Biblical Family Relationships: Part One

Male headship in the home is real and vitally significant! Husbands and fathers are to pray, plan and work that they may lead their wives and children into all areas of spiritual growth and understanding. But they must also love and respect their wives as fully equal to them, in all that they have in the Lord Jesus Christ. Equality of essence and differentiation of roles are biblical realities that need to be lived out in our homes as they are eternally shown in the Godhead (Trinity). Every New Testament passage giving instruction directly to wives includes one common element: in every case, without exception, wives are commanded to submit to their husbands (Eph 5:22-24; Col 3:18; Titus 2:3-5; and 1 Pet 3:1-6). Unfortunately we live in a culture that despises submission as much as it despises authority, but the Lord God has called the Christ follower to a different mind and heart on this matter! And, it's here, that wives can benefit greatly from the teaching of the Godhead in coming to realize that the submission required of them as wives is itself reflective of the submission eternally given by the Son to His Father, and by the Holy Spirit to the Father and the Son! In this sense, the Father God calls wives to be what He is, just as He's called husbands to be what He also is (love your wives just as Christ also loved the church). Therefore, in following the God given command that wives submit to their husbands, it's not enough before God simply to grit your teeth, buck up and say, "Since you insist God, even though I don't want to do it." The reason this is not enough is because this attitude fails to understand and embrace the nature of submission as seen in the Son's submission to the Father, and the Holy Spirit's submission to both the Father and the Son! Your move. Be encouraged!