We come now to the exposition of God's holy word and congregation. Let's take our Bibles out together and I'd ask you please to turn back to Ephesians chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5 as we continue in our exposition of the book of Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 5 and let me read in your hearing verses 22 through 24. As we continue here looking at these instructions given by the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for his churches. Ephesians 5 and verse 22, the scripture says, wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church, and he is the savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Let's now join together before the Lord in prayer. Our Heavenly Father, we bow before you as we again come before your Word. We ask you, dear Father, that you would grant to us the ministry of your Spirit. As we look into your Word, as we delve into its precious, deep, and sublime truths, May we be found as a people who receive that word with teachableness and humbleness and with a spirit that desires that it to have its way in our lives, to correct us, encourage us, to strengthen us, and call us to walk in the steps you've ordained for us, your people. Father, we pray that you would grant to us godly, holy homes, where we have men who lead and wives who submit and children who obey. And may it all be for your honor, for your glory, and for the testimony of the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lord, draw all who are lost and undone unto Christ our Savior, as you are pleased to do. And may you receive all the honor and glory as we ask this in Jesus' holy name. Amen. As we continue in our expositions, of course, we have been looking over these last few weeks at the subject of the divine design of men and women. And as that design, it goes all the way back to creation in the book of Genesis. Now, in our last exposition, we talked about the sad false teaching of feminism. how it has influenced even churches in our day. We call this the feminizing of the church. God has established male hierarchy and headship in the church, that is without question. And the Bible explicitly declares that women must be silent in church, 1 Corinthians 14. that women must be in submission in church, again, 1 Corinthians chapter 14, and that women must not have authority over a man in the church, 1 Timothy chapter 2. These are not necessarily popular doctrines. Obviously, in our corrupt, Christless culture, that would be a hated, very provoking idea, male hierarchy and headship. And yet sadly we see that even within the church there is this resistance because sadly there has been over the last hundred years a culture that we all have been baked in. And these influences have crept in to our thinking so that our presuppositions, our pre-understandings are already informed by the culture on these kinds of matters. And so even within believers' hearts, there is often a resistance to what is the clear, explicit teaching of the Word of God. We have seen this as it relates to the church as a whole. We said that this is seen, this feminizing of the church, and it is very obvious and overt in the liberal mainline Protestant denominations, whether it is the Methodist Church or the Episcopal Church or you name the various old mainline denominations, they have basically embraced feminism full bore. In fact, their organizations essentially have the idea, whatever the Christless corrupt culture says is the next thing, that becomes their thing. And they start preaching whatever the culture says. So they have just embraced, so that they began ordaining women to the ministry And it was slow and it was gradual, but now what we find today is in many of those churches, it is predominantly led by, we said this somewhat humorously, purple-haired lesbitarians who are basically just full-bore feminists in their worldview. That is a very sad reality. But we said there is also a more subtle feminizing which has come into the church. And it is in evangelical churches, that is churches that say they believe the Bible, and that the Bible is their authority, and at churches that would never ordain a woman to the office of pastor, and yet there are these feminizing trends that have come into churches. We said this last time, and I'll just quickly list them without much elaboration, the kind of feminine music that is sung in these churches, very sensual, very romantic, Jesus is my boyfriend type of music. Effeminate pastors who are soft-spoken, apologetic, they are winsome. They don't ever want to be confrontational. They don't ever want to be in any way controversial, in any way whatsoever, because all they're concerned about is the smiles of the people. They just want to be popular. And so they don't speak the truth. And we said that what we need is not winsome pastors. We need warrior pastors. Amen? We need pastors committed to speaking the truth. in a world of lies and error. Thirdly, we said this feminizing in evangelical churches is found where women are in many places of leadership even though they don't have the title of pastor. They are in roles of leadership and oversight. They are de facto pastors. They don't have the title, but they are functioning in a place of rule, leadership, and oversight. Again, it's kind of a go-around, but it's the same thing. They're basically pastors in those churches without the title. And then, fourthly, we said the feminizing in evangelical churches is often seen in the climate and the culture that pervades the congregations. Now, this is a little bit more subtle, but it is where there are feminine coding to the climate and culture of the church. The church is, and we talked about the idea of the long house. You remember that if you were here. The church becomes a safe space. And so the commitment of the church is that we're not going to offend anyone. We are going to be very careful that what we say and what we teach doesn't ruffle anyone's feathers. And so basically what is taught and preached is dumbed down to the most liberal, carnal person. And you can't speak on anything that that one person might get offended with. So you see how that impacts the entire ministry of the church. Rather than being committed to the truth, it is committed to not offending or upsetting anyone. female-coded. Whenever there are problems, they are dealt with not directly, which is the biblical concept, rather they are dealt with by the gossiping and backbiting that goes on behind the scenes. so that often the pastor doesn't even know what's going on, and there's this little campaign being run behind his back that is basically trying to bring down that which has been taught. This is very common. You may say, well, pastor, that sounds really crazy. Believe me, this is a very common thing in churches. All of this is feminine in its orientation. So when we think about these things, we have laid out in the last several weeks the basic principles laying the foundation that God has ordained male hierarchy and headship in three spheres. In the home, in the church, and then in society. You say, well why is that so? Because God has created man and woman with a particular nature. They have different natures. And those natures don't somehow transform when you jump from one sphere to another sphere. They're still men and they're still women. So the reality applies in all three spheres. Men are to be the leaders, providers, and protectors. Women are to be those who are workers at home, who bear children, and who are, as the scripture specifically says, they are created as a helper to the man. That's her duty and nature. Now, as we come today, we've said all of that to put in context what we read in Ephesians 5, verses 22 through 24. Because when you read these verses and you don't understand how God has created men and women, then you might say, well, why is it that he is saying this here? And people who are of a feminist nature will try to somehow argue around these passages as they would in other contexts. So let's look first of all, we're going to give a brief exposition of these verses, and then a little bit of an explanation. And we'll continue in subsequent weeks, but we want to just lay the foundation today. Notice with me, please, five different things in verses 22 through 24. We see the duty that wives are called to, the context, number three, the quality, number four, the basis, and then number five, the extent. So five different things. First of all, what is the duty of wives? Verse 22, part A. Wives, submit to your own husbands. This is the duty of wives. The word there, submit, is the word hupotaso. It is two words, the prefix hupo, which means under, and the word taso, which means to place or to put. So the literal word there, submit, means to put or place yourself under the authority of your husband. It is to be subject to him, to honor him, to obey him, and to follow him. Interestingly, in verse 22, the word submit is not found in the Greek text. The word is actually supplied from verse 21. If you look back up in verse 21, In verse 21, Paul says, submitting to one another in the fear of God. That, of course, is a part of that section which speaks about how that we are to be speaking to one another, and then he says that we are to be submitting, verse 21. In this idea of submitting to one another in the fear of God, now Paul is going to explain what does he mean by that. It is not this idea of mutual submission that is universally applied in all situations. No, this idea of submission is that we are to submit to those who are in authority over us. For example, we are to submit over the governing authorities, aren't we? Romans 13 and verse one, submit to those who are in authority, the governing authorities. And here in the specific context of Ephesians, he says this submitting to one another is to be understood in these three areas of those who have authority over us. Verse 22 through 24, it has to do with wives submitting to their husbands. Look down in chapter 6, verse 1. The same theme is continuing. Secondly, it has to do with children submitting to their parents. Verse 1, children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. That's the second example of this idea of submitting to one another. Wives, to your husbands. Children, to your parents. Look at verse 5 of chapter 6. The third example he gives is slaves to their masters. Bond servants, verse 5 of chapter 6, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling. in sincerity of heart as to Christ. So this idea of submission, which is stated in verse 21, is fleshed out so that no one would misunderstand what is he talking about. He says it has to do with those who are in authority over us. So for the family, it has to do with wives submitting to their husbands, children obeying, submitting to their parents, and slaves submitting to their masters, which of course you understand in the first century, slaves would have been a part of the household. This is what is called all of this passage, the household codes. that are stated both here and also in the book of Colossians. So the duty stated here, looking back in verse 22, as it relates to wives, is that wives are to submit to their husbands. Secondly, note with me, if you will, if you have a King James translation, you may read there, and I'm not sure which translations bring this out, But this word here is sometimes translated, submit yourselves. How many of you have a translation that has that phrase? Okay, I know it's in the King James, it could be in other translations. Here the King James translators are supplying a word to explain the force of this word submit, hupotasso. Because this word hupotasso is in the middle voice. And so the idea is that it is the wife's duty to enforce this command upon herself. It is to be voluntary in nature. It is to be the wife herself who makes sure that she's submitting to her husband. And so that's why in the King James and perhaps other translations, they will supply the word yourselves, simply to better understand the force of this word submit, the idea of placing oneself under the authority of your husband. But now, secondly, I want you to notice with me here not only the duty, but look again at verse 22 and we note the context. What is the context of this submission? Well, it's very clearly stated, wives submit to your own husbands. That's who they are to submit to. This qualifies and it emphasizes the one to whom she is to submit. Now, obviously, there are other people that a wife is to submit to. All citizens of a country or a nation are equally to submit to the governing authorities. Romans 13 and verse 1. It's not just that the men of a nation are to obey the laws of the land. Amen? The women are too. They too are to submit. And whether you're a man or a woman, you break the law, you're going to go to jail because you're required in that relationship of authority to submit to the governing authorities. Secondly, the wife is to submit to the pastors and elders of the church. And we read that over and over again. We won't take the time to read all the verses. There are too many to read in one setting. But there is this duty of all members of the church, whether you are a man or a woman, you are to submit to your pastor, to your elders. And that is a part of what it means to be under their authority and over their oversight. And that regards both men and women. But here specifically talking about that third sphere of reality, not just society, not just the church, but as it relates to the home. that most inner sphere of the three, the wife is to submit to their own husbands. They're not to submit to every husband or any husband. They're to submit to their own husband, as it relates to the context of this duty. So what is the duty? They are to submit, placing themselves under the authority Who are they to do that with as it relates to the home? Well, that is to their own husbands. Look again at verse 22. We note the quality of this submission. And what is the quality of this submission? Wives submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. As to the Lord. It is, in other words, an act of obedience and submission to the Lord. It is submitting to the Lord when you submit to your husband, because it is the will of God that wives submit to their husbands. They don't submit to their husbands. They're not submitting to the Lord's will for their lives. And it is the nature of it, the quality of it, if you want to use that word, nature, quality. It is as to the Lord, as if you are submitting to the Lord. Congregation, that is a very strong statement. And Paul pulls no punches when he says this. Look at verse 23. We note the basis of this submission. This is number four. The basis of this submission is stated, for, here's the reason, for the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church and he is the savior of the body. Say, Paul, why is it that wives are to submit to their husbands? And why is it that they are to do it as to the Lord? Well, verse 23 tells us. Because the husband is the head of the wife. He has this place of ruler, leader, and authority over his wife. Now, this is found in many different places. Let's just turn to a couple. Turn with me, if you will, over in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. 1 Corinthians chapter 11, this idea of being the head over the wife. 1 Corinthians 11 and verse one, Paul again is writing, he says, imitate me just as I also imitate Christ. Verse two, now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. Verse three, but I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." And then he goes through this idea of praying and prophesying, covered versus uncovered, and of course the idea there is this idea of submission. Notice in verse 7, "'For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God.'" But woman is the glory of man. For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but the woman for the man." Here he is talking about this that goes all the way back again to creation. These things are relevant, Paul says. Verse 10, for this reason, a woman ought to have the symbol of authority on her head, that idea of authority because of the angels. Turn with me, if you will, over in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter one, back to Ephesians, this idea of head. The word here itself is the word Kephele, that's the Greek word. And it's not just simply the idea of source, it is the idea of authority. The husband is the authority over his wife. He is the head over his wife. And it is analogous to, in the same language in the Greek New Testament is used, as the Lord Jesus over the church. So in Ephesians chapter 1, just picking up a reading in verse 18, here Paul is praying for these saints and he says that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, verse 19, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. And then notice the description of this exalted place of the Lord, verse 21. and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. And he put all things under his feet." That's actually the description of hupotasso, the idea of placing under authority. Verse 22, and gave him to be what? Here's our word, kephele, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Now, there are many other places that we could turn to. Ephesians 4, verses 14 and 15. Colossians 1, verses 15 through 18. Colossians 2, verses 9 through 10. All of these use that same word, kephele. And many of them describing that authority, that place of Christ over his church. So now as we turn back to Ephesians chapter 5, Paul here is not using this language indiscriminately or loosely. He already has referred to Christ as being the head over the church, Ephesians chapter 1 and also Ephesians 4 verses 15 and 16. Now in verse 23, he's using that same language as it relates to the duty of wives submitting to their husbands. Verse 23, for the husband is kephele, head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church, and he is the savior of the body. If there was ever any doubt that Paul is drawing this analogy between the headship of Christ over the church with this idea of the headship of the husband over the wife, he states it explicitly in verse 23. For the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is head of the church. Congregation, Christ is head of the church, not merely as a powerless example to us. Amen? And not merely as the source of our being. No, Christ is the head of His church in the sense that He is the ruling authority over His church. Amen? He is in the authority. We are to obey Him. And so this is exactly what Paul says, bringing that analogy into the marriage relationship. That's why he says in verse 22, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. And then he says in verse 23, the basis of this is that the husband is the authority over, he is the leader in the home and the wife is required to submit to her husband as if she were submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ. That's how strong Paul puts it. Notice, if you will, if it wasn't any clearer, look at verse 24, because he continues in this. He says, therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, So let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. So there again, he just keeps repeating himself with this emphasis. In the same way, by way of analogy, just as Christ has authority in the church, the husband has authority in the home. just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands." And then notice at the very end of verse 24, you have that qualifying statement as if anyone was unclear about the thrust of this in everything. in everything. This stresses the breadth of this obedience and submission. It covers every area of life. Whether it is child rearing, or the finances, or career choices, or in any other area of our existence, this is the authority the husband has in the home. This is not, again, what I would say. This is what the word of God declares as the will for his people. Now, at this point, some may say, well, That's one verse right there, but is this really the universal teaching of the New Testament, or is this just some kind of an isolated thing? So let's look at the additional support for this idea of submission and this authority of the husband. Turn with me, please, over to Colossians chapter three and verse 18. And again, we're gonna move quickly here because some of these verses we've read before, and so we're already familiar with most of these. But notice, if you will, Colossians 3 and verse 18. And of course, you know that Colossians and Ephesians are very much like twin epistles, aren't they? They cover many similar themes. And so Colossians 3 and verse 18, Paul writes to the church at Colossae and he says, wives, submit to your own husbands as is fitting in the Lord. So there again you have this idea of submission to one's husband. Look with me please over in Titus, Titus chapter 2. Titus chapter 2 verses 1 through 5. Paul writes, and he says, but this is chapter two, verse one, Titus two, verse one, but as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine, that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, love, and patience, the older women likewise. that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they may admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, to be homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." So here we see again this idea of submission to your husband. Of course, as you know the context here, Paul is giving these instructions to various categories of people in the congregation. He says, verse 2, a word to older men. Then in verse 3, a word to the older women. How are they to act? He says, they are to be teachers of good things. Now, that's not talking about a formal office of teaching in the church. Rather, that is the kind of relational, informal influence that women are to have with one another. The older women are to be teaching the younger women. What are they to be teaching them, verse three? They're to be teaching them good things. And then he tells us exactly what he means that they are to be encouraging the young women about. It is basically women teaching women, womanly things. It's not getting together and having a study on the doctrine of the Trinity. No, it has to do with these things related to womanly duties. Verse 4, that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chase, homemakers. Some translations have it as keepers at home. To be good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blaspheme. All of those things are women teaching women, womanly things, things related to domestic life, the encouragement of the home and reinforcing the biblical priorities of wives in their homes. And so here we see among the many things that we'll be looking at as we go along, that word in verse five, obedient to their own husbands. It is the word hupotasomenos. It is a related word to the word submission. It is a present middle participle of hupotaso, the idea of submit. The idea of submission is the idea of obedience. And so you see here that word that is used by our translators, to be obedient. to their own husbands. And so, this is the will of God for their lives. Now, turn with me again. We're moving quickly here, and I hope you're following along. Look with me in 1 Peter chapter 3. And we see another additional support of this teaching of headship submission of the wife. And we read this in 1 Peter 3, verses 1 through 5. Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they without a word may be won by the conduct of their wives. When, verse two, they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear, do not let your adornment be merely outward, arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel. Rather, let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. Four, verse five, in this matter, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. whose daughters you are, if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. So here again, you see the idea of submission stated twice by the Apostle Peter. In verse number one of chapter three, wives be submissive to your own husbands. And notice please, the context of this, this submission is to be not contingent on the actions of the husband, Because here, Peter says, it may be the husband's not even a believer. You're still to submit to him. Even if he is an unbeliever, obviously not walking in the ways of the Lord, not doing the will of God, even if that's the case, be submissive, verse 1, to your own husband's that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their lives." Congregation, that says that this is not merely something that is contingent in the duty of wives. Even if your husband is an unbeliever, even if he is not a godly man, You are to be submissive to your husband so that your obedience to Christ will be a testimony to the gospel of Jesus Christ. And then again, we see in verse 5, he repeats himself at the very end of verse 5, being submissive to their own husbands. So there again. One final place, if you'll turn with me. This is kind of going back. Turn with me to 1 Timothy chapter 2. Again, just looking at the many places where this teaching is found throughout the scriptures, Colossians 3, Titus 2, 1 Peter 3, and then now 1 Timothy 2. First Timothy chapter 2, and we read again these words that we've read in some of our past expositions, and we see verse 11. Look at verse 11. It says, let a woman learn in silence with all submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve, and Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived fell into transgression. Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with self-control. So we see that this idea of submission, and specifically the context here is in relation to the body of Christ, the church, they are to be in silence with all submission. And the reasons, as we have said already, verse 13 and 14, doesn't have anything to do with the cultural concern. Well, that's the way they did it in the first century. No, it goes all the way back to the creation ordinances. The very reality from the very beginning, they have different natures, and this is what they're called to do because this is what God has called them to do. They will find their fulfillment, their flourishing. And notice the context in verse 15 is not getting out there and having a career and competing with men, but in childbearing. Again, bringing back the idea of what is her primary place and the place that God has ordained. So, congregation, as we look at this, we see that this idea in Ephesians 5 is not something that is just found in a minor place and one point in the Scriptures. But it is stated over and over and over and over again. And it is confirmed both by Paul and by Peter that this is the will of God for the wives in the home. Now, let me just share with you by way of conclusion just a few words here of kind of explaining this out just a little bit more. And we'll come back to this in our next exposition and talk specifically about the duties related to the wives as we look at this. But what I would like to do is talk about this idea of submission itself. And I want to talk about what it does not mean, and then what it does mean. And if you are of a mind, you can look in Wayne Mack's book, which is an excellent resource. And I recommended this book at the very beginning of our study, Strengthening Your Marriage. And it's a book that I use whenever I do premarital counseling, and I've used it many times over the years. It is an excellent resource. I highly recommend it. It's called Strengthening Your Marriage. He, in that book, lays out some principles of how we need to understand this idea of submission. First of all, what it does not mean. And let me say that first, the negative and then the positive. It does not mean, this idea of wives submitting to their husbands, that the wife is inferior. That's not what the text says and that's not what it means. We who are in Christ are all joint heirs in the grace of God. Amen? Men and women are created in the image of God. We have value and dignity and worth. So this idea of submission is not saying that women are inferior. Just look, if you will, we're not gonna turn there, but Galatians 3 and verse 28. It is not an issue of superiority or inferiority. Secondly, submission does not mean the removal of all freedom. as is sometimes imagined. This idea of the teaching of submission is the will of God, and so what do we find? We find TV programs all the time trying to characterize the biblical teaching. In fact, yesterday there was, in one of these No Kings movements that are going on all over the nation, there was a group of women dressed in those red hooded outfits, which is based on some series, I don't know if it's on HBO or something. Basically it's an attack on the idea of headship and submission. So it tells you something when our godless, Christless culture is continuing to strike against this idea of submission. It tells you whose team they're on because the word of God is very clear. Amen? And this idea of submission, it doesn't mean the wife is in fear. And secondly, it doesn't mean that they have no freedom. It isn't that it is confining, restricting. It is actually a liberating idea to be in submission to your husband. The illustration that is often shared is that when is a train free to travel? When it's derailed or when it's running on its tracks. You see, it's free to go forward when it's on its tracks. And God has laid down tracks for the wife to run on. And the tracks they are to run on is submission to their husband. They get off of those tracks. It isn't a liberating thing. It's a derailing thing that is contrary to their God-given design. So that is, of course, opposite of how people think in our day. They think that submission is the losing of all of one's freedom. But actually, it is the most liberating thing for the wife. Thirdly, submission not only does not mean the wife is inferior or the removal of all freedom, submission number three does not mean that the wife becomes a piece of property. Now there are people that sometimes try to characterize the Bible's teaching this way. This idea of bowing and scraping and never speaking. The idea that the wife can never offer a suggestion, never raise an objection, never ask a question. Again, this is the kind of way it's characterized, isn't it? The idea of submission. That's not the biblical teaching at all. Husbands should listen to their wives and they should appreciate the input from their wives. That's just basic common sense as men and husbands lead in their homes. But again, the goddess culture would spin the idea and make it just in its worst possible case. Submission does not mean that a wife is inferior, she loses her freedom, or that she becomes a piece of property. And then number four, submission does not mean that a wife abandons all of her gifts, talents, and abilities. It does not mean the folding up like a wallflower, as it were, and that all of her abilities are left dormant. No, it means that her abilities, talents, and gifts are given in the context of the domain they've been called to by God. And so it is that flourishing, but yes, it is flourishing in the context of what God has designed for them. You think about Proverbs 31, that is a great example of a woman's industry, of her use of ability. Now there are feminists will say, well, I have the ability to preach. And so therefore, because I have the ability to preach, it's God's will that I preach in the church. Well, obviously, just because a woman might have natural giftings to speak publicly doesn't mean she has the authority to preach in the church. And so, yes, there are limitations to that. Because there's this notion that says, well, whatever I can do, well, then evidently that's OK for me to do. And whatever you can do, I can do better. That's the thinking of feminism. No, it is in the context of how God has ordained those varying capacities. But it does not mean that her gifts, talents, and abilities are somehow shelved and not used. So that's what it does not mean. Let me just give you a list of things. Again, from Dr. Wayne Mack, what does submission mean? And I have eight simple, straightforward statements. Submission means that it is firstly the wife's responsibility to make herself submissive to her husband. Remember we saw that in Ephesians 5.22. Wives submit, and of course the King James adds that word for explanation, submit yourselves to your own husbands. The wife is commanded to submit herself to her husband. Secondly, submission is mandatory. It is not optional. It is a command. It is an imperative from God. And so this is not some optional idea. Well, some wives, they submit, and other wives, they just decide, I'm not really into that. No, that's not what God says you're to submit. That is God's will. It is mandatory, it is a command, it is an imperative. Thirdly, submission is continuous. It is a present, progressive, continuous disposition that a wife is to have. It's not, oh, well, yes, I will submit to my husband whenever I agree with him. But then whenever I don't agree with him, I don't have to submit. That's not what submission is. Amen? Submission is submitting when you don't agree. Submission is submitting when it may not be your first inclination. That's the test of what submission actually looks like. Number four, submission is unconditional. It is unconditional. It is not stated here in Ephesians 5, wives submit to your own husbands, with an if-then clause to it. It is not, well, if my husband loves me like Christ loves the church, then I'll submit to him. You know, there are some people who think that way. And until he loves me like Christ loves the church, then I'm not going to submit to him. See, that is a total misunderstanding of the scriptures. The husband has a duty. and he is answerable to God for his duty. And the wife has a duty, and she is responsible before God for her duty. And the wife's duty is to unconditionally submit to her husband. Her husband may be the most godly man on the earth. He may be an okay guy. He may be an unbeliever, 1 Peter 3. He may be very ungodly in his unconverted state. And yet God calls the wives to submit to their husbands. And if they're not a believer, your submission might be the means that God uses to draw them to Jesus Christ. That's the idea. That's the extent of this. It is continuous. It's mandatory. It's unconditional. Number five, submission is a positive concept, not a negative concept. The emphasis is on what a wife is to do, not on what a wife is not to do. It means that your husband is the head of your home. And if that bothers you, you need to deal with that in your life. If it bothers you that the Bible says your husband is the head of the household, then you need to have dealings with the Lord. Because that's not what your pastor says, that's what the Bible says. Amen? That's where God has placed him. And so this idea is that you positively are to submit to him. It's what you are to do. You are to obey him, support him, follow him, honor him. That's all bound up in that idea of submission. Number six, submission is a spiritual issue. Wives are told in verse 22 of our text, they are to submit to their own husbands as to the Lord. It is Christ's command and refusal is rebellion to God. The issue is obedience to Christ. Those who love Christ obey Christ. And Christ has called women to submit. Number seven, submission involves attitudes as well as actions. This idea of submitting to your husband-wives, it's not merely external or outward. You know, it's like the little child, you know, we discipline your child, they're running around and you sit down over in that chair, they're jumping around everywhere. You're going to sit down in that chair and the little child finally obeys and sits down and the little child says, well, you know, I'm obeying on the outside but I'm jumping all around on the inside. You know, that kind of idea that the heart has not been changed. Submission should not only be one's duty as a wife, it should be her delight and her inner disposition. It shouldn't be that this is somehow a burden that she will just have to do because the Bible says it. No, her heart should be so changed and so captured by the Word of God that she gladly, willingly delights from her inner disposition to do what God says. Because she wants to please the Lord. She doesn't want to please herself. She wants to please God. And this is what pleases God. And then number eight, submission not only is that which the wife must do, not only is it mandatory, continuous, unconditional, positive, not only is it a spiritual issue, not only does it involve attitudes as well as actions, but number eight, submission is comprehensive. It is comprehensive. Again, verse 24 of our text, therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, So let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." In everything. That's what the Holy Spirit said through the Apostle Paul. In everything. It isn't on again, off again. It is analogous to our submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. And while it is comprehensive, I will say this one caveat. It is not absolute. If a husband tells a wife that she is to do something that is sinful, that is illegal, well at that point, like the early church when they said we must obey God rather than men, And I pray that our wives as well at that point would say, we will obey God, I will obey God and not what you have said. So there is that caveat as we think about submission. If your husband says, I'm gonna drop you off at the grocery store, I want you to go in there and I want you to grab a whole slab of ribs and try to hide them under your dress and get out cuz I wanna eat ribs tonight. Well, you're to say, oh no, that's stealing. That's not God's will. I am not going to submit. And be respectful when you say it, but say, no, I'm not going to do that. Or you can fill in the example of whatever it is. Obviously, there are exceptions to that rule. But if it isn't immoral, sinful, or illegal, you're to submit to your husband. You're to obey what He says. You are to do it with an attitude that delights from the inner person that you obey, and this is a sign of your submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. So, in conclusion this morning, let me just conclude by way of a summary It is the duty of wives to submit to their husbands. What is the nature of it? It is placing oneself under the authority of your husband. What is the quality of it? It is as to the Lord. It is an act of obedience and submission to the Lord. What is the basis of it? The husband is your head and he has authority over you. What is the extent of it? It is to be in everything, in every area of life. This is the duty that God has called our wives to. Those of you who have children and who have daughters, this is what you are to be teaching your daughters from the earliest of ages. You're to be teaching them this idea of submission, first of all, because you are a model of it to them. so that they see in your home, by your actions, Mommy, she's following Daddy. Mommy, she's submitting to Daddy. Daddy is the head of our house, and we see very clearly that honor and respect that Mommy has to Daddy. And they see that, and believe me, children know and see things a whole lot better than you may realize, amen? They're like a sponge. And if you're not submitting to your husband, you are teaching them something bad by example. But not only are you to model that submission to your daughters, you are to be speaking words that affirm that throughout their years of maturation. So that when they get to be 18 or 19 years old, or however old they are, and they start looking for a husband, wanting to get married, and hopefully, sadly in our culture, because of feminism, women have basically been told, don't get married until you're 35 and have a career, and then yes or no, it's kind of if you want to. But as you encourage them that God has called you to be a wife and to bear children and to be a helper to your husband, and you're teaching them this throughout their growing up years so that it's not something that is foreign to their thinking. You're teaching your daughter that it is God's will that she, when she finds that godly Christian man to be her husband, that she gladly submits to him and follows him and supports him. Why? because this is God's will for your life as a wife. Wives are called to do this. Wives are called to mirror this and teach this along with their husbands to their children and daughters. Secondly, we see here by way of application, the failure to submit is a serious, grievous sin. Sometimes when we talk about headship and submission, when we talk about the idea of the duty of submission, we almost do it in a joking way, in a kind of a light humored way. Because after all, we realize that it's one of those things where there's a lot of tenseness sometimes that happens because a lot of people have notions that are unbiblical. We need to realize, congregation, that when wives do not submit to their husbands, they are grievously sinning against God. They are sinning against God with incredible rebellion against the Lord God of heaven. Listen to what William Gouge said in his book, talking about wives who do not submit and obey their husbands. Listen to his words. By the way, how many of you are familiar with William Gouge? I know some of us have his book. It's a great book. Listen to what he says about wives who do not submit or obey their husbands. Get the flavor of just how serious this sin is. Quote, in doing so, or not doing so, not obeying and submitting, assuredly herein, they thwart God's ordinance. They pervert the order of nature. They deface the image of Christ. They overthrow the ground of all duty. They hinder the good of the family. They become an ill pattern to children and servants. They lay themselves open to Satan. and incur many other mischiefs which cannot but follow upon the violating of this main duty of obedience, which if it be not performed, how can other duties be expected? Congregation, that gives you a flavor of how serious this sin is. They are thwarting God's ordinance, perverting the order of nature, defacing the image of Christ, overthrowing the ground of all duty, hindering the good of their own family. They're becoming an ill pattern to their own children. They're laying themselves open to Satan and they incur many other mischiefs. In short, if they're not submitting to their husbands, then what duty can they do? Because that's the primary thing that they have as the foundation for anything else that they do in their service rendered in their home to their husband and unto the Lord. And so let us think and meditate greatly on that reality, this great sin. This, of course, is not so much an issue for our dear godly ladies who love the Lord, because they already have been transformed by the grace of God. And because they are Christ, they simply want to obey Christ. And obeying Christ is doing what Christ says. And what Christ says is submit to your husbands. And so if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, this is not a repugnant thing. This is not an odious thing. This is a delightful thing. This is a liberating thing. And you are thankful to God for it. But my dear friend, if that is not your heart, then you need to have dealings with the Lord, either dealing with sin or perhaps considering is Christ your Savior. Turn to Christ and you will be transformed and you will gladly bow your knee to Christ and in bowing your knee to Christ, you will obey and submit to your husband. Let's bow together in prayer. Our Heavenly Father, we bow before you as we think about these basic truths of Scripture, so simple, straightforward, and yet so hated in our Christless world. Help us, Lord, that we would not soft-pedal the truth of your Word, but that we would believe it, obey it, and that we would proclaim it, that this is your will. And it reveals our nature when we obey what you say. Father, I pray that you would draw sinners to yourself, that they would be converted to Christ. And Father, that you would add to your church and you would be honored in all things. And Father, we carefully pray all of this in the name of our Savior and Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. And for his sake, we pray. Amen. Amen. Let's all stand together now as we prepare to be dismissed. Again, with the words of Holy Scripture, the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. And all of God's people said, amen, amen.