Sumission: Equality
Jesus is Lord – whether you like it or not. The Bible tells us that one day everyone will confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:11), even those who have rejected Him are doomed to spend eternity separated from God. But one of the reasons believers freely submit to Him as their personal Lord is that He has seated us with Him in heavenly places (Eph 2:6). He has made us joint heirs with Him (Rom 8:17). In other words, He views us as equals.
Although the husband is head of the home, he is not superior to the wife. Although the wife submits to his final word, she is not inferior to her husband. God has ordained that the principle of submission and authority works only when both those in authority and those in submission recognize the principle of equality. They stand as equals in God’s sight. Submission without equality is slavery.
“For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.” (1 Cor 11:8-9)
Because the woman was taken from the man, the husband has authority over the wife. But the part of the woman that was constructed from man was her body, no her spirit. Her spirit was breathed by God into the body of Adam as a separate entity from Adam’s spirit, and she was complete when she was in him.
Wives, if you want to be a strong Christian witness to your husbands, when they have accepted Christ or not, make this your attitude: Let your life in God be the foundation for all you do for your Husband, not a conflict. Then if any conflict arises because of your commitment to the Lord, it is on his shoulders.
Even if your husband is saved, do not constantly neglect your responsibilities to him and to your family in order to read your Bible, listen to tapes, attend special meetings, or sit on some committee. This can produce a resentment toward God in your loved ones. Your time in study and prayer should bring balance to your activities and increase your desire to serve. Draw your strength and wisdom from the Holy Spirit and Scripture in order to be the best wife and mother you can be. By doing this, your family will appreciate and respect your faith.
[bibleblock]1 Cor 11:11-12[/bibleblock]
When the husband and wife understand what it means to be in Christ, their equality in Him is clearly established. They have no insecurity about their importance or uniqueness, which is derived solely from God. They have no “axes to grind” or anything to prove to anybody. As a result, authority and submission in the natural things of marriage come easily.
Jesus’ teach caused men and women to view themselves as equals in God’s eyes, and this was one of the major controversies of His ministry. Many passages in the Old and New Testaments set the record straight on how God created women and men as spiritual equals, but the strongest of these is found in Galatians.
[bibleblock]Gal 3:28[/bibleblock]
As I have studied the subject of marriage in the Bible, I have found there are more verses addressing woman than the man. I believe there is a very good reason for this. Historically, in every society in which Christian principles are not the foundation of the nation, women are not treated with the respect they deserve. Their role in the family, Chruch, and society at large is grossly misunderstood.
The scriptural view of women is one of the most dramatic aspects of how Christianity impacts a society. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible declares that spiritually and eternally the woman is equal to the man.
Please pray and think on your own about this topic. Do not base your views on societal norms. Man will deceive, God does not. You are responsible to God for your actions. “Everyone else was doing it” will not be an acceptable excuse on the day of judgment.
[bibleblock]Matt 7:21-23[/bibleblock]
