I've already established that women are invited to submit to their husbands, while their trust is placed in God and it will be God that cares for them. (See post not just a submissive girl). I see the higher purpose and how faithful God is when we honorably submit to God's care and plan for our lives. So if we're the submissive ones, men are the leaders, right? It doesn't say anything about men being submissive, does it?
Guess what? It actually does. The Bible is not shy with examples of Christ submitting to His Father.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. John 6:38
My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will. Matthew 26:39
When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather he made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8.
And if men are somehow to treat the women as Christ treats the church they would be required to serve and submit. Men are to submit to Christ just as Christ submitted to God.
But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ... and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3
So the words, "Husbands submit to Christ" are not written in ink but how can anyone miss Christ's example of submission to His Father and servitude towards His church? If men are to love their wives as Christ loves the church (Eph 5:25), then by definition of Christ's character, they are to be submissive, otherwise they do not represent Christ and they are held accountable by God. And that is a tough place to be!
As I reflected on this concept, I realized that this submission concept is not some silly thing imposed on women to reduce us or belittle us or "keep us in our place." This is not just a random unattainable command designed to frustrate relationships and add tension to already unmet expectations. This is the design of the heavenly realm. And women are invited to set the example, not to be robots without a voice. Their voice of submission is for the sake of the man, who will find it entirely more challenging to be a submissive type since he sometimes wants to rule the world. Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives. 1 Peter 3:1. I swear this is the first time I have ever understood the depth of this verse. To win someone over without words is the definition of setting an example.
Women are invited to set the example because we're so awesome and if anyone can turn the heads of men, it'll be us, right? Wow, what a sacred task we've been assigned.
But women will complain: men are so stuck in their ways, and so close-minded, and so independent and so stubborn and... and they do not treat their wives as Christ treats the church...
Yeah, all those things are just excuses to not trust God and be faithful to Him.
"Did God really say that you couldn't eat from all the trees?" (Gen 3:1) The original temptation the enemy used to invite Eve to question God's real intentions. And today we ask, "Did God really say that we have to submit to our husbands? We should look at it in context. Maybe study it from the perspective of the Biblical societal norms and whatnot. It doesn't mean the same thing today."
But I beg to differ. It is the same thing and it is more relevant, today, than it has ever been. We have been fighting God's design for centuries now, and as a result, have set poor examples for the men whose accountability to God bears such grave consequences. As women, we are tasked with a sacred assignment and everyone will agree that it's no easy assignment. But God places His faith in our love for Him as we place ours in Him. He invites us to obey and trust and He richly rewards those who do so.
Men, submit to God as your wives submit to Him also. That means that when you're lost you ask Him for directions, when you're wounded, you cry out to God, when you're angry, you seek His patience and peace. You are not the king of your castle unless God is the King of your heart.
You can march around, all tough and strong, and command obedience, but unless you have the King's blood running through your veins, you are only an imposter and royalty is not in you.
So this concept of submission in this earthly union, that is somehow supposed to represent something heavenly, is shining a rather large light on the original sin and how we, as advocates for Christ, can testify to God's faithfulness and fairness.
And when I say "original sin," I'm not referring to the one that Eve committed, but to the one that Lucifer engineered in the heavenly realms before the creation of our earth.
God's design of authority, for the sake of caring for His created beings, was challenged by one of those created beings. Lucifer wanted to be like God and said, I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. Isaiah 14:13-14.
But for him to challenge God's authority on that level would disrupt God's design to care for and protect everything He'd created. It'd be like my soup wanting to be the chef. I know, that's a silly analogy. Because how could something I created with my own hands, suddenly try to assume the position of creator that I possess? The absurdity of that attempt is almost laughable because the soup is inanimate and does not posses the ability to create or assemble ingredients. And yet when Lucifer tried to do it, it was no laughing matter at all.
He decided that equality with God was something to be desired and it became his lofty goal. He was dismissed from heaven and bound to an earth that he could rule. Rulership is what he'd always wanted and now he got it. But to win the hearts of God's creation with his authority would never happen. We are created in the image of God and we have His spirit in our hearts and that spirit fights to the death to stay faithful to Him. When Satan decided he could use deceit to lead God's people away from Him, I imagine he laughed sadistically and spat, "See how easy it is?" He knew there was a plan of redemption for God's children but he couldn't wrap his head around how God would accomplish that, successfully. He could not have grasped the possibility of God reducing Himself for the sake of man. He was unable to comprehend that level of love because the creation of sin was found in him. (Read Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 to gain a fuller understanding of Satan's downfall). But Jesus blew him away when He illustrated how equality with God was not something to aim for, but made Himself nothing.
I don't think the world accurately comprehends the staggering sacrifice that Jesus made; the tragedy that hit all of the heavenly home when He stepped down for our sake. Greater love is incomprehensible. He did the exact opposite of Satan. Where Satan wanted to rise to be equal to God, Jesus stepped down from His position of authority in the name of love.
Because that's what true love does. It lays down its very life for those over whom they lead. This truth applies to leaders of men: Love lays down their life for those they lead. Love does not assume authority and command "obedience or else." Love sacrifices its very position of authority for the sake of Love. Love is what draws us into obedience and servitude and submission; overwhelming love for the God who gave up everything to prove to the universe that His design was created out of Love and not out of a desire to control.
If that level of sacrifice doesn't hit you in the gut, and motivate you into worship, and prompt adoration for God, I don't know what to say.
This is our testimony. This is our chance to prove to the universe and to all created beings that God IS love and His commands ARE just and His faithfulness IS true.
And for the record, no one said it would be easy. Many women (and men) would consider submission to be an absolute challenge and utterly exhausting. A suffering of significant proportion, really. But that's okay, I think we've - many times over - established that suffering for the gospel is worthwhile.
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God. 2 Timothy 1:8
Oh, and don't forget that once we reach that Heavenly home, there will be no more marriage and we will all be like the angels (Mark 12:25, Matthew 22:30) and we will no longer submit to any human authority but to God alone. He has invited us to be His example on this earth with a promise of an eternity of equality with other created beings. Through love and acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice, I'm pretty sure we can handle the task of our earthly responsibilities. After all, it's nothing compared to what Jesus did.
