Thursday, December 29, 2016

REAL WOMANHOOD (Part 3)

A Wife—a Man’s Inspiration

Feminists nearly choke when God’s revealed purpose for women is discussed. Somehow they believe that these scriptures show that women are inferior. The truth is that the scriptures say just the opposite. Remember God said that it was not good for Adam to be “alone.” Adam may have been in perfect health, incredibly handsome and of high intelligence, but he was not “good” alone. If Adam was not good alone, then why would God create an “inferior” woman to help him? The truth is, Adam needed Eve. Adam was not complete in himself. He needed Eve’s special talents and abilities in order to become the success God wanted him to be.

Remember, Adam could find no animal creature to help him with his special needs. An animal could not share Adam’s thoughts, hopes and dreams. Only the woman, Eve, could help him achieve his full potential. Without this help, which only the woman could give, Adam would not have a full, abundant, peaceful and balanced life.

This is God’s physical purpose for creating woman. Woman was designed to be the inspiration and encouragement for her own husband. A husband’s success in life is also the wife’s success. Without giving this kind of help, a woman—if married—becomes frustrated, depressed, resentful and unfulfilled. Why? She is failing to fulfill the very purpose for which she was created!

Some may ask, must all women be married to find fulfillment? The answer is no. In Matthew 19:11-12, Jesus taught that some people choose to be single for the Kingdom or work’s sake. The Apostle Paul lived as a single because of his commission and the seriousness of the times in which he lived. Because Paul believed he was living in the end time, he wished that everyone were single. He said, “For I would that all men were even as I myself” (1 Corinthians 7:7). Why? Paul said, “But I would have you without carefulness” (verse 32). Building a strong marriage takes much work. Striving to build a strong marriage in tough times is even more difficult. A woman who chooses to be single, as long as she lives lawfully, can still achieve the spiritual purpose God has planned for her.

Be Under Authority

If you, as a woman, are married, or desire to be married, then you must focus on the wife’s purpose in marriage. This is the only way you can achieve true happiness. Paul states, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). Submission has become a bad, bad word in today’s society. Because of all the abuse of women, submission has taken on a very negative connotation. But if a man is living as a godly husband, submission is a very positive and fulfilling experience for a woman. The word for “submit” in the Greek is hupotasso and means to subordinate, to obey, be under obedience, put under, subdue unto. Submission means to put yourself under authority.

When God put man on this Earth, He established authority in marriage and family. God decided that men would have the overall or final authority in regard to marriage and family. Paul taught, “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve” (1 Timothy 2:12-13). God has given men the head, or lead, position in the home. Wives must not strive to take over that position. True family happiness can only come through the proper, loving use of authority. That is the man’s serious responsibility. A wife has the responsibility to fully support her husband’s authority. Unfortunately, this is where most women fail in marriage today.

Even husbands are under authority. Paul shows, “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). Converted men in God’s Church have a boss 24 hours a day—Jesus Christ. Paul shows here that even Christ willingly submits to God the Father. There must be government in the home. The man is the head. The wife shares the authority with the man as second in command. But a wife is not equal in authority.

“Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing” (Ephesians 5:24). Women must look to the example of Christ and the Church to learn how to properly submit to a loving husband. True submission means more than just choking down commands. True submission is helping and complementing your husband “in everything.” A woman must learn to be responsive to her husband, to his direction of the home and family, to his plans for family recreation and way of life.


A responsive wife fully shares and takes pleasure in her husband’s successes and accomplishments, knowing that she has helped him to achieve success. A loving wife also shares her husband’s failures, sorrows and disappointments. Never ridiculing, a loving wife always strives to give her husband sympathy and encouragement so that he can rebound to better success in the future. Wives, remember, submission is the key to your happiness.  see Part 4

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