God has given some specific responsibilities to the husband as head.
He is to provide for the family's financial needs, just as Christ, the head of the Church, provides for it. Current economic conditions, such as inflation and high unemployment, have added to the social pressure to maintain high standards of living, and have made it difficult for one person to support a family. This does not alter the fact that the Apostle Paul lays the responsibility of providing for the family on the shoulders of the husband (1 Tim. 5:88But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1 Timothy 5:8)). As a scriptural principle, if the husband has diligently prepared himself, the family budget is prayerfully organized, and the desire to be faithful to God's order is present, we can count on the Lord to make the income of the Christian husband meet the expenses of his household.
As to the question of whether the wife should work to supplement the income of her husband we can only recognize the principles of Scripture as having authority on the subject. There may be exceptions, but we cannot ignore the general thrust of the Word on this significant issue of today. What seems practical to us or what is being done by the majority does not really enter into the answer to this question. Wherever the specific duties of the wife are listed in the Scriptures, the wife is seen in the home environment (1 Tim. 5:1414I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. (1 Timothy 5:14); Titus 2:4,54That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (Titus 2:4‑5); Prov. 31). Indeed, the married woman is exhorted to be diligent in home work (Titus 2:55To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (Titus 2:5) JND). Are such scriptures to be ignored just because they do not endorse the common practice of the wife leaving the home environment, and even her children, to work in the world? Surely not! In the case of the Christian Church which has so often ignored the provisions that its Head has made and has tried to supply for its own needs, departure from God's Word has occurred. The same results can be expected in the Christian family, if God's order is neglected.
For many Christians it may not be a question of ignoring the Word of God, but a concern about properly applying the Word in our modern world. We can be thankful for those who have this concern rather than rigidly accepting certain beliefs, but let us not forget that the principles of God's Word do not change with time. It becomes each of us to search the Scriptures for these principles and to be in the Lord's presence as to their application in our lives. If we do this we will know what His will is for us (John 7:1717If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17)). We should simply practice and affirm the principles of God's order as we find them in the Scriptures. If we do this out of unfeigned love for Christ, we will not develop rigid views or an intolerance for those who do not totally agree with us.
Two dangerous extremes are noted among Christian husbands, relative to their role as wage earner and bread-and-butter provider. First, there is often a lack of preparation for the role, and, second, the role itself becomes an idol. In the first situation, the husband may not be able to provide, thereby forcing, his wife to take on a role that is not properly hers, and one that will cause her to neglect those functions that the Lord has intended her to fulfill. In the second case, the husband will be so busy that he will be unnecessarily absent from the home, thereby neglecting some of his God-given duties there and forcing his wife to assume these.
Preparation for the role of provider begins long before marriage. Solomon says in one of his proverbs, "Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterward build thy house." Prov. 24:2727Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house. (Proverbs 24:27) JND. There is an important principle here. The young Christian man is instructed to prepare himself for the day when the responsibilities of a home will be his. This introduces very relevant issues, such as the amount of schooling required, the type of occupation to be chosen, the saving of money, etc. These are matters for individual exercise and faith, but ministry related to them is badly needed in Christian assemblies today.
The public school system is training young men to take a "co-operative role," one in which his marriage partner will contribute to providing for the family. Society encourages the young man to satisfy his lusts before marriage, to drive expensive cars, travel and generally indulge himself with every luxury. On the other hand, it is an age of social welfare benefits, accompanied by the tendency of young people to "drop out" and to "do their own thing." None of these forces develops incentives for the young man to prepare himself for the day when he will be the responsible supporter of a family.
The Christian who desires to be faithful to God's order in his home life requires a preparation that this world does not encourage or understand. Young Christian men need to be instructed to diligently learn a trade or other occupation and learn to save so that when they have families they may be able to provide for them in proper Christian order. We trust that men of God will provide such instruction in their ministry, even though the topic and the substance is not popular among Christians.
At the opposite pole are the young Christian men who enter marriage well prepared to make a living, with talent for economic success and a love of the challenge of the modern business world. Often earning money is a game they thoroughly enjoy. The danger is that they become so swept away with the goal of making money that their families are neglected. Spiritual guidance and teaching in the home are missing. The wife spends long hours at home without the companionship of her husband. She must bear the total responsibility and pressure of coping with young children from early morning until late in the evening, while her husband literally enjoys himself at the office. He soothes his own conscience by telling himself that he must do it to be a good provider. When he is honest with himself he admits it is really his own ego he is feeding. The Scriptures warn, "He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house." Prov. 15:2727He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live. (Proverbs 15:27).
A beautiful example for any who find themselves turning the function of wage-earner into an idol is found in the slave who had earned his freedom. (See Ex. 21:1-61Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. 5And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. (Exodus 21:1‑6).) He represents the young husband who has prepared himself for the future. He stands on the threshold of freedom and success, but he turns back. The slave, who had worked so hard for this moment when he could show what he was worth, now forfeits forever his freedom and chance for competition because he loves his master, his wife, and his children. How many happier Christian families there would be today if every young Christian husband and father were restrained by the same devotion to the Lord Jesus, to his wife, and to his children.