“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” Ephesians 5:22
There are several “S” words in our culture that we should never use in public or even privately. One of them is “submission.” However, when you think about it, everyone yields to somebody—from soldiers to generals, everyday citizens to police officers, workers to employers, and students to instructors. Without authority and submission, society would not be able to operate. Submission is a part of everybody’s world.
However, submission has a terrible connotation in marriage. This is unfortunate since, biblically interpreted, submission is a good thing. The pathway for us to have a relationship with God was made possible by Christ's submission to God the Father by going to the cross to die for our sins. Similar to this, a wife who submits to Jesus’ authority by putting herself under her husband’s direction is paving the road for a successful marriage. Does this sound demeaning? If so, take the example of Christ. Wives shouldn’t have any issues with submitting to Jesus’ authority since Jesus had no issues with doing the same toward the Father. Jesus commands us to do this, demonstrating that obedience is not a matter of social, philosophical, or intellectual debate; rather, it is a spiritual issue.
In Ephesians 5, the Apostle Paul uses the term “submit” twice, each time tying it to Jesus. Husbands and wives are expected to submit to Jesus’ authority. In marriage roles, this submission is developed differently. Wives willingly submit to their husbands’ authority because they are gladly submitting to Jesus’ authority. In other words, your relationship with your husband will flow out of your relationship with Christ.
The main directive is to submit to Christ’s authority since He is always to be relied upon. Everything else in our lives will fall into place when Christ is our head.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for providing me with Jesus Christ as such an outstanding example of surrender. Lord, please help me to live a life that is obedient to your rule and direction. Help me to surrender to your will and your plan for my life, and help me to trust you above all else. In Jesus' name, Amen.
