when you mention the “s word” to the world, they are quick to voice their opinion. why are you so stupid? the world will tell you that you are equal to men, not beneath them. women like you make us look weak. you should be expressing your opinion, not silencing it. you should be calling the shots, not letting him lead. your marriage should be 50/50, that’s only fair. don’t be a doormat.
but ultimately, what matters is your following Gods word. not the world’s opinion.
so, let’s travel back to the beginning of the Bible and read a few key verses that directly tie in to submission.
i think we all agree that God created Adam first. then God made a decision, that we see revealed in Genesis 2:18
God created woman from man’s rib, brought her to the man and they became husband and wife. in Genesis 2:17, before Eve existed, God has given Adam some instruction.
and what do we see Even do next?
oh, Eve. why? then she gave it to Adam, and he took a bite too. yikes. so we see clearly that Eve took the first bite then gave it to Adam. so she sinned first, right? but in Romans 5:12 we see that “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin”. but, how did sin first enter the world through one man, when the woman was the first to sin?
so you know all that pain during labor? yep, thank-you-very-much-Eve.
the second part of the verse basically means you will want to rule over your husband but you won’t be able to. why? because God’s design for man was to be the head of the household.
and that, sweet ladies, is where marital strife was born.
we read it, roll our eyes, and say “oh no you didn’t, not this woman, this girl is not about to submit”. and we go on about our marriage. having bouts of contention here and there. years go by, the contention gets worse, and now we are irritated. why can’t this marriage thing just be easy? basically because there is a battle for leadership happening. remember that sassy girl that said “oh no way” and had to honor and obey removed from her vows? well she obviously wants HER opinion to he heard and HER ways followed. i mean, isn’t she entitled to that?
and i’m fairly sure most men don’t want their wives to rule over them ladies. just sayin’.
and here is when we come right back to Ephesians 5. that is the only way to end this battle. let’s look at all the verses.
and when you live an Ephesians life, your marriage will look different to the world. that sure doesn’t mean it’s wrong. i think there is a pivotal point when we need to decide who we want our marriage to glorify, the world or God.
the key is that when you are in an intimate relationship with Christ – when you have fully surrendered yourself to Him and desire Him and find your life in Him alone – then obedience to God’s commands is a joy and delight. and yes, even submission can be a joy. when you are convicted to obey Him, His words will bring joy, peace, contentment, fulfillment and freedom for you! and in turn, your life will bring glory to God. isn’t that what it’s all about?
This is great! So important for both Christian married women as well as Christian single ladies (such as myself) to hear. Submission, when done in love and respect, is beautiful and healthy for a marriage. It's very humbling and goes against the American culture in these times, but that does not make it any less important for Christian wives to lovingly submit to their husband's leadership as the head, and together grow closer to the ultimate Head of the family, God.