Biblical Submission - Part 2

I am recapping my talk on Biblical submission from a couple weeks ago. Get caught up on Part 1 before moving on to

Biblical Submission - Part 2

Q: "What does Biblical submission mean for single females? Why is it an important issue for them right now even though they are single or unmarried?"

A: This specific passage is to married women, but submission should be a lifestyle for EVERYONE, not just married women.

Romans 13:1 says that "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

I Peter 2:13 says, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men."

Q: "Should a woman submit to her husband if he is not a believer?"

A: I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it would be to submit and honor a husband that wasn't in tune to God's prompting for the direction of our family. But God has specifically instructed women in this situation. Here is what I Peter 3:1-2 says:

"In the same way, you wives must accept the authority

of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News,

your godly lives will speak to them without any words.

They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives."

This being said, we must realize that in every circumstance God is the ultimate authority, having precedence over any other earthly authority. Meaning, if something doesn't line up with God's Word then God overrules that earthly authority.

For example, Josh and I were leading worship for some friends of ours in seminary. There was a women who had a student (maybe 2?) in their youth group. We played for this group several times and she was at every gathering. You could just see God's love radiating from her life. We found out that her husband was not a believer and did not allow her to tithe to the church. In fact, he didn't want anything to do with the church. But, knowing what Christ says about submission she obeyed God and honored her husband in this. She didn't stop there though. She found a way to honor God too. When pizza was needed for gatherings she would provide it. If the youth needed supplies, she could pitch in there too. She found practical ways to bless the church while still honoring and submitting to her husband.

Q: "What should we as men keep in mind on the topic of biblical submission?"

A: Let's look at Biblical submission in full context now...

"For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, 'A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.' This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."

See, it isn't just doing what your husband commands. Through the husband's submission to Christ he will love his wife and in return the wife will submit to Christ by respecting, honoring and submitting her husband. It is a mutual submission and it is intended to be a beautiful thing!

Come back tomorrow for the last part of Biblical submission.