Marriage Series

Eph. 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Submission is the humble recognition of God’s divine ordering of society.

Society cannot function as God established it without the principle of submission is both understood and applied.

Submission is not unique to marriage.

Children are to submit to their parents.

In Hebrews, church members are to submit to their church leaders (Heb. 13:17).

Romans chapter 13 we’re told to submit to those in civil authority.

Rom. 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Military rank provides for discipline and order.

In the church there needs to be a willingness to submit to one another – put others before self.

This general principle of submission must be worked out in specific ways: submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives to your husbands.

Children to parents.

Employees to employers.

For a wife to submit to her husband does not imply inferiority.

We are equal in redemption.

1 Peter 3: we are heirs together of the grace of God – equals.

Submission as is seen in the military.

Superior rank does not imply superior intellect, physical strength, professional skill.

A lower rank is subordinate to a higher rank.

God provides balance within a marriage.

Her strengths are usually areas of weakness in him.

Why would I not delegate to her privileges in which she is peculiarly competent?

Delegation is not abdication.

It’s not about ability it is about the order.

In an ideal situation they complement one another.

The submission of a wife is not passive, not subjugation, or the result of coercion.

It is to be voluntary rather than enforced.

In the same way, Christ is in submission to the Father.

Eph. 5:22 “…as unto the Lord.”

In all areas of obedience, we are to submit as we would “unto the Lord” as if He were here.

This is not unthinking, slavish obedience.

It is cooperative and collaborative.

Working together as one flesh.

Pro. 27:15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

[Pro. 27:15 (NIRV) A nagging wife is like dripping that never stops on a rainy day.]

The husband has no authority to demand the wife to submit to that which God has not ordained for the well-being of society (Acts 5:1 Ananias & Sapphira).

Acts 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

God’s word takes priority over civil authority.

A husband has no right to abuse his wife by the misapplication of these principles.

Eph. 5:23 “For the husband is the head of the wife,…”

Adam was the leader of his family.

He had the ultimate responsibility.

Western culture has destroyed this model.

Men are excess baggage; the family has been redefined to mean almost anything.

1 Timothy chapter 2

1 Corinthians chapter 11

Paul is NOT arguing based on the culture of first-century Rome.

He is arguing from the doctrine of creation.

God made Eve from Adam and he made Eve for Adam.

When God made man and woman, he made them equal, but he didn’t make them identical.

Marriage is not a social construct.

Marriage is not a human invention.

Marriage is God’s plan and pattern for all of time.

What God has established from creation; no culture that authority to change it.

Those who try are themselves destroyed:

The fall of Rome. The fall of Greece.

There are boys and girls, they are different.

Why are things inside out and upside down?

The concept of man and woman; of human sexuality, has been made chaotic by man’s rebellion and disobedience against God. Rom. 1:21-32

In pain, you shall bring forth your children.

It’s one of the implications of the fall of man.

Her desire shall be contrary to her husband.

Instead of desiring to submit to your husband, you’ll just try and assert your leadership over him.

He will try to assert his will over you.

You cannot have a united church without united marriages.

When the family is broken the church is damaged.

Holly Creek is here to share the Word.

The Bible has the answers to our brokenness.

Knowing our roles in God’s plan is a good start.

Accepting His plan for our lives is better.

God is the God of order.

God established His order from the beginning.

The husband is the head of the wife, Christ is the head of the man, the Father is the Head of the Son and the Father of us all.

CONCLUSION:

Marriages matter:

You cannot have a united church without united marriages.