PHILIPPIANS for the Church to be subject to Jesus Christ, so it is no dishonor for the wife to be subject to her own husband. This word to the wives may seem to be very unfair to some women. When you take it in its total context, reading it in conjunction with the equally strin gent exhortations to the husband, then it is not unpalatable at all. If the husbands fulfilled the pattern which is given in verses 25-28 then there would be no problem of the wives being subject to them. The unique element in Christ's concern for the Church is His utter selflessness, His sacrificial love. This quality will be seen in ever increas ing measure in the Spirit-filled hus band. He will love his wife even more than he loves himself. Love always expresses itself in humble consideration for the other person. (Was Paul smiling when he penned these words in Ephesians 5:29, "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it ..."? ) There is a special message to the young people in the family. Control by the Holy Spirit will ex press itself in respectful and loving obedience to the parents (Ephes ians 6:1,2). What about when fath er or mother do not know the Lord, and may even be cruel and mean? How can you respect them? The Scripture does assert for the sake of the Lord that you are to obey your parents. It is for the Saviour's sake, that you are to do this. This obedience will only be given to those commands which are not contrary to the Word of Cod. When parental orders transgress what the Lord says then we must "obey God rather than men." The indwelling Holy Spirit will enable young peo
ple to fulfill these declarations. The Apostle Paul was very sym pathetic toward the problems of i young people. For this reason he urged the fathers not to provoke or irritate their children (6:4). They are not to make it hard to receive obedience. They are not to impose unnecessary restrictions which have no thoughtfulness or purpose. The Spirit-filled father will bring up his children in the nurture and admon- ; ition of the Lord. He will have a family altar where the young can learn the ways of God at the feet of their own parents. The business relationships of a Christian will also feel the impact of the Holy Spirit's control in his !v life. Now the man who does the employing, if he claims to be a Christian, is going to pay proper wages being fair and honest with his employees. He will make their working conditions as good as pos sible. On the other hand, if you are an employee and a real Chris tian you are going to give a full honest day's work, not spending undue time for a coffee break. You will be honest in the way you earn your money. Remember, your tes timony is always showing; people are constantly watching you. Yes, if you profess to be filled with the Holy Spirit as a believer then your life will certainly bear testimony to that very truth.
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