Bible Basics

Real Subjection

Many today do not believe in God’s arrangement of headship and consider the teaching that the wife is to be in subjection to her husband outdated and politically incorrect. But the Bible is very clear, as Paul writes, “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church” (Eph. 5:22, 23). Peter says the same thing in 1 Peter 3:1. The wife has no option if she is to please God. It is just as wrong for a wife to not subject herself to her husband as it is for the church to not be subject to Christ. But we must understand that real submission is not suppression, and she is not to be relegated to a position of unimportance or degradation. Neither can she be forced into subjection, for submission is always freely given. Furthermore, real submission according to God’s law does not remove freedom but allows it. To illustrate this point, consider the fact that although a train must submit to the track for its direction, on the track it finds true freedom, for off the track it cannot run at all. The fact is, real submission always brings exaltation, (see Phil. 2:5-11). When the husband loves his wife with the sacrificial love of Christ, the woman who submits to him will find herself exalted, for his desire is to please her and to fulfill her needs and desires.

                                                                                                               -- Clark Dugger

Bible Basics