This document discusses biblical passages regarding wives submitting to their husbands. It acknowledges that this topic can be controversial, especially regarding abuse. However, it argues that submission does not mean becoming a slave or doormat. When understood in context of mutual submission to Christ, submission can lead to harmony. Wives are to support their husband's leadership, though should refuse if he commands against God. The goal of submission is to honor God, with respect from the heart.

1. Title Layout

2. Ephesians 5:21-
Submission: Not a
dirty word!

3. A social mine field…
•This section of Paul’s letter pushes
big buttons–
•Especially if you are of a Feminist mindset-OR
•Worse; if you are a victim of verbal or physical
abuse from cruel husbands who often use
parts of this Scripture out of context
•If they want to do that, look at these…

4. A social mine field…
If abusive husbands want to use the Bible to
set authority over their wives, they should
obey what Jesus said as well:
“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also
to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one
another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another.” John 13:34
Do they find anywhere that Jesus added “...except in
marriage”? Nowhere.

5. “21 …and be subject to one another in the fear
of Christ. 22 Wives, be subject to your own
husbands, as to the Lord. 23 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. 24 But as the church is subject to
Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their
husbands in everything.”
Ephesians 5:21-24, NASB

6. A. Context of the Passage
•V21– though we studied it last week, let’s go
over it again
•Sets the overall theme of this passage about
husbands and wives, but also on the next two–
children and parents in 6:1-4, and slaves and
masters in 6:5-9
•Key Thought– “One another in the feasr of
Christ”

7. A. Context of the Passage
•God’s way of submission does not have
selfishness, conceit, competition, pulling rank,
domination and dishonor
•Our Lord Jesus modeled it in Mat 20

8. “28 …just as the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve, and to
give His life a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:28, NASB

9. A. Context of the Passage
•God’s way of submission does not have
selfishness, conceit, competition, pulling rank,
domination and dishonor
•Our Lord Jesus modeled it in Mat 20
•See how important it is to understand context?
•It helps us think biblically rather than in
cultural extremes or narrow human mindsets

10. B. A Word to Wives
•Vs 22-23a, He gives 2 reasons for this
command

11. “Wives, be subject to your own husbands,
as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the
head of the wife…”
Ephesians 5:22-23(a), NASB

12. B. A Word to Wives
•Vs 22-23a, He gives 2 reasons for this
command
1.) The lordship of Christ in V22
2.) Headship of the man in Christ, V23(a)
•When the Christian wife submits herself to
Christ and lets Him be Lord of her life, she will
have no difficulty in obeying this command

13. B. A Word to Wives
•This does not mean that she becomes a
slave or a doormat, because the husband
also should be in submission to Christ
• If both are living under the lordship of Christ,
there can be only harmony
•Headship is not dictatorship

14. B. A Word to Wives
•This word “subject” was a Greek military
term meaning “to arrange troop divisions
under the command of a leader ”
•In non-military use, it is “a voluntary attitude
of giving in, cooperating, assuming
responsibility”
•It’s still kind of like the military billet

15. B. A Word to Wives
•Ladies, you are submitting to your
husband, because the Lord puts the
husband as the head of the family
•This gives him more responsibilities and more
accountabilities to God than you have to deal with
•Not because you are any less than him or inferior
in comparison with him (like rank structure)
•God is not gender biased

16. B. A Word to Wives
•OK, P.D. What does the rest of Scripture
say about this?

17. “Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is
fitting in the Lord” Colossians 3:18
“Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own
husbands. Are you convinced that it is the
Lord’s desire and command for you, wives, to
submit to your own husbands?”
1 Peter 3:1

18. B. A Word to Wives
•OK, P.D. What does the rest of Scripture
say about this?
•Again– this means nothing about slavery or
becoming a doormat for him to walk on
•It means that wives are to willingly support
their husband’s leadership – not interfering or
undermining him, especially in front of your
children

19. B. A Word to Wives
• Wives are to be active participants in the
challenging task of running a Christian home
•They are to do everything they can to
encourage and support their husbands’
leadership in the home
•When the husband is wrong or even in outright
sin, it is the wife’s responsibility to lovingly
confront him, pointing him back to the lordship
of Christ as the Ultimate Authority
•They should pray and read the Word together

20. C. Honor the Lord
•Vs 23(b)-24, read them again

21. “ …as Christ also is the head of the church,
He Himself being the Savior of the body.
24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so
also the wives ought to be to their
husbands in everything.”
Ephesians 5:23(b)-24, NASB

22. C. Honor the Lord
•Vs 23(b)-24, read them again
•If a husband loves and sacrifices himself
for the sake of his wife, as Christ did for
us, then his wife will joyfully do the same in
return, as the church does for Jesus
•Here is a simple principle: Wife must submit to
her husband right up to the point where
obedience to human authority would involve
disobedience to God

23. C. Honor the Lord
•We have to be very careful not to overstate
biblical teaching on authority
•If husbands misuse their God-given authority
•(i.e.) By commanding what God forbids or
forbidding what God commands
•the wife’s duty is no longer conscientiously to
submit, but conscientiously to refuse to do so
•Why? To submit in such circumstances would be
to disobey God

24. D. Submission from the Heart
•We’ve studied the theological side, now
let’s talk practical application
1.) Respect– you can’t say you are subject to him
if you treat him with disrespect, in word OR in
actions– you are not married to a child
•“He sure acts like one!”
•Tell God– I PROMISE, He will deal with him

25. D. Submission from the Heart
2.) Be careful how and what you say about
your husband– Ruth Graham…
3.) Don’t be Historical
•Remember Husbands– authority does not
mean tyranny– you guys will get plenty from
this passage next week, and the ladies will love
the message I’m sure!

26. Take Home…
•Wives– submit to your husbands
in order to bring honor to God
•Submitting to him requires respect
of him from your heart-- Every wife either can
build the home or tear it down. If she walks with
the Lord, she will be a builder. But if she disobeys
His wisdom, she will be a destroyer– Proverbs 14
says…

27. “ The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her
own hands.”
Proverbs 14:1, NASB

28. Take Home…
•Wives– submit to your husbands
in order to bring honor to God
•Submitting to him requires respect
of him from your heart
•Submit to him ONLY to the point that obedience
to him involves disobedience to God