•Part 5
Ephesians 5:18-6:4
"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 5:22-24. This is obviously addressed to the wife. We looked at being born into total depravity, and we also looked at the fact that we are highly influenced by this world system. These influences come from different areas and are mostly directed towards the women. Popular sayings are put on bill boards, bumper stickers, and today all over the sinnernet. So we have women who are loud and boisterous pushing their agenda and you can see hatred all over them. Their hatred is first of all towards God, then it is towards men, and then towards all who do not agree with them. This influence is all around and we see the effects of this in the home.
Women are encouraged to be successful in this world. The view of success is climbing a corporate ladder and striving with the man for positions at the office or on the job site. There is also a forcible influence to please yourself. It doesn't help when you have heretics writing books and broadcasting about your best life now, destined to reign, and enjoying everyday life. These claim to be Christian authors when in fact they are wolves in sheep clothing. We are to examine everything and everyone by the Word of God. When you mix these influences with the depraved nature you get a tremendous pull and push to get away from the Word of God. This pull and push is to get away from the Word of God because this pull and push is anti-biblical. The Biblical wife is anti-cultural. Society looks down on a wife who is Biblical. The result is we end up with women leaving the home for money and success to fulfill their own desires. A key component of the home is missing. It's like running a motor with no motor oil in it. It will run for a little while, it will get rougher and will put off sounds and smells that let us know that something is wrong, then it will shut down, lock up, it is now destroyed.
I know people say they can send the kids off to school and work and still get home at night and cook supper and run the community taxi to the ball games etc… How many of you wives are worn down from all this running? Now we have sports all year round, and if your kid plays all these sports you never get a break. Where does the time go? You are toting your kids all around, but who is teaching your kids? The one who is teaching your kids is influencing them the most. You are so worn out that your husband gets put on the back burner and God isn't even on the stove. You may still go to church, but it is usually just to keep face. Most don't even go to church as a family. The babies go to the nursery, the youth group, then to college. They are not a part of the church family. So here is the question, what is a Biblical wife? To answer this question we must look to the Bible. There are many opinions as to what a Biblical wife is, but there is only one answer, it is from the Bible. What kind of wife-mother do you want to be (Joshua 24:15)?
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord," Ephesians 5:22.
"Submit" means to submit oneself, to be subject, to be obedient. To place in order. This is a command to do something in the future and involves continuous and repeated action; it usually carries with it the implication of stopping an action that has been taking place. So here it would be stop not submitting and start submitting and continue to submit. Place yourself in order. This takes us back to the fall which we looked at last time. The woman's desire is to get out of order; this is natural, part of the depraved nature. Ladies, you have a choice to make. You are not a spiritual robot; you have to make a decision everyday whether you will obey Gods Word or rebel against it. To obey means you must crucify your flesh. Notice it doesn't say husbands, make your wives submit, but rather, wives, submit yourselves, unto your own husbands. "For the husband ius 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 5:23-24.
Turn with me to Titus 2:3-5, "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." In verse 3, "behavior as becometh holiness" means to be sacred and spiritual; not secular and not profane. In verse 5 "keepers at home" means a stayer at home, domestically inclined (a "good housekeeper"): - (a guard; be "ware"). In verse 5 "obedient to their own husbands", this word obedient is the same as submit in Ephesians 5:22. Look at the end goal in verse 5, "that the word of God be not blasphemed." This is of the highest motivation because it is in the Scriptures. This command is from God and for women to honour the Word of God. God has given the woman a position to be praised in, but as a result of our depraved nature she doesn't want this position of the highest honour with God and would rather have the praises of men. And as Jesus told the pharisees, you have your reward here on earth, but not in heaven.
How many of you do not like this, and then ask yourself why? Be honest. Why don't you want to be obedient to your own husbands and why don't you want to be keeper at home? Is it because you "feel" insufficient, worthless, or that you "feel" the need to better yourself? God views success by our obedience to His Word. Let's look at how important it is for a wife to be Biblical, and when she is Biblical, she is elevated, and she is priceless. You cannot put a value on a wife that is Biblical. When she is Biblical, it is God who elevates her, and praises her.
The enemy will take these truths and immediately run to the negative side. They will say that this type of teaching hinders women, degrades women, holds women back, and makes women worthless. They go further in mocking women who are biblical. They describe biblical women as dumb, weak, as slave, and not able to do anything of their own. This is a lie in that the Bible, God, exalts women who are biblical. Lord willing, we will look at this next time.
How much have you been influenced by this world system? How much do you love the Lord, your husband, and your family? Will you submit to God, or will you kick against Him and His Word? A Biblical wife cannot be measured by earthly riches. Our God is good and faithful. Please send questions and comments to:richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com.
Soli Deo Gloria
