Marriage and Family

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord– Ephesians 5:22

The idea of submission, in any form or under any circumstances, has become repulsive to our Western, self-centered society. Employees no longer consider it their duty to cheerfully submit to their employers, employers no longer respect the government as they ought, and children are no longer taught to submit to their parents.

However, no where is submission so despised as in the bonds of matrimony. The Christian foundation on which America was built—that all are created equal—has been misinterpreted, consciously or unconsciously, to imply that no one should have to submit to another. Yet—just as in every other area of biblical submission—opposition to God’s way for wives stems from a misunderstanding (or lack of faith) in God’s supreme plan.

Jesus, being equal with God, still submitted to His Heavenly Father. Great men like the apostle Paul submitted to wicked and undeserving rulers like Nero (and commands us to do the same). In fact, a civilized (and certainly a Christian) society can only really exist if submission to appropriate offices is recognized and maintained.

God, being the designer and author of marriage, tells us that it only works if the distinctive (not essentially unequal) roles of the husband and wife are maintained. Any other model for the home will fail; it is like ignoring the owner’s manual to marriage.

Wives, have you been joyfully and willingly submitting to your husband’s God-given authority in your home? Obedience to God is the only way to glorify God. Husbands, wives, children, citizens, employees, employers, rulers — all are to submit to the perfect wisdom and good purposes of our great God.