Dealing with a Spouse's Resistance to Scripture and Prayer
The Bible does not directly address the scenario of a spouse resisting scripture and prayer, but it offers principles concerning marital relationships, spiritual duties, and individual faith that can inform such situations. Prayer is understood as direct address and converse with God, an intercourse of the soul with the divine [4]. Scripture emphasizes the importance of hearing and heeding God's law, and prayer as a means of speaking to God [11].
Within marriage, wives are exhorted to love, reverence, be faithful to, and be subject to their husbands [6]. Husbands, in turn, are given authority, as seen in instances where a husband could nullify his wife's vows [2]. However, this authority is not absolute; a widow or divorced woman's vows stand against her, indicating a distinction in marital status and spiritual autonomy [3]. The Old Testament also describes a "water of jealousy" ritual for a husband who has doubts about his wife, which involved an oath and symbolic actions before a priest [1, 7].
The New Testament provides guidance on marriage, including Paul's strong discouragement against Christians marrying unbelievers [12]. This suggests a foundational desire for spiritual unity within a marriage. While the specific situation of a spouse resisting faith practices is not detailed, the broader biblical teaching on self-will and stubbornness is relevant. Such resistance is forbidden and is said to proceed from unbelief, pride, and an evil heart [5]. It can manifest as refusing to listen to God or His messengers, or rebelling against God [5, 8].
The concept of persistent prayer is highlighted in parables, such as that of the persistent widow, suggesting that believers should persevere in prayer even through trials [10]. The Lord's Prayer itself serves as a model for simple, direct prayer, contrasting with "vain repetition" [9].
Sources
- Numbers “Numbers 5:30 (BBE) — Or for a husband who, in a bitter spirit, has doubts in his heart about his wife; let him take her to the priest, who will put in force this law.”
- Numbers “But if her husband forbids her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul. Yahweh will forgive her. -- Numbers 30:8”
- Numbers “Numbers 30:9 (Rotherham) — But as for the vow of a widow, or of a woman divorced, whatsoever she hath bound on her soul, shall stand against her.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Will and Stubbornness — Forbidden -- 2Ch 30:8; Ps 75:5; 95:8. Proceed from Unbelief. -- 2Ki 17:14. Pride. -- Ne 9:16,29. An evil heart. -- Jer 7:24. God knows -- Isa 48:4. Exhibited in Refusing to hearken to God. -- Pr 1:24. Refusing to hearken to the messengers of God. -- 1Sa 8:19; Jer 44:16; Zec 7:11. Refusing to walk in the ways of God. -- Ne 9:17; Ps 78:10; Isa 42:24; Jer 6:16. Refusing to hearken to parents. -- De 21:18,19. Refusing to receive correction. -- De 21:18; Jer 5:3; 7:28. Rebelling against God. -- De 31:27; Ps 78:8. Resisting the Holy Spirit. -- ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Wives — Not to be selected from among the ungodly -- Ge 24:3; 26:34,35; 28:1. Duties of, to their husbands To love them. -- Tit 2:4. To reverence them. -- Eph 5:33. To be faithful to them. -- 1Co 7:3-5,10. To be subject to them. -- Ge 3:16; Eph 5:22,24; 1Pe 3:1. To obey them. -- 1Co 14:34; Tit 2:5. To remain with them for life. -- Ro 7:2,3. Should be adorned Not with ornaments. -- 1Ti 2:9; 1Pe 3:3. With modesty and sobriety. -- 1Ti 2:9. With a meek and quiet spirit. -- 1Pe 3:4,5. With good works. -- 1Ti 2:10; 5:10. Good Are from the Lord. -- Pr 19:14. Are a token of ”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Water Of Jealousy — (Numbers 5:11-31) The ritual prescribed consisted in the husband's bringing before the priest the woman suspected of infidelity, and the essential part of it is unquestionably the oath to which the "water" was subsidiary, symbolical and ministerial. With her he was to bring an offering of barley meal. As she stood holding the offering, so the priest stood holding till earthen vessel of holy water mixed with the dust from the floor of the sanctuary, and, declaring her free from all evil consequences if innocent, solemnly devoted her in the name of J”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Rebellion Against God — Forbidden -- Nu 14:9; Jos 22:19. Provokes God -- Nu 16:30; Ne 9:26. Provokes Christ -- Ex 23:20,21; 1Co 10:9. Vexes the Holy Spirit -- Isa 63:10. Exhibited in Unbelief. -- De 9:23; Ps 106:24,25. Rejecting his government. -- 1Sa 8:7; 15:23. Revolting from him. -- Isa 1:5; 31:6. Despising his law. -- Ne 9:26. Despising his counsels. -- Ps 107:11. Distrusting his power. -- Eze 17:15. Murmuring against him. -- Nu 20:3,10. Refusing to hearken to him. -- De 9:23; Eze 20:8; Zec 7:11. Departing from him. -- Isa 59:13. Rebellion against governors appoi”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:9: 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity. • Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34). • may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24; Jer 34:15-16; Ezek 39:7; Amos 2:7).”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 18:1: 18:1-8 The parable of the persistent widow follows naturally from Jesus’ teaching about coming troubles (17:20-37). Believers can face trials and persevere through persistent prayer.”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 28:9: Note, 1. It is by the word and prayer that our communion with God is kept up. God speaks to us by his law, and expects we should hear him and heed him; we speak to him by prayer, to which we wait for an answer of peace. How reverent and serious should we be, whenever we are hearing from and speaking to the Lord of glory! 2. If God's word be not regarded by us, our prayers shall not only not be accepted of God, but they shall be an abomination to him, not only our sacrifices, which were ceremonial appointments, but even our prayers, which are moral duties, and wh”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 7:39: 7:39 A widow may marry another man, but only if he loves the Lord. Paul strongly discouraged the marriage of Christians to unbelievers (cp. 2 Cor 6:14-16).”