The Wife Must Submit

eph 5:22-28 22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. 25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

Okay, before you get too "big-headed" guys, this does not mean that your wife is supposed to be your slave (even though that would be nice sometimes). It means you're supposed to love your wife as Jesus loved the church and we all know Jesus did not use the church as slaves. If anything, He gave the church freedom.

Let's break down the verses.

Verse 22 is basically telling the wives to talk with your husband about your problems, trust him to support you, allow him to support you and respect him in his decisions as you would the Lord.

Verse 23 is saying that in a Christian relationship, when the husband is a man of faith and follows the word of God, the wife is supposed to follow him and look to him for answers as the church does to Christ. This will result in protection from harm, sin and emotional pain as this responsible husband will be as a savior of the wife's body.

Verse 24 is again saying that as a Church believes, trusts and follows what Christ leads us to do, the wife of a Christian husband should follow, believe and trust in where he leads.

Verse 25 is speaking to the husband stating that he is responsible for leading his wife in the right direction should she follow. That he is supposed to lead and love his wife, even if facing death, just as Jesus did for the church.

Verse 26 is saying that the husband is supposed to cleanse and purify the lifestyle of himself and his wife by following the guidelines and teachings of the Bible and is supposed to be sure that he leads his wife to follow the Word.

Verse 27 states that just as Jesus tries to purify the lives in the Church and give them a light to follow, a husband must do for his wife. The husband must strive for perfection in teaching his wife to live a life for honoring God. There should be no stray moments and if there is a moment where the wife is astray, the husband is supposed to do his very best to keep her on the right track and lead her back to the Word. The husbands job is to create a flawless relationship between the Lord, himself and his wife.

Verse 28 says that a man should look at his wife's soul as his own in a manner. The more he loves his wife, the more he loves himself. The more he lets his wife stray, the more he lets himself stray. The husbands job is to see himself and his wife as one, and as one make sure this new joined heart is on the right path for God.

I know that was long, but many men misunderstand those verses. They immidiately build their pride and preach to their wives that they must serve him and respect him no matter what. But I believe that this passage is saying that "yes," a woman should respect and obey her husband... IF he a man of faith and follows the path of God. If your husband's every move is based on prayer and is lead by the Lord, then yes, the wife should most definately follow without question.

Some may argue or try to contradict this passage with Matthew 19:6.

matt 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

This verse says that a man and his wife are equal. One flesh. Looked upon and one person. This is where some people say, God said we are equal so why does a wife have to submit to her husband and not the other way around.

If you read the first passage of this blog, you should realize that it was all equal from the beginning. The relationship is 100% equal. Just as the woman is given the responsibility of following, the husband is given a responsibility of leading. Both have a job to do that can't be done without each other. One can't follow if there's no one to lead just as one can't lead if theres no one to follow. They must work together. Yes, a woman must submit. But a man is supposed to do even more. The man is supposed to work his heart out (spiritually and physically) to support his wife in return and to make sure their newly joined heart is right with the Lord.

How do you feel about this passage ladies?