Who Are These Submissive Women?

During the recent Republican Presidential debates in Ames, Iowa, a question of faith arose that has frequently been misused, misrepresented, and continually misinterpreted by the main stream media: that of women who willingly submit to the authority of their husbands. Women who advocate a strong Christian faith are often portrayed as weak, timid, or somehow suffering under the heel of an oppressive husband while simultaneously being chained to hot stove with wailing children hanging off their hips. The general resentment over this perpetual gross mischaracterization of a true Christian marriage reached a fever pitch when columnist Byron York asked Congressman Michelle Bachmann if, as President, she would submit to the authority of her husband, prompting the audience to react with strong boos and negative outcries.

Feminists and their cohorts in the media have latched onto this passage as proof of the patriarchal subjugation of women inherent in Christianity, as concrete "evidence" that Christianity is a misogynistic and oppressive religious regime. What they fail to address, and where they willfully miss the point entirely, is the second portion of this passage that puts a much larger burden on husbands.

"Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 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. 24 Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. (Ephesians 5, v. 20-33, American KJV)."

Quite simply, women are to be respectful of their husband and to look to him for guidance, to give them final decision-making ability in the household. Men, on the other hand, are instructed not just to be respectful, but to love, nourish, cherish, protect, sanctify, and, if necessary, give their lives for their wives. In fact, spouses are to submit themselves to one another, while keeping God in the center of their marriage. There are obligations on both sides if the marriage is to be sound.

Feminists and their media lackeys who don't have a true Christian marriage will probably never understand what it's like to be in one; that it is, in fact, a tremendous and sustaining gift that brings peace and happiness. Contrary to their assertions, and the media's false stereotype of the meek woman cringing in her husband's shadow, women in a true Christian marriage are empowered and confident. They respect themselves and trust their own judgment enough not to second-guess their choice of husbands, and their husbands have proven themselves to be loving and honorable men.

I am proud to submit to the authority of my husband. I trusted my judgment in picking a man who was strong, wise, loving, loyal, hardworking, honorable, God-fearing, and possessed a wicked sense of humor. After 18 amazing years of marriage, he still shows me he loves me every day, tries to please me every day, and puts me and our children first every day. He's not a "player" pretending to be the man of the house; he is the man of the house. In those 18 years, I can count on one hand the number of times my husband said no - that I didn't get exactly what I wanted, or do exactly what I wanted, just by mentioning that I wanted it.

“... we are always a team”.

We are almost at our 21st anniversary and I was asked recently by a newlywed neighbor what I felt made a couple strong. I said that I felt you should view yourselves as “book ends”. Each other has their back against the other to watch for things that may come their way and they can support each other no matter how many books (obstacles) are put between them. If the opposite book end becomes a bit weaker then fine. You hold everything up till that person gets stronger. It is about respect and understanding that each person has their own strengths and weaknesses. You accept them and work together as a team.

The problem you bring up has more to do with marrying an unbeliever, being unequally yoked.

I hope you're not suggesting that such a case would be an exception to the command to submit to one's husband. That a woman who is "unequally yoked" to an unbelieving husband is exempt from the command to submit to him.

(I'm not talking about the case where he might order her "to do things that are ungodly or criminal", as you said. The answer to that case is clear.)

The original article makes it sound like a wife's submission to her husband's authority is an easy thing, when I'm sure it's quite difficult in many cases. Paul likens the relationship of a wife to her husband with that of the church to Christ. Christians submit to Christ not because He doesn't ask much of us, but because He has authority over us. Not because "I can count on one hand the number of times (Christ) said no", but because His "no" is the final decision. Not because we get our way 99% of the time, but because His way trumps ours 100% of the time. Anything less is not submission.

I am happy to hear that the original author's husband is easy to submit to. After all He did for us, Jesus is often easy to submit to as well - as is a husband who imitates Him. But submission to the authority of another is determined not just when it's easy, but when it's hard as well.

This is why I object to the author painting it as "I get to do what I want 99% of the time". I imagine most women live in far different circumstances. For them, submitting to their husbands is more difficult - but just as right, honorable, and laudable.

Holy cow - my husband ALWAYS says we aren't lucky, we are smart! That is amazing that you are writing a song with a similar idea. Good luck!

I had a smiliar class in college called "Courtship and Marriage". A methodist minister taught and brought up the "f" word and in the late 70's that was still kind of shocking. He kept saying it and claiming it held no meaning if we didn't allow it to. One day after really going on about it this older lady appeared at the back of the room (large lecture hall) and he stopped to introduce his wife, who was joining him for lunch that day.

One funny guy loudly said, "Professor, let's ask your wife what she thinks of our discussion about words and meanings"..... he replied, "Class dismissed!"

I would like to see someone point out that technically, Michelle Obama has been submissive to her husband in that his job comes before hers. She had to leave her job and home to follow his career, uproot her children and mother and her job is merely a support to her husbands. lol The liberal heads would spin!

Hey - great minds think alike, know what I’m saying? It always takes us forever to get music finished. We have a backlog of more the 30 songs to do. There’s such a learning curve on the recording stuff and things just take time. Hopefully, when it’s finished, it’ll be very pleasing to the ear.

That’s a funny story about your professor. It’s do as I say or rather say as I say until someone I respect comes around and I’m not talking dirty to them.

Our 22nd is next week. I am the final authority in my house - after appropriate consultation and deliberations with my better half!

It’s funny... It doesn’t seem possible we were married 22 years ago. It seems more like five or ten.

But that’s the way of it when you are married to a wonderful person, I suppose.

“I hope you’re not suggesting that such a case would be an exception to the command to submit to one’s husband. That a woman who is “unequally yoked” to an unbelieving husband is exempt from the command to submit to him. “
Submission in marriage, a biblical precept, means that the woman recognizes headship in the family unit. The husband is the head of the household and the spiritual leader. The wife is his helpmate who stands equally before God with him. The most expressive example of this in practice today is to be seen among the Plain people like Old Order Mennonites and Amish. The women are hardly wimpy, begging things. I have never seen a family act in concert as I have seen among these people. Their headcoverings are a visible display of their belief that women are not the leaders of the household and that they defer to their husbands.But the role of the female is considered equally important to the family and recognized as such. What I was trying to say in my earlier post, is that when Christian women marry unbelieving men (something they are warned not to do) then the whole family hierarchy goes out the window. A woman is to submit to her husband and he is to love her as Christ loves his church. Yes it is hard to submit, but if your husband is a loving man, it certainly makes it much easier. Most young people, however, have little understanding of this biblical concept; the men do not want to take responsibility and the women do not like the word “submission.” We live in an apostate world.

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