(1 Peter 3:1-3) 1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. 3 And let not your adornment be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands. 6 Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear .
Submission started at the beginning in Genisis. In the beginning when there was no sin, there was no one that had authority over man or woman to obey except God. When sin entered the world through Adam and Eve disobeying God, Authority was needed and that authority was given to man, Adam. In Genesis, it tells us that Adam is to submit to God as Christ did to God and women are to follow that instruction.
As a wife we are to submit to our husband's leading, it should be a natural response of a christian wife to the leader of the home, her husband. It sure does help when a husband is obeying God in his role as a husband by loving the wife like Christ loved the church. And it helps the husband also when we as women submit. There maybe be times, no there will be times, when submission may be tough, but even in those times we are to sumit if we want to please God.
Ephesians 5:25-33
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 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
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
I remember when I first became a christian and we we attending a church in which a couple shared their story of salvation and submission. This couple were married for a few years and the wife Maria, came to know the Lord. Well her husband was in the Navy and was not a saved man. Marie's walk grew in Christ in leaps and bounds. Her husband Rick told us, he loved his wife very much but could not grasp this "Christianty" stuff. Marie, walk the walk of a christian and Rick seen this. She submitted to His authority and he was most amazed by this. She would tell him, God's word tells me that I am to submit to you as a husband. There were times she had a hard time doing it but she knew it was what God wanted her to do. Rick would sometimes ask her not to go to church but stay home with him and she did. He noticed those times that it bothered her not to go church so he stopped asking her to do that. As I said previously, Rick loved Marie very much. Finally one day as Marie was leaving for church, Rick asked if she minded him tagging along and Marie was so thrilled and said yes, it would mean the world to her for him to be sitting beside her at church. Rick attended that Sunday and God drew Him onto Himself and Rick was saved. Rick will tell you today that it was the Lord that drew him onto salvation but it was Marie, He used as the tool to show Him the way. He said it was her submission to him that made a big difference to him because it showed him how much she loved him.
Submission is a continual attiude we should all follow not just as husband and wife but submission to our bosses, our friends, our family but mostly to God. We should be able to yield to one another as husband and wife. I think when we look at where the woman came from, the rib of Adam, I think God meant for us to work side by side with each other, excepting the roles God has bestowed on us, obeying God and submitting to our husbands.
Cristina
16 comments:
Hi Blog-a-lone,
Thankyou for your kind words and yes It does sound like a mean and harsh thing at times, but it is what God commands us to do. I believe if we honor God, He will honor us.
Take care,
Cristina
Good post Cristina! You took a scripture passage that is highly controversial and showed a perfect application of it in the story of Maria and Rick. God is good. His ways are always right and He is faithful to honor those who submit first to Him and all those He has placed over us. Praise God that when we humble ourselves before Him in obedience, He will honor His promises from His perfect Word. Again, very good post.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
A great Biblical teaching. The only reason it is hard for people to accept is that our culture has obscurred God's Word in this and many other areas. In the end it's not a male-female thing, it's a God thing. God bless you!
Mike,
Thankyou for your kind words.
Cristina
Hi Rick,
it sure is in the end..It's all about God and honoring Him.
Cristina
Your post is great, but many today in the chruch reject it. Now many use the false teaching that a man is suppose to submit to his wife like the wife submits to him. If this is the case, both people submitting, it is not submission at all. God made man the head of the house and leader of the wife. Peter does go on to say how the wife should address the husband as "My Lord/Master", as Sarah addressed Abraham. I think in the modern world this is impractical due to political correctness. However, those who wish to serve God over government or the modern culture may wish to take heed to these words. Just as a grown man will submit in honor to his parents, especially the Father, so the wife would always submit to the husband. THis is not to say if the husband is abusive, the wife should stay in a godless relationship.
I am yet to meet a woman who truly lives in submission according to the biblical teaching. A quiet, humble and submissive woman is what the bible preaches. Yet most women I see today, who call themselves Christians do attempt to usually have their husbands submit to their authority, indirectly.
I will never be submissive to a man. Even if god said to be, this religion was ovious made by man. some people say if both male and female are both submissive its nothing. It's called a equal relationship.
anonymous,
That is you chose. I will gladly follow what the word of God says and be submissive to my dear husband.
Cristina
That's it, women should just submit to men, and serve them as their, 'lord and master'. Maybe they shouldn't have jobs, or atleast high-up ones, because that way, they would be higher than a man!
Jesus went around preaching stuff like this, and look what happened.
He got nailed to a 2x4.
You said....
"Jesus went around preaching stuff like this, and look what happened"
He got nailed to a 2x4.
Jesus went to the cross knowing He would be nailed to it, for the the sins of His sheep, His children.
And yes a woman should serve her husband, the bible teaches that and the bible also teaches that her husband is to love her, I do not see a problem with this. The Bible does not say anything about a woman have a job higher up then a man it teaches that a wife should submit to her husband. If you having any questions I can answer, I will gladly trya and help you.
Cristina
*It would nice to have a name to respond to instead of Anonymous
sorry, but i disagree with you. I, myself am a christian, however, i believe that men and women are equal.
my mother is a senior minister of a chuch with my father and in all situations, they work together. i will admit that in some situations my father will make the final decision because it is his area to work in, yet this also applies to my mother and many people would look to her as their leader. you can do what you want and believe what you want but its the 21st centry and times have changed so there is no use in trying to change
it.
Hello Anonymous,
You are more then welcome to feel how you feel but when the Bible speaks about women being pastors or leaders in the church, it says they are not a position for women. Your mother is disobeying God.
1 Timothy 2:11-12 proclaims, “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” In the church, God assigns different roles to men and women. This is a result of the way mankind was created (1 Timothy 2:13) and the way in which sin entered the world (2 Timothy 2:14). God, through the Apostle Paul’s writing, restricts women from serving in roles of spiritual teaching authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors, which definitely includes preaching to, teaching, and having spiritual authority over men.
Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and to proclaim the Gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).
God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers, or because women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership – in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative role. Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3-5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching or having spiritual authority over men. This logically would include women serving as pastors / preachers. This does not make women less important, by any means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with how God has gifted them.
We are both man/woman equal in God's eyes but God has also given us roles to go by..if you want to honor God, you honor the Word.
Cristina
I do believe that women should be submissive to their husbands as long as that husband is in accordance with the word of God. If the husband's command leads a woman to disobey the word of God then she is not bound to his word. I worry about how often this type of submission is applicable today but believe it still exists.
Also, I have a question referring to Timothy 2:11-12 “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” what do you think about women professors who are in a position of teaching over men *in universities* and other instances etc.
Hi Cecilawaters
I have no problem with a woman teaching men at a university. I believe the bible means in church.
Cristina
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