Bible Submission Between Christian Man and Woman Within the Church

Do Christian husbands ever submit to their wives? Do wives have authority over their husbands to tell them what to do? Are husbands to obey their wives or are wives to obey their husbands in everything? What really is the truth according to the Holy Scriptures, which is the very Word of God?

What does this Bible passage mean?

Ephesians 5:21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Eph. 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Eph. 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Eph. 5:24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her. Let us examine each verse circumspectly.

Many people believe that Ephesians 5:21 is teaching mutual submission. They believe that men and husbands are to obey their wives and vice versa. The truth of the matter is that Ephesians 5:21 is an introductory statement like a newspaper headline. You must read the entire article or in this case the entire passage in order to understand who submits to whom.

This verse was not meant to stand-alone, it requires the other verses in order to have true meaning. If this verse were meant to stand-alone then we would have no need of the remaining scriptures in the context. Ephesians 5:22 through Ephesians 6:9 gives us four different kinds of submission and this gives us the explanation of Ephesians 5:21.

Ephesians 5:22 states that wives are to submit to their husbands, this is the first kind of submission. Ephesians 5:25 says that husbands are to be submissive to the Lord Jesus Christ and this is the second kind of submission. Ephesians 6:1 is telling us that children are to obey their parents and this is the third kind of submission. Ephesians 6:5 states that employees are to obey their employers and this is the fourth kind of submission. You will never find any where in the Bible where it says that men or husbands are to obey their wives or another woman.

When you read the book of Genesis in the first chapter you will find that God created man saying that He created them male and female. It is necessary to read the second chapter of Genesis in order to get the details of creation. If you only read the first chapter of Genesis then you will believe that man and woman were created at the same time. Reading the second chapter of Genesis tells us that man and woman were created at different times. This illustration is similar to reading Ephesians 5:21 where you will need to read the entire passage in order to know who submits to whom.

Ephesians 5:24 gives us conclusive evidence of the fact that husbands do not ever submit to their wives. Wives are to obey their husbands in Everything just like the church is to obey Christ. This parallel of comparing the church like the wife being submissive to the husband and Christ couldn't be any clearer. Let me ask you, does Christ ever submit to the church? Is Christ beneath the church in authority? Christ never submits to the church, therefore the husband never submits to the wife. The church is always under Christ and obeys His every word. In like manner wives are to obey every word of their husbands.

Bill Naugle, Theology Instructor of the Bible. Microsoft (MCDST) and CIW Server Administrator Certification. Expert by self-study in SEO with proven success. Qualified Home Internet Business Entrepreneur with marketing achievement. Writer of many articles, books and ebooks that has produced many sales. http://truththatheals.blogspot.com

Church Position & Role of Men and Women in Christ Based on the Bible

God has a role for men and a role for women that He put within them when He created them and it is by nature that men and women live according to the Bible. No verse of the Bible will cancel out another verse or else God Himself would be contradictory in His writings making Him out to be a liar. We know that God is not a liar or else our salvation would be in jeopardy. Because of this knowledge what are the similarities and differences between man and woman?

Look at this Bible reference: Gal. 3:8 "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed"

Gal. 3:9 "So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham."

Gal. 3:26 "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus."

Gal. 3:27 "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

Gal. 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Gal. 3:29 "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Many people and Christians believe that men and women have the same authority and can both teach Bible doctrine in the church because we are all one in Christ. This Bible passage in the book of Galatians is teaching on salvation, blessings and our inheritance in Christ. The above scripture has nothing to do with our authority in Christ or our gender calling to teach in the body of Christ.

Galatians 3:8 & 9 is talking about the blessings of Abraham being upon all of those who are in Christ through faith in His blood. Galatians 3:26 & 27 is speaking about our eternal salvation and the position we have as perfect beings before God by the work of the cross of Christ. Galatians 3:28 is explaining God's viewpoint on how He sees His family being all one regardless of being male or female or being Jew or Greek. God is saying that there is no difference between male and female when it comes to salvation, blessings and inheritance.

God does see a difference between man and woman when it comes to teaching Hid Word and having authority. See First Timothy 2:12 (And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence) and you will see that God definitely notices a difference with men and women when it comes to authority. Galatians 3:29 speaks of all believers in Christ as having the same inheritance regardless of sex or background because all of that changes when you accept Christ as your Savior.

Do not confuse your position in Christ given you by God when you have faith in Christ and become apart of the family of God enjoying the blessings of Abraham and your eternal inheritance as a reward for your faith with the natural role you have. Your role as men and women have been placed inside of you when you were created, therefore it is very natural to live out of this truth when you learn who you are as a person. The Bible tells you, who you are, study it and learn by God all about yourself.

Bill Naugle, Theology Instructor of the Bible. Microsoft (MCDST) and CIW Server Administrator Certification. Expert by self-study in SEO with proven success. Qualified Home Internet Business Entrepreneur with marketing achievement. Writer of many articles, books and ebooks that has produced many sales. http://truththatheals.blogspot.com