Three good discussions this week on submission that I have been following, that I shall not link too, one man and one woman both doing a fabulous job of addressing submission to Christ and to a lessor degree submission to husbands, versus what basically amounts to husband idolatry. In case it even needs to be said, the food chain should always be Christ first, spouse second.
On the other side of the discussion, one that is so appalling it has simply sent me into fit of giggles, we have the men that seem to believe they really are worthy of such wifely idolatry. Men who perceive themselves as little gods or meni-gods.
I really was curious, what kind of a Christian man would even think he should come before Christ in His wife’s eyes, and what could possibly be behind such foolishness? Well, ask you shall receive. Dalrock has posted my answer, along with a phrase he and his minions apparently strongly object too, “Submission is ducking so God can hit your husband.”
I was already amused, but this one just sent me over the edge. I think what I found so funny was the literal translation of that, the implication and meaning behind it. I mean talk about using your wife as a shield, talk about hiding behind her skirts! Hey, I love my husband dearly and am rather sentimentally attached to him, but if the Creator of the universe wanted to hit him for some reason, do you really think I’m going to stand in the way? Like hello, I am just a girl! Uh, Thy will be done, not mine..
Seriously now, the best I could manage would be a rather desperate plea, “Dear Lord, please show this dear man the same mercy and forgiveness you have shown me,” or perhaps, “Please forgive Him Father, for he knows not what he does.” But to stand in God’s way, to attempt to thwart His will, to try to stand between my husband and God Himself? I don’t think so. That is such a silly idea it really did crack me up.
All in good humor here, but I can handle the light work. If God Himself wants a piece of you, you’re simply on your own…
Ah, but those words are very revealing as well as the disgust expressed by those who did not like, “Submission is ducking so God can hit your husband.” Why, why does that offend thee? Is one secretly worried that God Himself really wants to take a pot shot at you? Do you fear that you have unfinished business there?
All of this plea bargaining, this endless parade of women are worser, women are sinners, the curse of Eve lives, that is what this all really amounts to. Attempting to use women as a shield, to place them between you and God. To offer up your sisters and your wives as a kind of plea bargain, an exchange. An ancient sin indeed, the sins of the atom or Adam in this case, as in “Yes Lord, I ate the fruit, but, but…. this woman you gave me!”
When one is seeking the favor of Christ Himself, when one is doing to best to be pleasing in His eyes, that is submission. The behavior, the worthiness of your spouse fades to background noise. We marry flawed and imperfect human beings, they are going to at times be unworthy, that is a given! We honor our commitment to Christ, we do not love or submit to our husbands based on who they are, but on who Christ is.
Proving once again that he who is under authority, has authority, and he who is not, is simply a couple doughnuts shy of a full dozen.
This makes me laugh, IB. Not because the issue isn’t serious, but because of your descriptions.
But here’s the sad truth—well, I’m taking someone else’s word, so it may not be true, but I think it is. There’s a new book out, written by Paul Young of The Shack fame, entitled Eve. According to my source, it depicts Eve as not eating of the fruit. Or not eating first. I’m not going to look it up or link to it because I don’t want to give it any more recognition. BUT why I brought it up is this—such a book will only add gasoline to the fire these “meni-gods” are creating. What a sad state of affairs when there is such error at the two opposing extremes. No wonder we are to walk the straight and narrow, not turning to the right or the left.
Becky
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I find the diction here to be rather amusing. If you insist… (gobble).
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“we do not love or submit to our husbands based on who they are, but on who Christ is.”
Hey IB, you know, I don’t comment much when you write about this subject, because I just don’t get it really. It’s just not in my orbit, this whole Alpha, Red Pill…and all of that. I kind of always considered myself an Alpha type to tell the truth, but I still don’t get all that.
But your statement above really said it well. I would only add that, for us men, that we should sacrificially love our wives, not based on who they are, but what Christ did. Two way street and all of that right?
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“I would only add that, for us men, that we should sacrificially love our wives, not based on who they are, but what Christ did.”
Amen, Wally, totally! You don’t “get it” because you actually DO get it. 😉
I am always indebted to Christ, and in another way indebted to hubby, but that is the kind of debt that is pleasant because it creates gratitude, which leads to a bit of joyousness and a desire to serve.
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Well said IB.
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Thanks, Paul.
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‘We marry flawed and imperfect human beings.’
Such is the masterstroke of understanding, and the key to a great marriage, full of ebb and flow, give and take. But if you don’t mind, I’d like to emphasize the importance of your observation about he who is under authority……………
Imagine the authority of the Lord’s word when he said to the raging sea: ‘peace be still.’ and immediately there was a great calm……..We too experience this great calm…………when being under authority. ALL mankind submits to something; may as well do unto the Best.
And the fruitless result of a ship being tossed to and fro, under no good command or authority? A big mess I tell ya, with people having opinions that waver or change with the next wave of popularity or decadence.
And your last line ms bytes? A towering home run of truth and wit. 😉
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Thank you for your kind words. You’re quite right, a ship under no good command or authority, is just a big mess and likely to wind up on the rocks.
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