This is the final of the Pacesetter Series... The Example.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF LEADING
Read the following carefully, this explains the transformation of leading. Verse 25 states for husbands to “love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her” revolutionizes the way he leads in Luke 22: 26, where Jesus says, “let the leader become as one who serves.” In other words, husbands, don’t stop leading, but turn all you’re leading into serving. The responsibility of leadership is given not to puff yourself up, but to build your family up.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF SUBMISSION This overview is to be read carefully, because the enemy can pervert the word of God, let’s be clear shall we. Submission does not mean putting the husband in the place of Christ, verse 21 states that you submit out of reverence for Jesus. Submission doesn’t mean that the husband’s word is absolute. Only Christ’s word is absolute. No wife should follow a husband into sin. You can’t do that in reverence to Jesus. Submission does not mean surrendering thought. It does not mean no input on decisions or no influence on her husband. It does not come from ignorance or incompetence. It comes from what is fitting and appropriate, Colossians 3:18 in God’s created order.
Submission actually is harmonious in the kingdom minded believer, it is an inclination of the will to say yes to the husbands’ leadership and a spiritual disposition to support his initiates. The reason it’s a disposition and an inclination is because there will be times when the most submissive wife will hesitate at a husband’s decision. It may look unwise to her.
Suppose the husband is about to decode something foolish for the family. At that moment, the wife could express her submission something like this “Johnny, I know you’ve thought a lot about this, and i love it when you take the initiative to plan for us and take the responsibility like this, but i really don’t have peace about this decision and I think we need to talk about it some more. Could we maybe tonight sometime?”
The reason that it is a kind of biblical submission is because: husbands, unlike Christ, are fallible and ought to admit it. Husbands ought to want their wives to be excited about the family decisions. Because Christ wants us to be excited about following his decisions and not just follow begrudgingly.
In the case mentioned above, the way the wife expressed her misgivings communicated clearly that she endorsed the husband’s leadership and affirmed the husband in his role as the head. A man should sense a primary God given responsibility for the spiritual; life of the family, by gathering of the family for devotions, taking them to church, calling for prayer at meals.
When he also senses the God given responsibility for the discipline and education of the children, the stewardship of money, the provisions of food, the safety of the home, the healing of discord, that special sense of responsibility is not authoritarian or autocratic or domineering or bossy or oppressive or abusive.
Marriage is simply servant leadership and I have never met a wife who is sorry she is married to a man like that. Because when God designs a thing like marriage, he designs it for his glory and our good. If you are married and reading this, be an example and testimony of a godly marriage to bring hope to others who need help.
If you are planning to marry read and study these attributes and commands from the Word to see if you are both ready for a servant relationship. Blessings to you both to hear from God. This is the end of this study on The Priest and Prophet.
Until next time, Blessings to you and your family! Pastor John
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