Christian wives and the submit question

[Guest]

The word "submit" has caused great upheaval in the church for a long time, because nobody seems to know what it means. The English word "submit" comes from Latin submittere, to set under : sub-, sub- + mittere, to cause to go." (from dictionary.com.

 

This is interesting because it seems that submit actually is a protective and directive covering, where wives are under the protection and direction of their husbands. Paul's and Peter's teachings confirm that submission is a state of being under protection and direction in the following verses: (I boldened some verses.)

 

Ephesians 5:

 

" 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. "

Colossians 3

 

" 18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them."

 

1 Peter 3

 

"1Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear."

 

Titus 2

 

" 3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

 

So actually, submission does not mean obedience. It means putting oneself under the protection and direction of another. I guess that's why men are considered to be the spiritual leaders of the home. When the husband is not the spiritual leader of the home, many wives resent this, because most women naturally want to be protected and directed by their husbands in what is most important -following our Father.

 

Now, this does not mean inequality nor slavery. I think that if Paul and Peter wanted to mean obedience, they would have said so, but submission, again, is putting oneself under the protection and direction of another. Let's compare some verses where obedience is word used with other submission verses:

 

Ephesians 6

 

" 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2"Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."[a] 4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

9And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him."

 

(Here it is interesting because in Ephesians 5, we see that wives are to submit themselves to their husbands, yet in Ephesians 6 we see children are to obey their parents and slaves to obey their masters (even though there is a stern warning to the masters as well in how to treat servants.) Now, if submission meant obedience, then it would say children submit to your parents, but there is a difference in meaning, even though there are similarities.

 

So, it seems to me that submission is a voluntary putting oneself under the direction and protection of another, whether we submit to the government authorities (Romans 13:5, 1 Peter 2:13), the church authority (1 Corinthians 14:34 , 1 Timothy 2:11 , Hebrews 13:17), to the laborers of God (1 Corinthians 16:16), each other (Ephesians 5:21), and especially to God (Hebrews 12:9, James 4:7).

 

(Also, young men are commanded to be submissive (put themselves under the guidance and protection, of their older brothers in the faith: 1 Peter 5:5. Here in this passage we can also see how humility and respect join in the voluntary decision to be directed.)

 

Jesus is our example, both to men and women, of submitting to our Father (Hebrews 5:7), and not just submit, but obey with complete obedience.

 

The submission role of the wife is very special, as well as the closest in intimacy in regards to submission roles, because the wife submitting to her husband is the ONLY submission that is sexual in nature as well as spiritual.

 

What makes it even MORE SPECIAL is that the wife submitting to her husband is a picture of the church submitting to our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the husband loving his wife is a picture of Jesus loving His church.

Submission is beautiful

[SoCalCatman72]

I suggest you read "Every Man's Marriage" By Fred Stoker and Stephen Arterburn, it's very interesting.

[Moose]

Yes, it is a beautiful thing.

 

The problem is the word itself, "Submit".....

 

In today's day and age, you're considered weak if you, "submit". Most non-christian women will absolutely resist submitting to their husbands as prescribed in scripture.

 

I beg to even say that some Christian women have a hard time with this as well. Even with the promise from God Himself of joy, love, peace, long suffering to those who follow His words and commandments...

 

And society sits back and wonders......"How come marriage doesn't work anymore?"....