What is his role?

[elizmdavis]

My pastor discussed with us the roles of men and women in marriage, according to the bible. He quoted how the man is supposed to leave his parents and become one with his wife. The wife is to submit to her husband. He went on to emphasize that the husband is expected to lead and provide after leaving home. A Godly woman should be able to submit to her husband with full trust that he will provide for her, as she continues her mission with Christ.

My pastor asked us girls to answer one question about the person we were dating or wanting to date:
"Can he lead you as you walk with Christ? Will you be able to submit all of yourself to this person if they can't lead?"
He wanted the men to ask themselves:
"Are you ready to take the lead in a way that Christ needs you to?"

I am little confused by this. The bible is the most steadfast in truth, but I think I am just having trouble interpreting this ideal.

What role does a Christian man take when he becomes a husband? What is the woman's role (especially in this American society)?

 

[waxlion10]

I would suggest that if you view the Bilbe as the most steadfast truth that YOU go to it YOURSELF and do a topical study on marriage. When I say "study," I mean find verses, read about historical context, go back to the original language, etc. Do this prayerfully and with a humble heart.

That's all the advice I can give you, my friend

 

[Luther073082]

My pastor discussed with us the roles of men and women in marriage, according to the bible. He quoted how the man is supposed to leave his parents and become one with his wife. The wife is to submit to her husband. He went on to emphasize that the husband is expected to lead and provide after leaving home. A Godly woman should be able to submit to her husband with full trust that he will provide for her, as she continues her mission with Christ.

My pastor asked us girls to answer one question about the person we were dating or wanting to date:
"Can he lead you as you walk with Christ? Will you be able to submit all of yourself to this person if they can't lead?"
He wanted the men to ask themselves:
"Are you ready to take the lead in a way that Christ needs you to?"

I am little confused by this. The bible is the most steadfast in truth, but I think I am just having trouble interpreting this ideal.

What role does a Christian man take when he becomes a husband? What is the woman's role (especially in this American society)?

There are leaders, bosses, dictators etc etc. God is looking for a leader. I've had this confirmed by a independent translation of the greek.

Here is how a leader leads. He leads by example and he serves those whom he leads.

A person becomes a leader not out of any position given to them by anyone or by demanding it. They lead because their followers TRUST them. The bible lays out how a man should lead when he says "love your wives as Christ loved the church."

How did Christ love the church? He sacrificed for it.
How did Christ lead the church? By trust and love. Christ never demanded that ANYONE follow him. He said "Follow me" gently. And whats amazing is alot of people people just followed him without him even saying it.

The people that followed Christ trusted in him and he sacrificed for them.
The word that is translated into submit in greek actually means "voluntary obedience out of love."

Men should not stomp their feet, yell or get angry demanding that women follow them. God asks women to follow their husbands but does not ask or tell men to "keep women in their place." He asks husbands to love their wife as Christ loved the church. A good husband should concern himself completly with if he is loving his wife as Christ loved the church. And if he is, then often enough the wife will follow naturally without it even needing to be said.

And one should always remember they are responsible TO their spouse first and foremost behind God.

None of this is restrictive in what "roles" a man or a woman leads in their married life. God never talks about having women barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen all the time. He talks about a man having a self sacrificial love for his wife and family and he talks about a wife having undying respect for her husband.

And this can and should be true no matter how things are done. Even if the dad is staying home with the kids and cleaning the kitchen and the mom is out being a CEO.

 

[Bootstrap]

What are the differences between the man's role and the woman's role? When I look at the words "head" and "submit", it sounds like there's a really big difference, when I look at the entire passage, I don't see such a difference:

Ephesians 5:21 and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.file:///home/jrobie/netbible/eph5_notes.htm#note30

5:22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, 5:23 because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. 5:24 But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 5:26 to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, 5:27 so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. 5:28 In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 5:29 For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, 5:30 for we are members of his body. 5:31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 5:32 This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 5:33 Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Husbands:


* Submit to one another
* love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her
* love your own wife as you love yourself



Wives:


* Submit to one another

* Submit to your husband
* Respect your husband


I think that the "head" discussion implies that the the man is the leader of the home, and that he is responsible for actively seeking the spiritual welfare of the wife. But I would assume the wife should be seeking the spiritual welfare of the home too.

How does this play out in practice? What is the difference between what this passage says and simply saying that we should submit to each other, be loving with each other, and edify each other?

Jonathan

 

[k450ofu3k-gh-5ipe]

There are leaders, bosses, dictators etc etc. God is looking for a leader. I've had this confirmed by a independent translation of the greek.

Here is how a leader leads. He leads by example and he serves those whom he leads.

A person becomes a leader not out of any position given to them by anyone or by demanding it. They lead because their followers TRUST them. The bible lays out how a man should lead when he says "love your wives as Christ loved the church."

How did Christ love the church? He sacrificed for it.
How did Christ lead the church? By trust and love. Christ never demanded that ANYONE follow him. He said "Follow me" gently. And whats amazing is alot of people people just followed him without him even saying it.

The people that followed Christ trusted in him and he sacrificed for them.
The word that is translated into submit in greek actually means "voluntary obedience out of love."

Men should not stomp their feet, yell or get angry demanding that women follow them. God asks women to follow their husbands but does not ask or tell men to "keep women in their place." He asks husbands to love their wife as Christ loved the church. A good husband should concern himself completly with if he is loving his wife as Christ loved the church. And if he is, then often enough the wife will follow naturally without it even needing to be said.

And one should always remember they are responsible TO their spouse first and foremost behind God.

None of this is restrictive in what "roles" a man or a woman leads in their married life. God never talks about having women barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen all the time. He talks about a man having a self sacrificial love for his wife and family and he talks about a wife having undying respect for her husband.

And this can and should be true no matter how things are done. Even if the dad is staying home with the kids and cleaning the kitchen and the mom is out being a CEO.

Well written, Luther.