by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 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. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."

Ephesians 5:21-24

Submission is a concept that seems backwards and archaic to modern society, but is part of God's formula for a godly, joyful marriage.

The role of the wife has changed through time. Once, women were seen as nothing more than mothers and home-keepers, not seen much in society. On the other hand, certain cultures highly revered the wife for her mothering and training abilities. Then wives and mothers were told to stand up and fight for their rights, ushering in a new era of women's rights, modernism, and change. But while ancient civilizations were mixed on the role of the wife, today's society has seen much in the way of adaptation of wives. Today's wives are taught to be strong, independent, and self-reliant women.

But how does God define the role of a wife? In a world that tells women to "be their own boss" and "take control of their own lives", let's look at the biblical definition and role of a godly wife. Ephesians 5 shows God's command to wives: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." God desires that wives would submit to their husbands just as they would submit to God each day.

We husbands aren't perfect, nor are we experts in every area of life, but God desires that wives would recognize the godly role of leadership God's given to the husband, and submit to that role.

Submission is an often misunderstood word in our culture. Submission isn't a sign of weakness, but an act of willful surrender. Often, it takes more strength and determination to willfully submit to another imperfect human being.

Being submissive also doesn't mean being lesser or inferior. In many areas, my wife Terrie is smarter and superior to me, yet she submits herself to my leadership because God has commanded her to. Wives, you don't need to take on a self-depreciating spirit in order to submit. God simply wants you to allow your husband to lead in your family, and follow his leadership.

Perhaps best put by Joyce Rogers, wife of preacher Adrian Rogers, the submission a wife is to have to her husband was illustrated by Jesus Christ: "To prove submission is a wonderful concept, Jesus became the ultimate illustration of its validity. Although He was co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, He was completely submissive to the Father's will." Just as wives are co-equal with their husbands in value and spiritual worth, God desires that a wife would willingly submit herself to her husband.

Wives, just as you would submit to God and follow His will, God desires for you to submit to your husband and prefer his guidance above your own. A concept that seems backwards and archaic to modern society is God's formula for a godly, joyful marriage.

Husbands, while wives are commanded to submit to your guidance, God doesn't give you free range to harshly rule and dictate your home. We'll see more in the next few days on God's command for your role in the home, but don't treat your wife as an inferior member of the family. She is your partner, your co-equal, and you should respect her and her wisdom. I find that many times, Terrie has wisdom about a particular decision or situation even more than I do. Don't overlook your wife, but appreciate her gifts and talents, and seek her counsel in matters.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Job 25-27 | Acts 12