By bro Lee Tian Seng
Eve disobeyed God in eating of the forbidden fruit and also convinced Adam to eat of it, thus causing him to sin. In pronouncing the consequences upon Eve, God instructed that she should submit to her husband and let her husband rule over her.
Genesis 3:16 - To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”
The New Testament also teaches us about the submission of women. In instructing the church in Corinth concerning the disrespectful conduct of women in public worship, the apostle Paul emphasised that the head of woman is man and therefore women should wear a veil as a symbol of respect. The reason for the submissive role of women is that God has created woman for man (Genesis 2:21-24).
1 Corinthians 11:3 - But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
1 Corinthians 11:8-9 - For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.
The Bible also teaches that wives should submit to their husbands, comparing the relationship to that of the church and Christ.
Ephesians 5:22-24 - Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Saviour of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
The wife is to submit to her husband in everything, just as the church submits to Christ, except when her husband asks her to disobey God.
Acts 5:29 - But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
This is not easy for the wife. What if her husband abuses his authority and makes her his slave? This should not be the case, because husbands are commanded to love their wives. He is to be considerate and respectful towards her.
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.
1 Peter 3:7 - Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
The Bible teaches that wives should submit to their unbelieving husbands, so they may be persuaded to believe, having witnessed the pure and respectful Christian conduct of their wives.
1 Peter 3:1-4 - Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
What is the responsibility of the wife? In the modern world, people think that wives should not be homemakers but there should be an equal roles between man and woman. The women should have the right to have a career, just like men. However, the Bible teaches that it is the responsibility of the wife to be a homemaker.
The apostle Paul exhorted older Christian women to teach young women to shoulder this responsibility and maintain their godly conduct, so that the unbelievers would not despise the word of God.
Titus 2:4-5 - That they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
The apostle Paul gave instructions on how the church should support needy widows, and cautioned against extending help to younger widows who are driven by their lustful desires, and are behaving as idlers, gossipers and busybodies. The proper conduct of these younger widows are to remarry, have children, and manage their home, so that the enemies of Christ would not have the opportunity to speak reproachfully against them. While the instruction was given to young widows, it also teaches us that it is proper for Christian wives to be homemakers.
1 Timothy 5:14 - Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
The responsibility of a wife is important to her husband in building a family. She should be praised and honoured for doing a good job.
Proverbs 31:27-28 - She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
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