Page Four: “The Family From God’s Viewpoint” 7/21/13
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Folks, we are living in the days of the liberated woman. But a Christian woman sees herself as God’s child and accountable to Him for her attitudes, speech, behavior, etc.
Now, for those who think this means that, in order for a woman to be submissive as the Bible teachers that a man then has a definite advantage over his wife, remember what the qualifier is for the husband. God’s way is this. First, a woman’s role is submission. Second, a husband’s role is to love his wife as Christ loves the Church. Here’s Paul’s words on the matter of the role of the husband. Ephesians 5:25 Ephesians 5:25 “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:…” Every wife with a husband who loves as Christ loves, who gives himself for his wife, who sanctifies and cleanses her by his words, whose goal is to have a wife who is holy; and who loves his wife as he loves himself, who nourishes and cherishes her will be the kind of husband a wife will gladly submit to. |
And Paul adds this qualifier to the call of the husband.
(19) “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” Off all the concerns the LORD could have about the way a man deals with his spouse, this is what He deemed including for husbands. “Be not bitter against them.” Bitterness, as you know, is a taste. And sometimes, what a wife does or does not do, leaves a bitter taste in the heart of a husband. Men, here are just a few questions to consider and determine if bitterness might be lurking in your heart. “Does your wife enjoy spending time with you? Does she feel encouraged by you? Do you make her feel safe, physically and emotionally? Is she proud to name you as her husband?” [Found on www.ligonier.org]. These questions should remind you that God has called each of us husbands to faithfully love our wives and specially to guard against any bitterness towards them. And folks, bitterness can be secret. Men, be cautioned by this reminder from the Apostle Paul. This must be the temptation that husbands might to taken with. A man’s temptation against his wife is to bitterness. So, men let the Word of Christ dwell in your richly. Live well with your wife. She, like the Church, is far from perfect. Your responsibility is to watch your own heart to see that you don’t fall into the bitterness trap. You see, the Church is Christ’s bride. Would anyone here say the bride is perfectly submissive to her husband? This is not a matter of perfect submission and only to a perfect husband. Instead it’s a relationship based upon the truths of Scripture. |