The House Rules

Last month, we looked at the book of Ephesians and this month we are looking at Colossians. As much as I would like to avoid a section of scripture that shows up in both these book of the Bible because it is considered controversial, I would be doing us a disservice since it is titled “Instructions of a Christian Household.”

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” Ephesians 5: 21-33

 ^“Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” Colossians 3:18-21

I remember coming across these words of scripture in my youth Bible while in high school. Being an independent young woman I ran straight to my mom with a “What’s up?”  I was determined to understand what this “submit to my husband” thing was all about. My mom lovingly explained to me that this was about creating order for families in the same way Genesis shows us that the world was not created out of chaos but rather through a thought out process.

She also encouraged me to not JUST focus on the lines in the scripture about wives but to see the scripture in its entirety. Yes, it is about the way wives respond to their role. But it is also just as much about the way the Church respects Christ.  And as much about the way husbands need to connect with Christ in turn treating their wives with love. None of these are more important than the other.

The purpose of this scripture is to not “put me in my place”, but rather to teach me the importance and value of having Christ at the head of our household.  

I am curious what your thoughts are on this scripture? Anything you want to pass along?

*We will tackle the parenting portion of this scripture tomorrow with a special guest blogger.