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NASB | Ephesians 5:22 ¶ Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 5:22 ¶ Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as [a service] to the Lord. |
Bible Question:
I read in a note today that a woman is to "obey" her husband. Do you believe this is Biblical or an opinion? Please give Scriptual Backing, no opinions please. Blessings. justme |
Bible Answer: It is God’s design for the home. Just as governments, organizations, and businesses must have a head, so must a marriage and a family. God has given the husband the position as the leader of the home. But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:3) Therefore, wives are to submit to their husband’s headship. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (Colossians 3:18) Submission is a matter of the wife’s obedience to God. The word “submit” in koine Greek, the language of the New Testament, means to be under orders. This does not mean that a believing woman should be a doormat, but that by willingly submitting to her husband’s leadership she is obeying God. Just as Christ is equal to God and yet willingly submitted Himself to God’s authority (Philippians 2:5-8), so the Christian woman is equal to her husband, but should choose to submit herself to his headship in their marriage. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8) Christian wives are to submit not only to Christian husbands, but also to unbelieving husbands. 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, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. (1 Peter 3:1-2) Submission is to be done with a meek and quiet spirit, as unto the Lord, with an in-wrought grace of the soul that sees God as sovereign over all, knowing that everything that happens is coming through His hands of love, and working together to achieve His purpose—to make one more like His Son, Jesus Christ. The only way a wife can truly and biblically submit to her husband is to let the Holy Spirit fill and control her (Ephesians 5:18, 21). Her commitment is to be to the Lord. He will give the grace to be the wife that He wants a believer to be. Submission should be as unto the Lord. If a husband tells his wife to do something that is in conflict with what the Word of God says, then she is to obey the Lord rather than her husband. The higher authority of God rules. In such cases she should respond to her husband in honesty and with a sweet spirit, committing herself to God and trusting in His sovereignty without complaint. Sometimes the end result will be that God will draw the unbelieving husband to Himself through the believing wife’s example. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (1 Peter 2:21-24) |