Dear Readers, I realize this is not a popular subject, but it's important. I believe our present confusion about gender began when we quit trusting God's design for men and women in marriage. When we reject God's design in one area, it always leads to rejection in other areas. Even
if you aren't married, this devotion can help you understand the
difference between a cultural command and a biblical principle.
Part 1 in a three-part series on submission ~
Some people claim submission is a cultural practice, not a biblical principle.
If something in Scripture is a cultural practice, it will be clear from the context, the wording, and cross-references. To read about a good example, see Should Women Wear Head Coverings?
Scripture explains this unchanging principle behind the cultural practice of head coverings: "The head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." 1 Corinthians 11:13
Cultural practices change; principles don't.
If submission were only addressed in 1 Corinthians 14:34-38 and 1 Corinthians 11:1-16, we might think submission was cultural because those passages discuss a problem (disruptive church meetings) and a cultural practice (head coverings).
But submission is also addressed as an enduring biblical principle in these passages:
In fact, 1 Timothy 2:11-15 says the principle of submission originated in Genesis at creation and the fall, not in culture. And Ephesians 5:22-33 ends any argument about it being cultural when it explains that submission is patterned after Christ and the church.
Cultural practices change. Biblical principles don't.
In order to better understand the details of biblical submission, Please read:
💙 Beyond 1-minute for my personal testimony 💙
As a woman who has been married for over 50 years to the same man, I can say without reservation that I'm grateful for God's design.In
addition to my "on-the-job" training, I have my Masters's degree from
seminary, and I've thoroughly studied the different approaches to
submission. Most importantly, I've studied the context, original
languages, and cross-references of Scriptures on submission.
I’m not submissive by nature, and I'd already been married 4 years when I became a Christian. But when I
read the Bible’s clear teaching on submission, I believed God knew what
was best for me and my marriage. That was in 1974, and I’ve never
regretted my decision. My husband isn’t a perfect leader, and I’m not a
perfectly submissive wife. But we’ve seen the beauty of God’s design, and
we believe it has added wisdom, love, and friendship to our marriage. I've discovered that when I try to usurp my husband’s role, it makes me weaker, not stronger.
Bible Love Notes
What happens if a husband is not a practicing Christian? I mean he claims he is a Christian but nothing he does demonstrates a Christian man. He drinks every night and is emotionally abusive to his wife. He's a mean drunk and shows a lot of anger. What does a Christian woman have to do in this situation? Nothing has changed even though he goes to church every Sunday, to show he follows the teachings of Christ. He's even proud to announce that he still drink.
ReplyDeleteBeing in submission does not mean that you ignore ungodly behavior in your husband. It sounds like your husband needs help. I suggest that you talk with your pastor or an older Christian couple who can counsel you both and pray for you. And you should never put yourself in danger.
DeleteSubmission does not mean we submit to ungodly behavior.