We live out our faith in the context of relationships. Which means that the Christian life can become complicated and sometimes painful.
The followers of the Colossian heresy which Paul is refuting in this letter had come to believe that spirituality was basically mystical and involved an esoteric body of knowledge.
But the Apostle Paul shows that true faith will be accompanied by certain behavior.
Christian’s ultimately express their faith in the day to day routines of life.
Day to day life includes family,the workplace and other connections.
Therefore the Christian life involves all of the roles we fulfill day after day.
So it is no wonder that in Colossians chapter 3 we find specific directions about how we are to deal with these important roles of our lives as Christians.
Now its important to remember what has already been said earlier in chapter.
Colossians 3:10-11
and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him¡ 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
IN CHRIST ALL BELEIVERS ARE EQUAL BEFORE GOD
So what we are about to read pertains to function and role. This has nothing to do with inferiority or superiority. Its strictly dealing with function and role and different resposibilities
The instructions here are meant to help the family run with maximum efficientcy and effectiveness.
Now ALSO.
This passage shows particular concern for the ones in the first century world who were actually looked down upon by society. Wives,children and slaves.
God is giving special attention to these three groups of people by giving specific admonishment to those in authority in that culture.
Husbands, fathers and masters.
The very fact that Paul gives special attention here to wives, children and slaves simply demonstrates the fact that Christianity actually elevated the ones who had been denegrated by the culture in which they lived.
Those who might point to this passage and make sexist charges against the Apostle Paul or against the Christian faith or the God of the Bible simply do not understand what they are talking about. They are not reading the passage with an appropriate understanding.
Now finally before we read this passage together. It is important to realize that to isolate one thing said here and focus on that one truth without giving equal attention to what else is said will lead to error and misunderstanding.
This passage gives instruction to children BUT it also gives instruction to PARENTS. You will move toward error to isolate the instructions to children or to parents without giving EQUAL attention to the other
It gives instrutions to wives BUT it also gives instructions to husbands. They must both be given EQUAL attention in order to avoid misunderstanding God’s intent.
Colossians 3:18-25
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
Wives Are Instructed To Submit To Their Husbands
What is involved in submission?
Ray Stedman
"The word "submit" has become the focus of the feminist movement and is probably the most hated word among women today. The meaning has been grossly distorted. Many wrong things have been done in the name of submission. Perhaps the first thing that needs to be said about submission is that it does not cancel out equality."
It does not mean:
- lesser degree of worth or value
- never expression your opinion or never disagreeing
- it does not mean slavery
What it DOES mean:
- its a military expression - "to rank under"
"put yourself under, arrange yourself under" -
ITS more voluntary and relates more to loyalty.
Consider the scope of this submission:
Wives be subject to YOUR HUSBANDS
It does not say all women should be subject to all men.
Ephesians 5:22
Wives, submit to your own husbands.
NOTE: the implication of ownership or possession. Its the wives that own or possess the husbands.
"as is fitting in the Lord"
This reflects order. God is a God of order.
(1) The order of Creation. Man was created first, then the woman.
1 Tim. 2:13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.
(2) The order within the Godhead. Christ submits to the Father.
1 Cor. 11:3 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.
Hebrews 5:7-8
7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
There is a MORAL LIMITATION here.
Of course, there are moral limits to this submission. It is only as is fitting in the Lord. Just as obedience to government is commanded in (Rom. 13:1; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13) but only insofar as government takes its place under God. (Ex. 1; Dan. 3; 6).
Even so a wife’s submission to her husband is only in the Lord. That is, she is not obligated to follow her husband’s leadership if it conflicts with specific scriptural commands.
REFLECTS CHRIST’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHURC
Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
Wives when you choose IN LOVE to subject yourself to your husbands leadership you reflect to the world the kind of relationship that exists between Jesus Christ and His church.
This brings up an important point about submission.
Submission that is spoken of here in these passages is volitional. It an act of the will. It is something that is done in love by choice.
In the Christian life we often talk about our "commitment" to Jesus Christ and His church.
But really the Christian life is more about "submission" to Jesus Christ as Lord God and Savior.
Does He have the lead in our lives or do we really refuse to submit to Him?
God’s design for the Christian family is that wives submit to the leadership of the husband just as the church submits to the leadership of Jesus Christ.
Finally, if God’s design for a family involves giving the husband leadership and it involves the loving willing submission to that leadership, it most certainly means that those who are given that leadership must be first and foremost submitted to Christ.
Husbands Are Commanded To Love Their Wives
3:19. Husbands are responsible to love their wives
As Christ loved the church.
Eph. 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
So they are to exercise loving leadership, not dictatorial dominion.
Perhaps husbands need this reminder to be tender and loving as much or more than wives need the reminder not to usurp authority over their husbands.
Assuming absolute authority will only embitter one’s wife,not endear her.
So in a maturing marriage the husband exercises compassionate care and his wife responds in willing submission to this loving leadership.
