Godly Submission at Home

Godly Submission at Home: In my early years as a believer in Christ, I had the privilege of fellowshipping in a house church where the leadership taught us godly submission at home. The world, especially the “woke” crowd promoting gender equality derides the word submission. What is submission?

Collins online Dictionary defines it as a state in which people can no longer do what they want to do because they have been brought under the control of someone else. On its part, the Britannica Dictionary explains that submission is a state of being obedient: the act of accepting the authority or control of someone else.

          Ephesians 5:21-33 & 6:1-3 present the outline of God’s order in the family. Verses 5:21-33 not only admonish wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church, but they also emphasise the need for all believers to submit themselves one to another in the fear of God.

This implies that submission should not be limited to the home; but should be practiced by everyone in the body of Christ. On the other hand, children are enjoined to obey their parents in the Lord; in addition to honouring them in line with God’s commandment in Exodus 20:12, with a caveat that their blessings and longevity depend on their obedience in this regard.

 How is submission practiced at home? The heart and mind are the principal instruments in submitting to the will of God through His delegated authorities. If we love God and obey His word, we would have no problem submitting to such authorities. Unfortunately, we are living in a world where men have little or no regards for God’s written word in the Holy Bible, even in the church.

Just like Paul the apostle warned in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, many “Christians” have rejected sound doctrine, in favour of human philosophies and ideas that contradict the word of God. Hence, people are more comfortable seeking help from psychologists and other “broken cisterns that hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13) on issues affecting their families.

Submission in Scripture does not imply slavery, but an acknowledgment of God’s order in creation. Paul stated in 1 Timothy 2:13 that Adam was formed before Eve. This in itself explains the order in the family, thus, giving the husband the authority to oversee affairs in his home.

However, this does not give him the leeway to be tyrannical, since the Lord expects him to love his wife as Christ loves the church. In fact, his love for his wife would elicit respect or reverence from her, in obedience to God’s command in Ephesians 5:33.

The relationship between the man and his wife also draws in their children into this fold of submission. Most children who became unmanageable were influenced by the schism they observed between their parents.

When a man loves his wife, and she reciprocates this by showing him respect, they are able to work as a team to bring up God-fearing children. It is impossible to have stability in a home that is actively working against God’s order.