Why does Paul tell husbands in Ephesians to love their wives?
Paul instructs husbands to love their wives because marriage mirrors God’s larger purpose: God created humanity to have someone He could love and who could respond to that love. God placed within the wife a responder, so as a husband extends love, she will respond to that love.
Les explains that the marriage relationship is the whole idea behind why God created man. God wanted someone He could love and a creature who could respond to that love. Paul therefore tells husbands in Ephesians to love their wives, extending that love to the female of the species, because God has put within her a responder, and she will respond to that love. In the big picture, God extends His love to the whole human race; the cross shows He loved us and gave Himself for us, and He expects that love to be responded to. Those who spurn His love face rejection at the Great White Throne, which is why Scripture was given to help people escape the wrath of a righteous God.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;