Biblical Answer

Biblical submission means that a wife is to submit to her husband in everything, just as the church submits to Christ. This submission is a voluntary choice, a response to the authority that God has placed over her. The word used for submission in Ephesians 5:22-24 is a stronger word than in verse 18, suggesting a more absolute command. This submission is not about being forced or controlled, but about willingly setting aside one's own priorities and desires in submission to God and the authority He has placed over her. The goal of this submission is to demonstrate a winsome obedience to God in marriage, winning her husband to obey God in all areas of life.

This submission is not a one-way street, but rather a mutual submission, as seen in Ephesians 5:21. The idea of submission comes from the context of mutual submission to one another, where each partner is to pursue one voice before the Lord. This means that the wife is to be responsive to her husband with respect to all issues in the marriage, and the husband is to live considerately with his wife, respecting her as an equal. This submission is not about hierarchy or control, but about living in harmony with one another, as Christ and the church.

The goal of this submission is to demonstrate a biblical pattern of marriage, where both partners are living out their roles as seen in Ephesians 5:22-24. The wife is to submit to her husband, and the husband is to love his wife, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. This submission is not about being passive or weak, but about being strong and courageous, willing to set aside one's own desires for the sake of the relationship and for the glory of God. By living out this submission, a wife can demonstrate a winsome obedience to God in marriage, winning her husband to obey God in all areas of life.