How Bible Principles Apply to Your Life - Applying Bible Princples in an Ungodly World -Conclusion

 But what if one mate does not abide by Christian principles?  Admittedly, the situation can be difficult.  Yet, application of Bible principles on the part of the believer will have a bettering effect. It will bring inner peace to the believer and may even win the unbeliever over to seeing the benefit of doing things God's way,  so believing wives are admonished:  "Be in subjection to your own husbands, in order that if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives." - 1 PETER  3:1-6.

Praying together, too, which is a  practice in Christian homes,  has a  healing effect when misunderstandings arise.  When husbands and wives pray together and ask God to forgive them as they forgive each other, they are drawn together  into a closer bond of union.  Wrote the disciple James: "A righteous man's supplication, when it is at work, has much force." - JAMES 5:16. 

According to Professor Lewish M. Terman's  exhaustive study of 792 couples, wives complained most seriously when their husbands  were "selfish and inconsiderate, unsuccessful in business, untruthful, complaining, not affectionate and harsh with the children." Husbands placed "nagging" first on their bill of complaints against wives, then listed, in order: not affectionate, selfish, and inconsiderate, complaining, slovenly, quick tempered,  given to to interfering with hobbies."  Yet, all of these problems will respons to the application of Bible principles, because the Bible helps even imperfect persons to manifest the godly fruitage  of  "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22, 23) It is true that the application of Bible principles on your part is not going to erase all the marital unhappiness in the world, but it can make your marriage a happy one and one that is an honor to Jehovah God, the Author of marriage.

Next time: How Bible Princples Apply to Your Life - DEALING WITH DELINQUENCY AND CRIME

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