Eph 5:22-24 “A Word to Christian Wives”
Intro: Life is full submitting: traffic officer; doctor; employer.
-Goodness of submission to legitimate authorities: protection, care, and benefit to self & others.
–Today we consider the goodness of another kind of submission: wives to their own husbands.
-This is an offensive idea to our culture and also misunderstood by many.
-It taught here in our passage. Today’s we’ll consider it and I hope see the goodness in it.
CONTEXT: Instructions to Christians.
Eph 1-3: GOSPEL Stated: Triune God; Dead in our Sins; Saved by Grace Through Faith; New Creation.
Eph 4-6: GOSPEL Implications and application. Instructions for Christians.
*TODAY: Instruction for Christian wives. Wives, God calls you to joyfully submit to your own husbands.
-This has application for not just wives but for us all.
1. An Instruction Given (22):22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord
BIBLICAL VIEW OF MARRIAGE: One man and one woman.
-Men and women are equal but has distinct roles: Husband leads and the wife follows his leadership.
-Though rejected today in culture, it is God’s good design.
-WIVES: this passage is directed toward married CHRISTIAN women.
-It is assumes that such a woman has placed her faith in Jesus and been saved by grace (Eph 2:8-9)
–NOT: Women who are engaged, or girlfriends.
-INSTRUCTION: “SUBMIT TO YOUR OWN HUSBANDS”
–SUBMIT= Follow the leadership and direction of your husband.
*Husband is lovingly care for and lead his wife and children while the wife RESPECTS and follows his leading
–NOTE: “your own husband”=not any man, but your OWN husband.
–NOTE: You must not submit to your husband is he is calling you to sin.
–AS TO THE LORD: As a Christian woman submits to Jesus, so she is also to submit to her husband
-A woman must first submit to Jesus—that is her greatest need.
-The act of submitting to her husband derives from her prior submission to Jesus.
-This can help make submission easier: You are doing this because you love Christ.
APPLICATION: WIVES, God is calling you to submit to your own husbands.
-Are you submitting to his leadership or refusing to submit?
-Is it a submission of the heart as well as they life?
-Instead of submitting, are you trying to override his leadership?
OBJECTION: But my husband is not a Christian!
ANSWER: Sill called to sumit, but not into sin 1 Peter 3:1-6
OBJECTION: But my husband is kind of foolish in some areas.
ANSWER: Submission does not mean you always remain silent or never voice your concerns. But it does mean you willingly follow his leadership even if you disagree.
OBJECTION: But this sounds so oppressive. Haven’t we moved past this ethic and given women more rights?
ANSWER: God’s Word is not oppressive, but when lived out well actually in a greater care, protection, and the right kind of freedom—free to live in God’s design.
OBJECTION: But my husband is so passive, and he never leads us spiritually.
ANSWER: Still called to submit to his leadership, but you should pray for Him and encourage w/Scripture.
- A Reason Stated (23): 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.
God often gives us reasons with his instructions. These help satisfy the mind and strength our hearts.
–REASON STATED--HEADSHIP: For the husband is the head of the wife
–HEAD=Leader who has legitimate authority to guide and direct.
–TODAY: ‘head of an organizer,’ ‘heading up a project’
–Husband is the HEAD of the wife
-HEAD=God has made the man the protector, leader, and provider for the woman.
-This is the husband’s God-given role.
-ANALOGY: even as Christ is the head of the church, his body
-Jesus is the head of the church (LEADER), so husbands are head of their wives.
*CONSIDER PAUL’S LOGIC:
-God’s ordering of reality: Christ is head of the church and all Christians submit to Jesus.
-God has made husbands the head of their wives
-THUS, it is right for you to submit to His God-given authority (for yours and his good).
ARNOLD: “women should not seek to assert themselves in the home in a way that could be viewed as ruling, controlling, or dominating. Rather, they must acknowledge the God-given role assigned to the husband and respect the leadership he endeavors to provide for the family.
QUESTION: Wives, do you recognize the God-given authority of your husband?
–Remember this, and let it help you to submit to Him.
HUSBANDS: God has given you a role and authority in your home as head of the family.
-Are you being faithful to the call to provide, protect, and lead your wife and children?
-Are you sinfully neglecting your role through passivity?
-Are you sinfully being heavy-handed, and not sacrificially loving your wife?
GOSPEL: JESUS is himself its Savior.
-Jesus is the SAVIOR of the CHURCH!
-Israel was in bondage to Pharoah, but God in grace saved them and brough them out.
-We were in bondage to our sins, but Jesus came to SAVE us from our sins and bring us back to God
-The SAVING work of Jesus involved a WILLING SUBMISSION to the Father (Matt 26:39)
-Jesus, our SAVIOR, paid the ultimate price for sinners like us.
-He is our hope now, as married or singles.
–Wives, Christ is your savior, and he died for your refusal to submit to your husband.
-Submit to Jesus, your kind savior, and ask for grace to submit to your husband
-You have been saved to walk in God’s ways, which include submission to your husband.
–Husbands, Christ is your savior. He died for your sinful passivity and neglect
-Look to Jesus, ask Him to empower your by the Holy Spirit to be faithful husband
–CHURCH: Marriage is not ultimate, but a picture of Christ and the church.
-Remember that Jesus is our Savior, and rejoice in His saving work.
- The Instruction Restated (24) Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Restatement: Wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
-Hear this again, and don’t ignore it.
ANALOGY: as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
-The church submits Jesus. Jesus is in charge and we follow Him.
-What Jesus directs us to believe and do, that we will do.
-As the church submits, so wives submit to their own husbands.
EXPANSION: so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
-The church is to submit in EVERYTHING to Christ, so are wives to their husbands.
WIVES: Are you submitting in EVERYTHING to your husbands?
-Submitting in the heart? Lives?
-Are there areas where you are not willing to submit to your husbands?
APPLICATION:
Wives: let this inform how you act toward your husband.
-Encourage each other to do this: don’t gossip or demean your husbands behind their back.
-Pray for grace to submit. Pray for grace for your husband to joyfully lead.
Husbands: Embrace the God’s call on your life to lovingly lead your wife.
-Repent of passivity. Repent of not sacrificially loving your wife.
Singles: Prayer for the wives and husbands.
-Encourage them to this ideal, which is God’s design.
EVERYONE: Jesus is the SAVIOR of the church.
-Hold on to this truth as you seek to follow Jesus as husband, wife, or single person.
