If a wife does not submit to her husband Eph.5:24,does that mean the husband can neglect to do Eph.5:25?

Question

If the wife does not submit to the husband as Eph.5:24 tells her to do.Does this mean that the Christian husband does not have to love her as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, Eph.5:25.Or can he neglect to do what God has told him to do?

CJR_HANDBELL, You were of assistance.Thank you for that fine answer.What alot of men fail to realize is that if they were to love their wives as God has called them to do the home would be a Garden.

REDEEMED, answers like that is what makes you one of my FANS#$@@#%$!

GOINUPRU, you made my fan list,what a wonderful answer!!

CHRISTY, what a wonderful testimony.God Bless you Sister! Your husband is a lucky man, or should I say Blessed.

M, I hope God opens your eyes.See its not the person that we are submitting to.Its God and His Word that we submit to.In that there is many many Blessings,your cup will run over!!

Answer 1

I want us to analyze it from Eph 5: 22 which gives the analogy about christian marriage.

Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."

From verse twenty two, we enter into an analogy, and this analogy sets a marriage, to help us relate to Christ and His Church. This analogy sets the same relationship, rules, and submission between Christ and His bride [the Church], as that of the husband and his wife. Don't use this verse to pick on your husband or wife, but rather to draw yourself closer together, and to the Lord. This will give us a better understanding of our Lord's feeling toward us, and the commitment He gives to us, and that we are to give back to Him.

Ephesians 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the Head of the church: and He is the Saviour of the body."

Remember in verse 3:15 where it said; "of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." The "wives" or bride of Christ includes the "whole family" of God, both those alive in their physical bodies, and those that have passed on to be with the Lord.

One of the greatest blessings God could give a Christian, is a Christian mate. The caring husband, and the tenderness of his loving wife is the binding force Paul is using to show us the bond that Christ has for His bride, the Church.

When the wife submits to the husband she is to give reasonable support to him. Here we have the analogy again between the positions within the marriage of husband and wife, and Christ and His Church [His bride]. Have you ever presented a stumbling block in the path of your husband or wife that would drive him or her away from Christ? We see that Jesus Christ, without one complaint, allowed Himself to be crucified for the salvation of His bride, you and I in His Church. This is the most complete commitment anyone can make for their mate, and it demonstrates in full how the Christian husband's responsibility to his wife should be, as he fulfills his role as head of his wife.

Ephesians 5:24 "Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."

"In everything" means a full commitment. For two people [Christians] to be called mates, they must be fully committed. The difference in functional responsibilities between the husband and wife, does not apply and inequality of spiritual status. The Spiritual status of the woman in the end times will be of equal importance to the man, and this is because the circumcision of this age of grace is of the heart [Romans 3:30-31]. Man and Woman, Jew and Gentile; we are part of the bride of Christ through our justification [circumcision] by faith in Jesus Christ.

That grace is given equally to a man or woman, and in these final days of this earth age, both will be delivered up to give account of themselves. and as they speak, it will not be them speaking, but rather the Holy Spirit putting the words in their mouths, and speaking through them [Mark 13:11].

So we can realize the mutual binding relationship between Christ and His whole Church, men and women alike, and that of the husband to his wife.

Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;"

There can be no greater love, than to lay down your life for another.

The husband cannot neglect his duty as to show love in return to the wife if the wife is not submissive, she will definitely learn how to submit if she sees the husband acting according to God's ways. Remember two captain can never be in a ship, one has to submit to the other.

Answer 2

The husband and wife are to submit to one another - Ephesians 5:21. If you don't submit to her, why do you expect her to submit to you? Do for her what you want her to do for you. Be an example of the believers. Follow God, walk in love, prove what is acceptable to the Lord, don't fellowship with works of darkness, walk circumspectly, redeem the time, understand what the Will of the Lord is, don't get drunk, speak, sing, and make melody in your heart to the Lord, and always give thanks. If you get to the place where you do all of these things with a good attitude and the right motives, then sit down and have a talk with your wife about submission. BUT, until you see the beam in your own eye and let loose of the mite in your wife's eye, you will never have a successful marriage. I mean this in all sincere Christian love, brother!

Answer 3

Speaking as a wife...I DO submit to my husband, and he lovingly takes very good care of me! We have been together for over 20 years. I know of more marriages where Jesus Christ is the "Head of Household" and the marriage has lasted in harmony. Whereas those marriages of the "world's ways" usually end in disaster. But even in Christian marriage, IF Jesus is NOT the center of all things...you will be hard pressed to keep it together & still remain in love.
Think of it like a triangle with Christ as the top point, the husband & wife as the 2 bottom points...as the line from the bottom points draws closer to the top (Christ) you can observe...that the 2 bottom points are drawing nearer to one another! That is the Work of Love!

Answer 4

Dear Don S,

They are two separate commands one to the husband and one to the wife. Think also about God's heart in other matters- he tells the believer to love his enemies- how much more would he expect from two people who have been joined together as one??

If the wife does not submit he is to love her none-the-less. These verses are given to us not only to know how to conduct ourselves in a marriage- but i also think to have wisdom in choosing a spouse.

As a man why would you want to marry someone who is always challenging, and discouraging you (i'm not saying that there aren't times when spouses will disagree on things- but i'm just saying if that's a very normal situation- it might not be a very healthy relationship). For the wife- part of submitting i think is respecting the man and the type of decisions that he makes- so if she is constantly criticizing her man for being irresponsible, and making bad decisions- this is not a man that she would want to marry and submit herself to.

It's two separate commands- just like the one to parents and children.

God holds each individual party responsible. Although as a couple obviously there is a closeness that makes them one- so it's something they should be able to work on - especially if both parties are wanting to be obedient to the Scriptures and have made the decision to submit their lives to the word of God.

Kindly,

Nickster

Answer 5

if he continues to love her and pray for her, God can deal with her in the area of submission. if he pushes her away and leaves her and hates her, then he has not manifested the love of God. i just wonder how many men out there really obey eph 5:25. there was a time, when i had made up in my mind that my submission was going to be based on his obedience to the word and God showed me that this was wrong. but that if i would pray for God to help me be everything God wants me to be, then God would deal with my husband.

Answer 6

We are to do OUR part even if the other person DOESNT. If the husband loves the wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, what wife would NOT want to submit?

God always initiates, we respond. It should begin with the husband and the wife WILL respond.

We arent to do the RIGHT THING just because we think it will force someone else to do the RIGHT THING TOO, but because its the RIGHT thing to do.

Answer 7

You know....giving the right answer (God's way) is easy.....what is not so easy is for this to happen the right way when it is one-sided....in real life! AND...this is sssoooooo NOT the world's way. Don't plan on getting this from any worldly counselor!
I recommend a book that was given to me (wise person)
Love and Respect....by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs He goes into this very subject and explains how it can work....with God's help. VERY good question btw!

Answer 8

Of course not, not either way. Two wrongs do not make a right. One must always do his or her part... For example, we should forgive other who do not forgive our mistakes and love our enemies who hate us. Loving spouses when they do not love us is under the same category.

By the way, before that, it says everyone should submit to each other.

Answer 9

Ever hear of "two wrongs don't make a right?" Try being kind and thoughtful instead of censorious and judgmental; then things will improve for both of you. Use the Bible as a reference tool, not as a blueprint by which to live your life; remember, the Bible has undergone many different translations, interpretations and writings over the centuries, and contains many inconsistencies.

Answer 10

What does the scripture say?

Does it say wives submit only when your husband loves you? Does it say husband loves your wives only when the submit?

Along the same lines, scripture tells us to be forgiving but it doesn't say "only if the person asks for forgiveness".