Why should wives submit to their husbands?
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Asked May 13 2013
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Dexter Roberts
Supporter
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Colin Wong
Supporter
Ephesians 5:22-33 is an unpopular topic in today's modern culture of gender equality. 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Ephesians 5:22 is often quoted alone and taken out of context, to support complete husband dominion over the wife. In reality, Paul is speaking about a covenant between husband and wife, that is modeled after Christ to the Church. Wives are to submit to their husbands, in the same manner they submit themselves to Christ (verse 22). A woman who cannot submit to Christ will never be able to submit to her husband, in the manner that Paul speaks of. This is the first aspect. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her. Second, the woman's submission is dependent on the other side of the covenant. Verse 25 says "husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her". Jesus gave himself by suffering torture and death for his church, because of love. As husbands, we are to sacrifice ourselves in everything, for our wives. Not only that, if we as husbands are to be like Christ (Ephesians 5:23), then we cannot ignore John 13:1-17, where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. The role of husbandry, in leadership, is leadership by servitude: to serve your wife and children. If we do so, then any godly woman will submit. In short, be worthy of submission. Christ never "forced" his disciples to do anything. He never forced us to "deny ourselves, take up the cross daily, and follow him" (Luke 9:23). We submit to Christ out of love. Jesus served and died for us, because of love. It is out of love that a wife submits. It is out of love that a husband serves. Be worthy to each other.
Dexter Roberts
Supporter
I believe they should since the bible says so, they are to submit to the leadership of men.
Don Currans
Supporter
The submission of the woman being dependent on the other side of the covenant does not have a Scriptural basis I'm aware of. The woman is commanded by God submit, therefore she should obey the command to please God. Likewise the man is commanded to love his wife; he does this to God's glory irrespective of her actions.
Anonymous
According to Eph. 5:22, the call to submit goes to wives, because wives sometimes very hard to submit to their own husbands. Submission in this case requires wife total giving up herself to her own husband in whatever circumstances. Therefore, just as wife submit to her own husband as the head, a Christian wife also submit to the Lord in the same manner in whatever circumstances as the Lord is the head of all believers.
Carl Naitram
Supporter
Wives should submit for the very same reasons men are to submit to God. God men men to protect, provide, lead and love their wives. They are the weaker vessel and God made it so husbands would be the means by whom He will take care of the woman. Before a woman gets married her father was responsible to protect, provide and lead her. After she gets married she is suppose to leave her father's protection etc and submit to her husbands protection etc. Women usually see the submitting as a negative but it is great positive. God cares for them in a special way.
Chris Eleam
Supporter
The headship arrangement is of divine origin. After Adam was created, Jehovah God went on to say: “It is not good for the man to continue by himself. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him.” Following Eve’s creation, Adam was so delighted at having a companion and helper that he said: “This is at last bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” (Gen. 2:18-24) Adam and Eve had the marvelous prospect of becoming the father and mother of an entire human race of perfect people, who would live forever in happiness in a global paradise. Because of the rebellion of our first parents, the perfect situation in the garden of Eden was lost. (Read Romans 5:12.) But the headship arrangement remained in effect. When properly followed, it brings great benefit and happiness in marriage. The result becomes similar to how Jesus felt about being in subjection to his Head, Jehovah. In his prehuman existence, Jesus was “glad before [Jehovah] all the time.” (Prov. 8:30) Because of imperfection, men are no longer capable of being perfect heads, nor are women able to demonstrate perfect subjection. When husbands and wives continue to work at doing the best they can, however, the arrangement results in the greatest possible contentment in marriage at this time. Crucial to the success of a marriage is that the marriage mates apply this Scriptural counsel meant for all Christians: “In brotherly love have tender affection for one another. In showing honor to one another take the lead.” (Rom. 12:10) Also, both husband and wife should work hard to “become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another.”—Eph. 4:32.
Benita Randolph
Supporter
Most of the responses that I've read from this post, seems you all are negating what Christ said to the man,which is to love your wife like Christ love the church. If the man did that, his wife would not have a problem willingly submitting to his headship, leadership or authority. If a husband does not fulfill his role as priest of the home or treats his wife less harshly she will not submit to him and if she does it will not be out of love. So now the question becomes will God honor the fact that she submits out of obedience and not out of love? The bible talks about the man being the priest of the home, but the women have taken that place and the men are silent in that area, but yet I don't hear the men debating that.
RAPHAEL James
Supporter
if a man play his role of loving his wife, to submit will be easy. love attracts anything. for example , meeting someone for the first time, the closeness will not be much, but with time when you get to know him/her the love will increase and bring about submission. therefore submissions lies on the man.
Olofin Adebayo
Supporter
I strongly believe that if the husband sincerely love his wife as Christ love the church and discharge his role as the head of the home as Christ has put him in charge, the wife will submit to him with the help of Christ b'cos there is love embedded inside of submission. If a wife can submit totally to her husband surely there must love and obedient.
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