Today the word, submit, seems to be a cuss-word, but it is not if practiced within the framework of the Biblical admonition. Admittedly it is a difficult concept to embrace because many in positions of authority abuse or misuse their authority.
Submitting to the proper authority, that is, one that is truly an authority figure in a given situation, is actually a place of protection
Let me tie this lesson into the previous lesson entitled God’s Marriage Triangle. In that lesson we saw God at the apex of the triangle and the husband and wife on an equal level as the base of the triangle.
The message was simple: God has a Plan, and if the husband works up his side of the triangle while the wife works up her side to attain God’s Plan they would grow closer to God and closer to each other.
From this easy to follow plan we draw the following conclusions:
Submission
If you submit to God’s Plan He is in control If you resist God’s Plan others are in control
Who might the others be? Any person or persons other than God would be in control.
If either husband or wife set aside God’s Plan and attempted to institute another plan, or their own plan, they are seeking to be in control. Although he is a defeated foe, the Devil is an enemy of God’s Plan for marriage. In my book, The Tie That Binds ©1979, I include a chapter entitled In-laws or Out-laws.
In 1st Peter 3:1-2 and 7, from Today’s English Version, we see the mechanics laid out governing this plan. Chapter 2 closes with the biblical admonition to follow Jesus, the Shepherd and Keeper of our souls.
“In the same way you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands, so that if some of them do not follow God’s Word, they will be won over to believe by your conduct. It will not be necessary for you to say a word, for they will see how pure and reverent your conducts is.”
Verse 7 speaks o the husband: “You husbands, also, in living with your wives you must recognize that they are the weaker sex and so you must treat them with respect; for they also will receive, together with you, God’s gift of life. Do this so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.”
Simply put, if a wife submits to the legitimate demands of her husband, God will prune the husband when and where needed. And verse 7 simply states if the husband fails to do so God will not answer his prayers.
Note from this author: Being a submissive wife does not require her to do anything illegal, immoral, un-ethical or un-Biblical.
Next time: More on Submission
