These thoughts have come to mind while reading a thread on this forum about husband's and wives and the view of a women's role within the context of Christian marriages. Some Christian men believe that women ought to be submissive to their husbands as Sarah was with Abraham and called him Lord. I do not see that being applicable to gentile believing women who have been raised in a western culture with a western world-view. Gentile believer's have been grafted in at the cross of Jesus and are not part of the cultural traditions, values and norms of our Jewish counterparts.
Women from middle eastern societies are taught their role as wife and mother based on thousands of years of religion, tradition and culture. In comparison, women from the western world, have been raised to be assertive, well educated, independent thinkers and able members of society. The traditional role of women has gradually changed over a period of time as more women are out in the workforce due to necessity in today's socio/ economic climate. This has had a major impact on how husbands and wives see themselves as contributing members of their household.
Adjustments are made based on financial needs and the general overall wellbeing of the family.
Some households where men were once the traditional bread winners and providers of the family, are now finding themselves at home with the children, working at home, part-time or in some cases unemployed. There are variations of course and you may find a percentage of western women who have been raised in the traditional [quaker type] ways where their roles are clearly defined as homemakers but they would not be expected to go out and work. Also a percentage of middle eastern women who are highly intelligent and work in professional positions of employment.
The question I am posing is: How do Christian women [Gentile believer's] from the western world, live according to the Word of God in relation to their role as wives, mothers and/ or homemakers?
Paul gives us an understanding of this through his letters to the Churches in Ephesus and Colossae.
Ephesians 5
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 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. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Colossians 3
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
I believe the key word here is submitting to one another [Ephesians 5:21] A husband and wife's role are based on equal partnership but the husband takes the leading role and responsibility over his wife and household before Christ. This has been the way that God has revealed it since the beginning.
When God created Adam, he gave him the first command:
Genesis 2
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Then God created Eve...
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones
And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Also note: That the bible never attributes the fall to Eve but rather to Adam - the man.
Just my thoughts...Be Blessed!
Women from middle eastern societies are taught their role as wife and mother based on thousands of years of religion, tradition and culture. In comparison, women from the western world, have been raised to be assertive, well educated, independent thinkers and able members of society. The traditional role of women has gradually changed over a period of time as more women are out in the workforce due to necessity in today's socio/ economic climate. This has had a major impact on how husbands and wives see themselves as contributing members of their household.
Adjustments are made based on financial needs and the general overall wellbeing of the family.
Some households where men were once the traditional bread winners and providers of the family, are now finding themselves at home with the children, working at home, part-time or in some cases unemployed. There are variations of course and you may find a percentage of western women who have been raised in the traditional [quaker type] ways where their roles are clearly defined as homemakers but they would not be expected to go out and work. Also a percentage of middle eastern women who are highly intelligent and work in professional positions of employment.
The question I am posing is: How do Christian women [Gentile believer's] from the western world, live according to the Word of God in relation to their role as wives, mothers and/ or homemakers?
Paul gives us an understanding of this through his letters to the Churches in Ephesus and Colossae.
Ephesians 5
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 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. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Colossians 3
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
I believe the key word here is submitting to one another [Ephesians 5:21] A husband and wife's role are based on equal partnership but the husband takes the leading role and responsibility over his wife and household before Christ. This has been the way that God has revealed it since the beginning.
When God created Adam, he gave him the first command:
Genesis 2
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Then God created Eve...
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones
And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Also note: That the bible never attributes the fall to Eve but rather to Adam - the man.
Just my thoughts...Be Blessed!
