THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS
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Spirit-filled will “ be in subjection unto their (your) own husbands” (cf. Col. 3:18, R. V.; 1 Pet. 3:1-6). The two words translated, “ your own” are very significant and very strong words. They imply ownership, as one owns property, and the thought is that wives belong to their husbands, and husbands belong to their wives; they are one another’s property. There are women who are more inclined to be in subjection to other men than to “ their own hus bands.” But Paul not only says that the wives should be “ in subjection to their own husbands,” he furthermore says, “ as unto the Lord.” These words also are deeply significant. At the firbt glance it might seem as if this meant that the wife should regard her husband with the same absolute rever ence and subjection to his will as she does the Lord Jesus, but a comparison of Scripture with Scripture will show that this is not the thought at all. What it does mean ,is that the wife’s subjec tion to her husband should be out of regard to the Lord’s will: they should render obedience to' their husbands in order to please the Lord, as a duty owed to the Lord Jesus (cf. Eph. 6: 5-7; Col. 3:18). At first sight also this seems tQ be a hard saying, but wives will find it very easy to be in subjection to their own husbands, even if their husbands are unreasonable, if they will bear in mind to say: “ I am doing this not merely to my husband, but ‘as unto the Lord.’ ” Such subjection is also easy if the wife bears in mind that her relation to her husband is a reflection, though a very imperfect one sometimes, , of the relation of thé believer to Christ (v. 23). The Bible elsewhere empha sizes the woman’s perfect equality with the man (Gal. 3:28), but on the other side it never loses sight of woman’s God-given place of sübordination. Alas, for the woman when she loses sight of . it. So-called reforms that lose sight of it are reforms against nature and against the Bible, and do no one else thè harm thaat they do the woman her self. MONDAY, August 17. Eph. 5:23, 24 The reason why wives should be obe dient to their own husbands is that “ the husband is the head of the wife” (cf. 1 Cor. 11:3). The husband bears the same relation to his wife that Jesus Christ bears to the Church, which is His body. Husband and wife are one flesh (v. 31), two persons become one, and in this union as in the body, the head
directs and rules, therefore the husband must rule. How important it is that the woman see to it in the choice of a hus band that she selects some one who can rule well. Many a good body is ruined by a poor head, and many a good woman is ruined by a poor husband. Paul takes pains to point out one particular in which Christ as head of the Church differs from the husband as head of his wife, viz., “ Himself being the Saviour of the body,” i. e., of the Church. Though the husband is not the saviour -of the wife, nevertheless, “ as the Church is subject to Christ, so let' the wives also be to their husbands in every thing.” Wives should; deeply ponder these words, and they should note care fully in “ the everything.” Husbands should deeply ponder them too, but husbands should especially ponder the words that follow. Paul has said some strong things about the wife’s duty in relation to the husband. He will say some far stronger things, and far more difficult to live up to, regarding the hus- band s duty to his wife, but even here he suggests that husbands should feel their obligations to save their wives. It 13 the business of the head to look out for the body to see that it suffers no accident nor harm, and-it is the hus band’s business to look out for the wife to see that she suffer no accident nor harm. The truth of the marriage union between the Lord Jesus and the Church is one of the most glorious and signific ant that the Bible contains (cf. Ps 45 • Isa. 54:5; 61:10^62:4,' 5; Jer. 3-14- I 31:32; Hos. 2:2-23; Matt. 9:15; 25: 1-10; John 3:29;. Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9- 22:17). Though Christ is the head of the Church and the Saviour of the body in a fuller sense than it is possible for any man to be the saviour of his wife nevertheless, “ as the Church is subject : to Christ, so also the wives (should) be to their husbands in everything” (see R; I f • Jn every department and detail ot life the husband should take the leadership, and the wife obey his lead ership. The only limitation is “ in the Lord” (cf. ch. 6 :1 ): when the husband commands what Christ forbids, then the Supreme head, Christ, must rule But is the Church subject to Christ in everything? It should be, in doctrine in practice, in everything; and the true Church is. Do you belong to the true Church? TUESDAY, August 18. Eph. 5:25 Pai 1. huviug dwelt upon the duty of the Spirit-filled wife toward her hus-
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