Submissive Wives, Loving Husbands

Submissive Wives, Loving Husbands

Q. I would like to know the meaning of the man as head of household, and should a wife do whatever the husband tells her if he’s not faithful to God, drinks obsessively, has integrity issues, and squanders money?

A. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul described the marital relationship as it should be. Wives are to submit to their husbands in everything just as if they were doing it for the Lord. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, overlooking all their faults and placing their wives needs ahead of their own, even to the point of giving their very lives for the well being of their wives. (Ephes. 5:22-27)

In this way the marriage becomes a model of Christ and the Church. When one party fails to uphold his part of the bargain, in your case your husband, the model falls apart and it becomes very difficult for the other party, you. But the solution is not to cease doing your part. Remember you’re doing this for the Lord, not for your husband. If he’s not mature or responsible enough to do his part, then he’s in trouble with the Lord and the Lord will deal with him accordingly. As for you, remaining faithful to your obligations will please the Lord and he’ll bless you for it. In most cases He does this by bringing the errant husband to task.

Of course all this assumes that you’re both believers and your husband is 100% of the problem. Ask the Lord if any part of the responsibility lies with you, and if so make sure you address any issue He brings to your mind.

posted with permission
http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bibl...ving-husbands/

Submissive Wife, Loving Husband

Q. I have observed that in many sermons and conferences concerning the roles of husbands and wives, Col.3:18 gets about 4 seconds and 3:19 gets expounded upon at length, with a thunderous “congregation clap” breaking out when the speaker finally concludes that the breakdown of Christian marriages would cease if only men would start 3:19ing it (or something like that).

I see the unwillingness of women to submit to their husbands as the number 1 cause of divorce. A person only has to watch TV for a few minutes to see that men are being portrayed as football watching idiots who need to be constantly corrected by their wives. I dare say that the church is complicit in this propaganda campaign.

I would like to hear from you about this – before I pick up a copy of that new book: “the woman driven church”

A. The Lord didn’t design marriage to be a win lose deal for either party, but if both do their part it works wonderfully. In your reference Col. 3:18 (Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord) is the woman’s part and Col. 3:19 (Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them) is the man’s. Just as a woman won’t want to submit to a man whose attitude is “I get two votes and you only get one,” neither will a man be comfortable giving himself up (that’s what the Greek word for love means) for a woman just to have her repeatedly take advantage of him.

A teacher who gives emphasis to the man’s responsibility over the woman’s, or vice versa, is compounding the problem rather than facilitating a solution and doing more harm than good. Both have to be 100% committed to their role in the marriage out of love for each other, and more importantly, out of love for the Lord, who is the third party in every Christian marriage.

posted with permission
http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bibl...oving-husband/

Submissive Wife, Loving Husband

Q. I am hoping that you can help me to better understand a wife being submissive to her husband. I have been a Christian for 10 years now, but have never really gotten my brain wrapped around this particular truth. I have been married for 21 years, and to be really honest, am not sure of my husbands salvation. I want to honor the Lord in my marriage, and be honorable to my husband. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

A. The clearest model we have for this is Ephesians 5:22-28. Wives are supposed to submit to their husbands as the Church submits to the Lord (Ephes. 5:22-24). The Church seeks the Lord’s will in everything and follows His direction. So should a wife submit to her husband, seeking his will and direction for their lives.

The husband’s part is to love his wife as the Lord loves the Church (Ephes. 5:25-28). The Lord gave Himself up as an expression of His love for the Church, putting aside everything He was in order to elevate Her. He sees her as perfect, without any defect or shortcoming. This is the way a husband should regard his wife.

Both parties have to be committed to this ideal, but when a wife submits to her husband’s will and His will is to devote his life to loving her, everybody wins. And that’s what the Lord desires for us.

posted with permission
http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/submissive-wife-loving-husband-2/