Many women cringe when they hear the word “submit,” and it causes them to immediately have a sense of fear when it comes to marriage. The ideas of control, manipulation, and a loss of freedom often come to the minds of many women when the subject of submitting to a man is brought up. However, submission is not a dirty word. God implemented submission for the protection of those whom He has called to submit to another. It is through our submission to God and one another, according to the Word, that we position ourselves for the blessing to come on our lives.
To submit simply means to come under the mission of another person. Authority has been implemented in this earth to maintain order and bring God’s plans and purposes to pass. We are to first submit to God as our ultimate spiritual authority. When we allow the Word to have the final say in our lives, we are submitting to the mission of God. Both men and women are called to submit to God, as well as the civil and spiritual authorities He has placed in the earth. This is why we should always pray for those in authority, such as the President of the United States and every elected and appointed official. As we pray for them, we maintain hearts that are in line with God’s will, and we can more readily submit to them.
As it relates to relationships, submission in marriage is very important. The Bible has specific things to say about how the husband and wife are to relate to each other. Ephesians 5:21-33 discusses the roles of the husband and wife and how they are to function. Verse 21 says, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” We see here that both husbands and wives should submit to each other out of respect for God. This means they should each be willing to listen to each other and respect each other completely. Verses 22-24 specifically address how the wife should position herself in relation to her husband within the marriage union. It says, “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 every thing.”
From a positioning perspective, the parallel is drawn to show how the husband is the head of the wife, or spiritual authority over her in the marriage relationship, just like Jesus Christ is the spiritual authority over the Church. We should have no problems submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ, and so likewise, wives should discover the joy in submitting to their husbands.
God didn’t implement the principle of submission so that married women would be made into slaves or people who had no control over their lives. Instead, within the biblical context and framework of submission a wife finds protection, peace, and blessing when submitting to the vision and covering of her husband, as he follows Christ and loves her like Jesus does. Submitting is something we should do out of obedience to God, knowing that when we obey His Word in this area, we position ourselves to get our prayers for our husbands answered, and our households run smoothly.
Instead of looking at submission as something to be feared, look at it as something that is beneficial and empowering. When we operate in our roles as God intended, the entire family structure is blessed!
"Virtuous Woman Audio Book"
Price: $19.99 – CD
The character of a virtuous woman is influenced, tempered, and fashioned by the word of God. She is a woman married or single who places God above everything and everyone in her life by making His Word the final authority in all that she does. In this 4-disc set, Taffi Dollar takes listeners on a self exploration to find your Portrait of A Virtuous Woman.
Send Feedback
Print this page
Sign up to be notified when new issues are published.