear when he will see his wife’s clean and respectful way of living. If the wife teases him because he is not interested in spiritual things, there will be no gain from this, but if she will have a gentle and quiet spirit in the relationship with him, she will attract his attention to spiritual things and to God through this spiritual adornment. Apostle Peter gives here the nice example of Sarah who treated Abraham, her husband, with all due respect and this was seen even in the way she was calling him. Have such a behavior as a wife, so as to earn your husband for God and he may become interested in spiritual things.

Translated by Felicia Rotaru