Grace For Your Day November 9

When it comes to our roles in the home, theologians have come up with two terms to describe the relationship between a husband and a wife: egalitarianism and complementarianism. Egalitarianism refers to the view that the roles of husbands and wives are the same. There is no difference because no one leads and no one follows. Everyone just does what they want.
Complementarianism refers to the opposite of that because it refers to the view that the roles of husbands and wives are different. Although they are equal before God, they have different parts to play in the home because the husband leads and the wife follows. The husband guides his wife and the wife submits to him.

The question is: Which one is right? Which one agrees with Scripture? Obviously, this is a very important question because so much depends on it which is why the Apostle Paul answers it for us. He tells us which one is right in Ephesians 5:22-25:

Wives, subject yourselves 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. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her . . .

The Bible says that complementarianism is right. It says that the roles of husbands and wives are different. While they are both equal in the sight of God, wives are to be subject to their husbands and husbands are to lead their wives in love.

However, what does that mean? What does that look like for the wife? This is not an easy command to follow. It is very difficult because it raises all sorts of issues like:

• How does a wife submit to an abusive husband?
• How does a wife submit to a lost husband?
• What does she do when her husband sins?
• What does she do when her husband will not lead?
  
  

While we cannot get to all of those questions, we are going to answer some of them this week at Grace Fellowship Church as we look at Ephesians 5:22-25 together. We are going to study this controversial passage of Scripture. I do not have to tell you that there has been a lot of debate over this text. There has been some been a lot of discussion as to what it means which is why we need to take the time to understand it. We need to take the time to unpack what it has to say to us for the good of our marriages and our homes.

Our homes fail when we fail to obey God. They fall short when we fall short of His commands which is why this is so important. This Sunday, we are going to talk about the Lord’s commands for the wife. In the weeks to come, we will do the same thing for the husbands and the children as well. We will get to everyone in the family but we will start with the wives because that is what the text does. Please pray for this sermon. Pray that it would be profitable for all who hear. The service begins at 9:30. Please sign up and let us know that you are coming and we will see you there.

- Jeremy Cagle