Isaiah - Verse By Verse | Walking through Ephesians

Walking through Ephesians - Day 120

versebyverse | March 20, 2008 19:16

Thought: To me, the lesson of submission is a priceless one--shown to us dynamically through Christ's submission to His Father.

Question: Have I learned how to submit to another?

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22 (NIV): "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord."

To live as "children of light", chapter 5 verse 8, Paul has exhorted many things, giving many do's and don'ts. Verse 21 introduced the topic of Christian submission. His teaching on submission here is very practical. Family life is now addressed, and the first to be instructed are the women. Why are they first? (Ladies first!!) I believe the spirit of a wife's submission may encourage and stimulate her husband's leadership. I feel that learning to submit to authority is a first lesson to becoming a good leader and to inspiring a good leader. Some husbands, however, may try to lead without ever having learned how to submit themselves to God (or others). This, to me, makes for a "failed" leader--a leader who may tyrannize rather than empathize. Wives can accomplish so much when they first submit, even instructing that kind of husband, by submissive example, to act like Christ.

Wibes are to submit, or become subject to, their own husbands only, not other men. They are to be subject to their own husbands "as to the Lord." From other scriptures, including Colossians 3:18 and descriptions of Sarah's submission in I Peter, we learn that this means we are to fulfill a role that is exemplified by Christ Who submitted to His Father. There is authority over women. That authority is the man they marry and he is placed over them by God. I Peter also allows for the fact that these men could very well be "froward" (King James version), or "perverse", that is, not trmendously idyllic! Nevertheless, and as modelled by Christ's submission to Roman soldiers, etc., we are to submit, perhaps even to our own hurt. In Christ's example there is much purpose, much good accomplished, through His hurt. All Christians, not just women, are taught to enter "the fellowship of His sufferings." There is so much to learn there!!

Submitting "as to the Lord" allows us to begin to learn the huge and wonderful lessons of submission. There is a lot of beauty in yieldedness. It immediately makes a statement about us that we are willing to put ourselves in second place. This is the heart of Christianity and of God Himself Who allowed Himself to be killed in order to redeem the world. God submitted His own standards to "second place" for a time when He extended love to us "while we were yet sinning." Submission is a vital aspect of our faith. All Christians should learn it, but wives are especially blessed to be required to learn it first in the family.

To submit to a man, your husband, "as to the Lord", is a continual learning process. We know the husband is totally fallible, yet we obey this command because it is the Lord's command. We submit, therefore, more because it is the Lord's command than that our man is worthy of being head. We first submit to God, really, then to our husband because of God. It requires trust. Trust in God; trust that God knows the whole situation and every soul involved and has our best interest at heart. So, just as I have entrusted my soul and life to God, I can entrust myself equally well under the authority of this husband God has given to be over me.

Prayer: Sovereign Father, help Christians all over the world to learn the valuable lesson of Christ-like submission. Amen.