Submission to your husband

We come to the final quality that the older women are to teach the younger women:  to be submissive to their own husbands.   Certainly, submission is a “hot topic” of our day and age.  Our modern culture scorns the idea of submission, and unfortunately, we find many churches that do little to encourage submission.  So you might ask, What is the big deal?   Can’t we just chalk submission up as something that was relevant for Bible times and is no longer needed today?  I mean, surely God doesn’t expect that of me now, right?

When we look at God’s Word, we realize that quite the contrary is true.   God does require wives to submit to their husbands (Eph. 5:22-24, Col. 3:18, Titus 2:5, 1 Peter 3:1-5).   God designed for marriage to work best by the husband lovingly leading and the wife humbly submitting.  What exactly is submission?  Submission is willingly putting oneself under the authority of another.  It is important to take note of a few things in regard to submission:

• Perhaps you cringe when you think of submission.  This is most likely due to you seeing an example of submission that has been abused.  True biblical submission is blessed by God and yields a marriage that is beautiful both to God and to others.
• We must realize that submission does not mean that we are inferior to our husbands.  God’s Word makes it clear that we are equal in worth and value to our husbands.  Submission is the role that God has given to us as wives to complement our husbands.
• Nowhere in Scripture does God condone male dominance or superiority.  It is wrong to ever think that men are better than women.  We are all one before God.
• God instituted submission as a means of reflecting the relationship of Christ and the church (Eph 5:22-23).  “The husband is to mirror the sacrificial love of Christ by laying down his life for his wife, and the wife is to exemplify the church’s joyful submission to Christ by following her husband’s leadership” (Carolyn Mahaney).
• Genesis 3:16 helps us understand why we struggle with submitting to our husbands.  A consequence of the Fall is that as wives we now have a sinful tendency to want our own way and resist the authority of our husbands.
• We are to be our husband’s helpers.  It is important for our husbands to receive our input and opinions.  However, if there is a conflict that cannot be resolved, the wife must “honor and affirm” her husband’s leadership by letting him have the final say.
• We are to submit to our own husbands, not to all men.
• Having an ungodly or unsaved husband does not give an excuse to not submit.  1 Peter 1:6 says that wives are to submit “even if some do not obey the word.”
• Submission to our husbands should never violate any of God’s commands.  God is our ultimate authority.  If our husbands are doing something that we feel is detrimental to our families, we should appeal to our husbands and seek help together from a godly counselor.
• Submission has the power to influence an unbelieving husband.  The godly conduct of a wife has power to preach much louder than words ever could.
• Submission brings about true inner beauty.  It is the “secret to authentic, timeless beauty”.  (1 Peter 3:3-5)
• “Submission, in its simplest form, is trust in God, who is completely trustworthy.”  It is trusting God to lead my husband, to lead me.

The true woman is not afraid to place herself in a position of submission.  She does not have to grasp; she does not have to control.  Her fear dissolves in the light of God’s covenant promise to be her God and to live within her.  Submission is simply a demonstration of her confidence in the sovereign power of the Lord God. (Susan Hunt)

“Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward — arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel —  rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.”  1 Peter 3:1-6

Treasures to Share

If you desire to understand more about the complementary roles in marriage, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is an excellent tool to help.  It is very thorough and biblical in its approach.

Among other helpful resources, you’ll find a concise statement on biblical manhood and womanhood at this site.

---

When you comment, please keep these guidelines in mind. You can find an explanation of our commenting guidelines here.

1. Stay on topic.
2. Post your own material.
3. Links must be supplemental and thoroughly relevant.
4. Be concise.
5. Use your real name.

Stay connected by subscribing to our RSS or email feed! Or print this post.

Copyright © 2012 InFocus | ElegantBlue is a custom theme by Nathan Rice