Biblical Answer

Submission: A Key to a Harmonious Marriage

Biblical submission is a topic of much debate today, particularly in the context of marriage. In Ephesians 5:22-24, Paul exhorts wives to submit to their husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. This command is not meant to be a one-way street, but rather a reflection of the mutual submission that exists between Christ and the church (Eph. 5:21). Just as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. This submission is not a sign of weakness, but rather a demonstration of a wife's love and respect for her husband and for God.

Understanding the Call to Submission

The call to submission is not a command to be passive or submissive in a way that is not voluntary. Rather, it is a call to willingly set aside one's own priorities and desires in submission to God and the authority He has placed over us. This is evident in Peter's exhortation to wives, "In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that, if any of them refuse to believe the word, they may be won over without a word by the behavior of their wives" (1 Peter 3:1-2). This submission is not just a moral obligation, but a means of fulfilling one's role as a wife and a follower of Christ.

Submission in the Context of Mutual Submission

The concept of submission is often misunderstood as a one-way command, but it is actually a key part of the mutual submission that exists between Christ and the church. In Ephesians 5:21, Paul exhorts believers to submit to one another, and this command is repeated in verse 22, where wives are exhorted to submit to their husbands. The idea is not that the husband is the lord of the wife, but rather that he is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. This means that wives should submit to their husbands in everything, not as a sign of weakness, but as a demonstration of their love and respect for their husband and for God. By submitting to their husbands, wives can be a powerful witness to the Gospel and a source of strength and encouragement in their marriage.