Husbands and Wives Called to Operate in God's Order

^¹⁸"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ^¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. ^²³ And whatever you do, do it heartliy, as to the Lord and not to men, ^²⁴ knowing that from the Lord yoiu will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."

A Christian renders service to others as a way of serving the Lord Christ. In these verses the relationship to which this truth is specifically applied is the husband-wife relationship. The role and admonition that God assigns to a husband is meant to be a way of serving his wife, according to which she serves her husband.
These roles are not self-chosen, nor are they assigned by the culture in which one lives: they are given by God as a means of manifesting the life of Christ on Earth. In this setting the word submission acquires its full biblical significance for family life: husband and wife alike are submissive to God in fulfilling the roles that He has given them. In serving one another, husband and wife serve and honour Christ. The word "submit" (Greek hupptasso) is formed from hupo ("under) and tasso ("to arrange in an orderly manner"). In this context it describes a person who accepts his or her place under God's arranged order. Also, remember that God's directive to submit is notlimited to wives. In James 4:7 ("God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.") and Ephesians 5:21 ("submitting to one another in the fear of God") we see the directive applied to every believer - in his or her relationship with others and with God.

Home	Husbands and Wives Called to Operate in God's Order
The Best Family Life
Attitudes Toward God Determine Attitudes Towards Mates
Forgiveness Can Save and Transform a Marriage

Home	The Best Family Life
Attitudes Toward God Determine Attitudes Towards Mates	Forgiveness Can Save and Transform a Marriage