Ephesians 5:22-33

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.  In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,because we are members of his body.  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”  This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.  However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Marriage is one of the most important places for spirit filled submission to be practiced.  Since mutual submission is a key evidence of the Spirit’s filling; it only makes sense for it to be present in the marriage relationship.  Paul uses marriage as an illustration of the relationship between the Lord and the church. Marriage should promote a greater understanding of Christ and the church.  Obedience to the principles in this text not only improve the marriage relationship but contributes to the mission of God to reveal Himself to the nations.  Our marriages are not only about us; they are also about the kingdom of God.

 

WIVES PRACTICE LOYAL SUBMISSION: There seems to be a distaste in today’s society for the word submission, especially when it comes to women being submissive to their husbands.  It is important to note that this call to submission is in the context of being submissive to one another as evidence of the Spirit’s filling.  Submission is to be understood as placing one’s self under the mission of another.  In this case, the call is to be under the mission of the Lord.  God has a purpose or mission to accomplish in marriage.  He desires for marriage to be an image of the relationship He has with the Church through Christ.  The Trinity is also to be reflected in marriage.  These images are important to the mission He is accomplishing.  Submission, in no way implies inferiority any more than the Son is inferior to the Father.  The church is called to accomplish the mission of the Son instead of establishing its own agenda.  Wives are called to submit to the leadership of their husbands as an illustration of God’s design for the church.  The family has a function and is to reflect God’s purposes.  Submission to a husband’s leadership should not be by compulsion or begrudgingly and is not selective.  Sweet submission to a husband’s leadership is part of God’s mission for the family.

 

HUSBANS PRACTICE LOVING SUBMISSION: Since mutual submission is the evidence of the Spirit’s filling, husbands are certainly called to be under the Lord’s mission as well.  The husband is to love his wife just as Christ loves the Church.  This is a sacrificial love.  Christ gave His life for the Church in an act of selfless sacrifice.  Male leadership is to be exemplified through sacrificial service.  A husband is called to love his wife in a way that purifies her just has the love of Christ purifies the church.  The act of marriage is one of purification.  Marriage separates a spouse from the world just as salvation sets a believer apart from the world.  In marriage, sexual desires are fulfilled in a manner that is holy.  Husbands are called to promote the sanctification of their spouse and entire family.  This will require time and effort but is an act of love.  The husband is called to provide for and protect his wife just as the Lord does for His church.  Leadership comes with the responsibility to meet the needs of those who are being led.  Just as we care for our own bodies, by eating, drinking, resting, and getting exercise; the husband is to assure the well-being of his wife.  That does not mean fulfilling every desire, but it does mean meeting every need.  Sacrificial service is to be the key characteristic of a godly husband that is under the Lord’s mission for the family.

 

APPLICATION: Place our own desires under the priority of God’s mission and the desires of those around us. We are all called to consider others as more important than ourselves.  Strive to develop and demonstrate humility in all our relationships.  Order our family according to Scripture instead of cultural preferences.