Articles
Is Submission A Curse?
Theme: Authority in the Home
(Final thought on last month's topic: Mother's/Wives)
Why are wives given the role to submit (Eph. 5:22-24)? Atheists attempt to say it is because Christians and the Bible’s author (God) are just sexist. Most professing Christians would strongly disagree with that. However, from time to time, very weak and unscriptural answers have been given in response. In particular: “Well, the only reason this is the case is because of what happens in Genesis 3. The curse is the cause of this problem.”
If we look at either role of man or woman in the Church, household, or otherwise (as prescribed in Scripture) and think it’s a “problem”, something’s wrong — and it’s not the Bible!
“It Was Good”???
The beginning of these roles in marriage was NOT sin! God created it this way well before sin entered the scene (Gen. 2:18-25; 1 Cor. 11:3, 8). Beyond that, it was created beautifully.
When God created Adam and Eve in this way (Gen. 1:27), it immediately says that it was not just good but “very good” (Gen. 1:31). In Genesis 2, as He gives more detail of man’s creation, He describes this relationship (untouched by sin) as harmonious, appealing, and perfect. In a word, heavenly!
When Paul speaks of these roles in Ephesians 5, he’s not saying this is what they look like in the aftermath of sin or that it’s not the ideal. Actually, he’s using creation (pre-sin) language — even connecting it to the relationship to Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:31-32). What is more ideal than that?
What Happened?
Sin corrupted these roles. Before, they were harmonious, interdependent, and (emphatically) peaceful. Sin, however, makes them hostile, competitive, and miserable (Gen. 3:16). It is the exact same today!
The most successful marriages are the ones that reflect Genesis 1-2.
- Where both parties can completely trust in the other to prioritize & fulfill THEIR own role
- Where there is no competition but full appreciation for the other’s role
- When both understand the need for and blessing of the other role that they can’t fill alone (1 Cor. 11:11-12)
While the most devastating are the ones that reflect Genesis 3.
- Where one or both spouses usurp the other’s role, abdicating their own — creating resentment
- When one or both spouses think they can do better than the other & try to — creating strife
- When one or both spouses separates God from the marriage (from which all problems stem)
Restoring the Ideal
The ideal is the relationship that shadowed Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:31-33; Gen. 2:20-24). What unfathomable peace that comes when two people cooperate TOGETHER under the same goal in marriage (God’s holy standard) — where men do not consider sacrificial love a curse, nor do women with submission.
