Ephesians 5:22-24 Easy-to-Read Version
22 Wives, be willing to serve your husbands the same as the Lord. 23 A husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. Christ is the Savior of the church, which is his body. 24 The church serves under Christ, so it is the same with you wives. You should be willing to serve your husbands in everything.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
How are we to explain, grasp, understand and teach according to the Word of God: What does God mean by being a submissive wife in a Christian marriage?
Husbands, your name is King of my House, and your punching bag is your wife?
As a prisoner serving a life sentence without parole in maximum security, a prison ball shackled to a chain shackled to both ankles on a long chain gang?
Guards constantly shouting orders in their ears and expecting instant response, immediate and perfect obedience otherwise the discipline will be swift, sure?
What happens when the guard’s expectations are not met perfectly as expected?
Tired or not? hurting or not? aggravated, frustrated or not? long day or not, the guard makes their inspection when they make their rounds and there is hell to pay when everything they expected to be done isn’t 100% up to their standards?
Husbands, soon to be husbands, is this really what we believe, what we envision we expect, understand what God meant by our marrying a “submissive” wife?
Does that really fit into the scriptural truth of what Paul writes when he wrote;
22 Wives, be willing to serve your husbands the same as the Lord. 23 A husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. Christ is the Savior of the church, which is his body. 24 The church serves under Christ, so it is the same with you wives. You should be willing to serve your husbands in everything.
Wives, be willing to serve your husbands in everything the same as serving the Lord in everything, as Jesus Christ served the Church with everything he had. (22, 23)
Husbands, serve your wives as Jesus Christ served the Church, husbands love your wives as Jesus Christ loved the Church – Husbands, answer this query;
EXACTLY, PRECISELY, HOW MUCH DID JESUS CHRIST LOVE THE CHURCH?
Husbands, make your list, write it down, share it with your wife and share it intensely, penitently, with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, through somber prayer.
Psalm 139:23-24 The Message
23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life.
God, thoroughly investigate my life!
Find out everything about me!
Cross examine me in your courts of judgement, put me in the witness stand the same way I put my wife into my “perfect expectations” in full prison regalia!”
Test me as I am right now, get a clear authentic picture of what I am all about!
See for yourself whether my vision of my marriage with my wife is authentically by the standards, examples you set, when you yourself gave upon the Cross, all of your life blood, all of your spirit, bearing all of my grievous sins on your life!
Jesus, examine my marriage, let me see for myself, what you see coming from me and my unyielding, my unyielding committed love for my wife in all things.
then, by your mercy alone, remember me when you come into your kingdom or look straight into my eyes as you looked into Peter’s eyes that day he betrayed you to either declare to me “begone, I knew you not” or “repent, forgiveness.”
John 21:15-17 Amplified Bible
The Love Motivation
15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these [others do—with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [a]love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 Again He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you [really] [b]love Me [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Husbands, get a secure grip on yourselves, your wives, your God, your Savior.
Proverbs 27:17 Complete Jewish Bible
17 Just as iron sharpens iron,
a person sharpens the character of his friend.
A submissive wife in a Christian marriage is a supportive wife. You work together with your spouse, and respect and support him in your marriage.
Within a Christian marriage, a wife freely expresses her thoughts, trusting her husband’s response will lovingly support her, look out after her best interests.”
Husbands, love honor and cherish and serve and sacrifice yourselves, obey your wives, as Jesus Christ loved, honored, cherished and served, and sacrificed for the church, his bride, with his authentic, maximum obedience unto his Father.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 45 The Message
45 My heart bursts its banks,
spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the king,
shaping the river into words:
* * *
2-4 “You’re the handsomest of men;
every word from your lips is sheer grace,
and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
Strap your sword to your side, warrior!
Accept praise! Accept due honor!
Ride majestically! Ride triumphantly!
Ride on the side of truth!
Ride for the righteous meek!
4-5 “Your instructions are glow-in-the-dark;
you shoot sharp arrows
Into enemy hearts; the king’s
foes lie down in the dust, beaten.
6-7 “Your throne is God’s throne,
ever and always;
The scepter of your royal rule
measures right living.
You love the right
and hate the wrong.
And that is why God, your very own God,
poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king
from among your dear companions.
8-9 “Your forest-drenched garments
are fragrant with mountain breeze.
Chamber music—from the throne room—
makes you want to dance.
Kings’ daughters are maids in your court,
the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.
* * *
10-12 “Now listen, daughter, don’t miss a word:
forget your country, put your home behind you.
Be here—the king is wild for you.
Since he’s your lord, adore him.
Wedding gifts pour in from Tyre;
rich guests shower you with presents.”
13-15 (Her wedding dress is dazzling,
lined with gold by the weavers;
All her dresses and robes
are woven with gold.
She is led to the king,
followed by her virgin companions.
A procession of joy and laughter!
a grand entrance to the king’s palace!)
16-17 “Set your mind now on sons—
don’t dote on father and grandfather.
You’ll set your sons up as princes
all over the earth.
I’ll make you famous for generations;
you’ll be the talk of the town
for a long, long time.”
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 