Sacrificing Everything!! The Hands of a Husband/Elder

Why is male leadership so important? Why is the world trying so hard to put men and women on the same platform? We are both to serve Christ, to be as Christ, but our illustration of Christ is vastly different for both male and female! Why then is the world trying to convince men and women they have the same design/positions/relationship with the Father?? It’s quite simple. By doing this, you not only destroy the leadership in the church, but you also destroy the leadership in the home, ultimately destroying the example of Christ!

For this article we will dive into the roles of male leadership. The importance of men to stay steadfast and what it means for males, not only to be the image of Christ, but to lead as Christ. For every man is an Elder/Priest/Pastor of his own home and with that he is to lead as such. Every man is in training from the day of salvation to be the example of Christ!! For all men should share that responsibility within the church.

**** Editor’s note: All of these scriptures are very daunting for today’s world, and even most (who walk with Christ) want to ignore their existence or try to change their relevance. But we will show why they are still to be followed and why Christians should never ignore them!

Submission

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.²⁴ Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,²⁷ 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.²⁸ So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.²⁹ For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:³⁰ For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.³¹ For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.³² This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Ephesians is probably the most relevant text for marriage and leadership within the word of God! And the most controversial for today’s standards. In Ephesians 5:22 the word submit means to submit/submit to one’s control/to arrange under, subordinate/to obey, subject… In Greek from the blue letter bible: For military it means “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden“.

 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; 

The submission of a woman to her husband is the same as the sacrifice/submission the Church makes with Christ and the same as Christ submits to Father!! This is very important to understand, that Christ leads the Church in all things and that we as a Church allow Christ to lead us in everything!! So as a man leads his wife, she should submit to him so he can lead her according to Gods Word!! Why is this so important?? God gives us understanding from 25-27. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. As Christ washes us with the Word of God to present us without blemish the Husband is to wash his wife with the Word of God to present her to God without blemish. If the wife does not allow her husband to lead her as Christ leads the church, then neither (husband or wife) will be pure before the Lord, neither can be presented without blemish!! This scripture represents the sacrifice the man has to make… This is not a superficial sacrifice, but a spiritual one. A sacrifice that puts the word of God above all things so the two can follow the Lord. If the Wife does not submit to the Husband, then the Husband cannot lead according to God’s word. It is the same thing for the Church, if we do not submit to Christ then Christ cannot lead us!! God is directly telling us that Christ and the Church relationship equals the Husband to Wife!! For the Husband and Wife are the first example of God’s creation, to be His image of Christ and the Church here on Earth in the Flesh is one, if not the most important responsibilities we have.

Then for 31-33 God puts the explanation point into understanding the husband’s role and how the two are to operate. And we have to go back to Genesis 1-2 for this. ….For the two shall be one flesh! When God would speak to Adam in the Garden, he was also Calling Eve!! The two were one flesh. It was not until Eve sinned that Eve received her name. She was always woman because it was defined as bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. Christ put an emphasis that we are to be joined once again moving and operating together!! Then in 33 God tells the woman to Reverence her husband because she is to put him above herself and treat him as something to honor and admire. This is also why God says in 28-30 that no man hated his flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it. For the husband is the example of Christ.. Hence the man is to honor his wife as he would honor himself and Christ and the wife is to reverence her husband as she reverence Christ.

Finally we need to understand in this scripture God correlates the man with Christ not the woman. The changing of the guard or the Christ like image was given to the man not the woman. That submission is not a dirty word.. That is from the world. For Christ submits to the Father, as such the wife should submit to her husband. Submission is not something we should stray away from. In fact it is a word we should celebrate within the body of Christ. Too often we submit to our Jobs, but we don’t want to submit to Christ. Many women will submit to their work but roll their eyes when submitting to her husband. If anything we should do one thing, put Gods word above all else! This does not mean the woman lacks in a relationship with God or Christ, but that her relationship in the view of the world looks different than that of the mans and even what the world says it should be!! Such that, as we submit to Chirst/God and each other, we submit in a way pleasing to God, the way He designed us to submit unto Him!! This submission goes into who should teach and why! We will see more of this in 1 Timothy.

Teaching

1 Timothy 2:8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 11Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

This scripture is one of the most important scriptures with regard to doctoral understanding on how we should allow authority into our life. In 1 Timothy, God places the ownership once again on an outward appearance for the man to be the Christ like example. In 8 the man is to lift up holy hands and pray everywhere not the woman!! The woman is to adorn herself in modest apparel in moderation without bringing attention to herself (as in a look at me), professing godliness with good works. Think about this?? The man is to be bold, and the woman is to be humble. How great is that! The two come together to represent Christ in all His holiness.

In 11 He tells us, let a woman learn in all submission and he does not a permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. Why is this?? It’s simple in 13 God tells us it is because of his original design. That should be good enough for most Christians, but God goes further and says for it was not Adam who was deceived but the woman! In 15 God lets us know that a woman would truly understand her relationship and design once she has a child “if” she continues in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

1 Corinthians 14:32-37 ³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. ³⁴ Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. ³⁵ And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. ³⁶ What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?³⁷ If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

In 33 there is a clear understanding that God is not the author of confusion, but of peace!! He states that the women are to keep silence, that they are not permitted to speak, and if they have any questions, they are to ask their “own” husbands. Does this line up with Timothy, Ephesians, and Genesis?

The situation does not create the word of God, but the Word of God corrects the situation. 

– Filthy Truth

It does. From the beginning the man was to lead the wife and follow God. If a woman is to ask, she is to ask her OWN husband, because she cannot ask another man. Only her husband for as Christ is the head of the Church the husband is the head of the wife; therefore, the head has to lead and make sure all spiritual decisions are based off the Word of God!! Let a woman keep in silence?? This matches directly with Timothy when a woman is not to teach or usurp authority over a man!! God does this to make sure the Church or the marriage is not led into confusion causing the two to turn away from God.

That’s why in 36 he states did the word of God come out from you?? or to you only?? For whatever reason, He is challenging this church and telling them who are you to go against the word of God!! That’s why He is clear in 37 and He finishes with, …let him acknowledge that the things that i write unto you are the commandments of the Lord!!

****Editor’s Note: Some people believe that back in the day women use to sit on the other side of the church and shout to their husbands! There is no proof of that, that I have found in history books, but most importantly in scripture. Therefore, the situation does not create the word of God, but the Word of God corrects the situation. 

End

In conclusion, the man is to be the example of Christ, he is to be the head of the marriage, and He is to lead/teach according to God’s word. Nowhere in the bible do these positions fall upon the shoulders of the woman. That is why it is so important for the woman to allow her husband to serve Christ openly and without hindering his relationship. By doing this it will give them both the best opportunity to serve Christ and to stay in the will of the Father. And as the woman prays and fasts for her husband, he should lead her and sacrifice for her as Christ lead and sacrificed for us!! The husband should treat her as his own body, but also be the priest of his household and lead as Christ lead the disciples/church. All of this will build a healthy marriage and relationship with God!! For His will not ours!!

Sacrificing Everything – The Hands of a Servent