I hope you are all doing well and that God is blessing you mightily. As we continue to study what the Bible says about marriage, we have the opportunity to choose whether we will follow God’s marriage plan or reject it for what we have decided is acceptable. I promise you, it might appear easier to do it your way, but in the long run it will cost you more than you expect.. Let’s continue to learn God’s Word and put His plan into practice.
Today we start with a subject most people would rather skip. However, it is in the Bible so I think it would be wise for us to study God’s Word, learn what it means and understand the reason God felt it necessary to put it in the Bible in the first place. The subject is "submission". There I said it. No claps of thunder, no bolts of lightening, no voices from God’s throne. I understand the reason that women cringe when the "S" word is mentioned. To state it plainly, women have been abused and men have overstepped God’s intention. Let’s find out what God means by this statement and how He intends for us to submit to one another in the fear of God as He says in Ephesians 5:21.
Submission is an attitude of the heart. It is something we do because we love and trust the one to whom we are submitting. As we comprehend the depth of the love of God toward us, we will understand submission. Submission is not the belittlement of the one submitting, but an attitude of love and honor toward the one loving you. As we understand how and why we submit to God, it will make it clear why the wife is told to submit to her husband. Question: Do we submit to God and do we have a problem submitting to God? If not, why? First of all, yes, we do submit to God in all things. After all He is God and we’re not. I don’t mind submitting to God because I know that God loves me greatly and that He would never do anything to hurt me. He would not take advantage of me and He always puts me first in all things. After all, that’s why Jesus came to this earth, isn’t it? To die on the cross for my sins. How could anyone who would do that take advantage of me and use me for their own selfish purpose? The truth is, they wouldn’t! Therefore, I have absolutely no problem submitting to God in anything, anything at all. In fact, I look forward to God leading me all things. I know He wants the best for me and will be there for me at all times. Not only do I submit to God, but I worship Him with all my heart. I love to worship God. It’s my favorite thing to do. I am not afraid to let the world around me know my love relationship with God. I am not ashamed.
Now the Bible says: "husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself." Ephesians 5:25-28. This makes the attitude of the husband clear. For the wife to submit to her husband as the church submits to Jesus, he is supposed to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The husband is to sacrifice for his wife as Christ sacrificed for His church. The husband is to love his wife, put her first, die daily for her. Never, never abuse her or take advantage of her. When a husband treats his wife as Christ treats His church, it is not difficult for the wife to submit to her husband.
The Bible says in Colossians 3:18 "Wives, submit to your own husbands as is fitting in the Lord." If your husband wants you to do something that is wrong, don't do it. Why? Because it is not fitting in the Lord. Sapphira submitted to her husband and lied to God. It was because of this that she died. Acts 5:110 Wives, your first responsibility is to God and His Word, the Bible. Do not attempt to win your husband to the Lord by compromising your faith, but by staying faithful to God and His Word, the Bible. 1 Peter 3:1 Husbands let me make this very clear. The intention of the Bible was not to give you dictatorial power over your wife. If this is your attitude, you have missed the whole point. As you love and honor your wife, and put her first in everything, you will find that you have a wonderful wife who loves you with all her heart and would do anything for you. Don’t abuse her. Die daily for her. Give her all you have and she will respond with the same kind of response with which we respond to God as He loves us with His whole heart. Wives, as you submit to your husband according to God’s purpose, you will find it isn’t difficult or distasteful but rewarding and pleasing to God.
I hope this has helped you understand more of the scripture regarding submission. Next lesson we will talk about how to love your husband and if we have time, to minister to your husband. Until then, God bless.
Until next time, God bless. Terry