“…submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”1“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and have himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that It should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. Nevertheless, let every one of you, in particular, so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”2“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”3
In Christianity, mutual love and submission to one another out of love and reverence for Christ are commanded. However, love and submission take on a deeper meaning and practice in marriage between a man and his wife. Marriage is a picture of the relationship between Christ and His church. Put differently, marriage is a living symbol of Christ and the church. Therefore, Christ sets the standard of love and submission in the marriage relationship. The husband must love his wife as Christ loves His church. And the wife must submit to her husband as Christ submitted to the will of the Father at Gethsemane. Four fundamental elements are inseparable in a marriage relationship. These are oneness, holiness, love, and submission.
“Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and they shall be one flesh.”4 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.”5 Oneness in marriage is likened to the Oneness that exists between the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. The husband and the wife are inseparably bound together until the separation at death.
Adam and Eve married in the state of holiness, with the potential to make choices. A holy God created them in His image and likeness. “But as he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, ‘Be ye holy for I am holy.’6 Also, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”7 Because Adam and Eve were holy, God often came down to fellowship with them in the cool of the day.
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing: but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Christ sets the standard of love for husbands; wives do not set the standard, nor do husbands. Put differently, husbands’ love for their wives must be modeled after Christ’s love for the church. “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”8 Christ’s love for the church knows no boundary. It extends to the height, depth, length, and breadth, acting as an irresistible, inner force that compels us to surrender our lives to Him voluntarily. Likewise, your love for your wife must act as an irresistible, inner force that compels your wife to voluntarily submit to you, and not by physical force or coercion. The nature of Christ’s love for the church is discussed in detail on our website and blog to help husbands model his love for their wives.
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the savior of the body.” Christ sets the standard for the wife’s submission. Neither the husbands nor the wives set the standard. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man: he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”9 Jesus Christ was humble, willing to give up His rights to obey God and serve people. Like Jesus Christ, the wife must submit to the husband out of her obedience to Christ. Christ submitted to the will of the Father at Gethsemane, not because He was inferior, but to fulfill a specific role in the Divine order. Likewise, the wife must submit to her husband to fulfill God’s command to her: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husband as unto the Lord.” The Wife must model after Christ’s obedience to God.
The following points will be discussed in detail to demonstrate the practice of love and submission in marriage.
Follow us on our website, blog, social media platforms, and at conferences, seminars, workshops, community spiritual well-being events, as we use the truths rooted in the Word of God to empower you to practice love and submissive relationships in your marriage. We also use evidence-based health education and health promotion interventions to provide equitable opportunities to acquire the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and insights needed to adopt and sustain healthy lifestyles and lead purpose-driven, transformative lives.