in his studies of happily married women, discovered that they sel dom object to playing subordinate roles. On the other hand, unhap pily married women were inclined to be aggressive and dictatorial. Furthermore, his happily married men tended to regard women as equals, but unhappily married men tended to play commanding roles. You see, God made us this way. No wonder it works out in both prin ciple and practice. In I Peter 3:7 God lays down two obligations incumbent on Christian husbands. First of all we should seek to understand our wife. Know that "she is the weaker vessel." It is obvious that a woman is not the same physically^as her husband. The same is often true emotion ally, although I know there are cer tain exceptions. For this reason a wife must be treated with special understanding and care. A husband who relieves physical and emo tional strain shows intelligent re gards for his spouse. Then, spend time with your wife. One basic difference between us is that "men give love for sex, while women give sex for love." An un derstanding husband will give his wife the companionship she needs. Peter tells us that husbands and wives are "heirs together of the grace of life." You see, while we may be unequal physically, yet we are equal spiritually. The husband should have an attitude of respect for his wife's feelings, as well as for her mental and spiritual devel opment. Together they share a glorious life and position before God. The purpose for this is that "your prayers be not hindered." Bickering and arguing cause bitter spirits to rise. In such a state real prayer is impossible. If my rela- Page 21
dares, "I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is Cod" (I Corinthian 11:3). There is a danger of confusing authority with superiority. Head ship does not imply that God has made men better than women. Scriptures tell us that when a man and woman marry they become "one flesh." This means they are two parts of one new organism. This clearly shows equality in the marriage. A husband and wife are regarded by God as individual per sonalities, neither one inferior to the other. Each one makes up something lacking in the other. At Dallas Seminary, Dr. John F. Walvoord, the school's president, must often make important deci sions which may affect the mem bers of the faculty. To make a wise determination he will often bring the matter before the faculty to get their counsel. Some plans are adopted or resolved by a unani mous vote of all the men on the teaching staff. Occasionally, there will be an issue on which we may disagree. In the final analysis, the president must come to the con clusion himself. He regards his fac ulty as equals and is responsive to their ideas. Yet, since he is the head of the Seminary he has the responsibility, delegated by the Board, to make final decisions. We then abide by his decisions. A hus band is to be a leader, but he is not to act as master of his wife or in some insolent way ride rough shod over her. Since Scripture is a revelation of the Lord, sociologists have discov ered that God's plan for marriage works out in experience. Terman
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