4 parts of the wife’s role which promote unity in marriage
I. Submitting to Christ (Ephesians 5:21)
Ephesians 5:21 - …and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
II. Helping Your Husband (Genesis 1:26-31; 2:18-25)
Genesis 2:18 - Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”
A. The honorable nature of this position, “helper,” frequently describes God
Psalm 54:4 - Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.
Psalm 30:10 - Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me; O LORD, be my helper.
1 Samuel 7:12 - Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us."
Hebrews 13:6 - …so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"
B. The potential delight of being a helpful companion (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18, 20, 24)
1. Helping him in the responsibilities (work/job) he has to fulfill (Genesis 1:28)
2. Helping him in the parenting process (Genesis 1:28; 2:24)
3. Helping in exercising the spiritual gifts within the church (1 Corinthians 12)
4. Helping in reaching out to the community (Matthew 5:13-16)
5. Helping in a sexual relationship with each other (Genesis 1:28; 2:25; 1 Corinthians 7:1-5)
III. Following Your Husband’s Leadership (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Ephesians 5:22-24 - Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
A. Develop a biblical view of submission
Submission = put in subjection, be under the authority of; take a subordinate place (position)
1 Peter 3:1 - In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives.
1. Submission is good because it is God’s divine plan for function and order (Ephesians 5:22-23)
2. Submission is a way of life for every believer in a variety of relationships, not just the wife
(Ephesians 5:21)
B. Since Jesus is the example of perfect submission, wives can follow His example!
1 Peter 2:21 - For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.
John 6:38 - For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
C. Respond properly to imperfect leadership (1 Peter 2:18-3:6)
1. Since Jesus is the only perfect leader, we all face the challenge of following imperfect leadership in the home
1 Corinthians 11:3 - But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
2. Responding to a believing husband who is imperfect
3. Responding to an unbelieving husband who is imperfect
1 Corinthians 7:14 - For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband…
IV. Respecting Your Husband (Ephesians 5:33)
Ephesians 5:33 - Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.
Practical ways to show respect for your husband:
A. Practice godly communication (Ephesians 4:25-33)
B. Choosing to believe the best about him (1 Corinthians 13:7) “…believes all things”
C. Deal with your problems first before trying to help him to please God (Matthew 7:1-5)
Question: How does God want to use my husband’s imperfections to help me grow to be more like Christ?
D. Pray for him daily
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