. THE ROLE AND PRIORITIES OF THE WIFE IN MARRIAGE (PART 1) This teaching on the family upholds a high standard for the family. We must realise that the way God does things is totally opposite to the way we would do things. So, obviously, if you are still carnally inclined, then these principles will be in opposition to yours. Realise that these GODLY PRINCIPLES are designed to cause the family to prosper. Read Ephesians 5:22 – 24: “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Saviour. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” This Scripture is speaking to ALL WIVES without exception or distinction. If you are the WIFE OF A MAN then you are being spoken to. Future wives also need to take note. We are living in a time when there are many PRESSURES on the Christian Marriage. Many marriages are under intense strain to keep together. We as women need to understand this COVENANT RELATIONSHIP we have entered into in order to fulfil God’s ordained will for our lives. What do we mean by the word “ROLE”? Women have many different roles all day long. She may be: * a wife • a mother • a student • a daughter • a daughter in law • a housewife • a friend etc. EACH ROLE requires an ADJUSTMENT IN ATTITUDE AND ACTION according to what is appropriate for every situation. In other words, her attitude must comply with each role. What is appropriate for one role may not be appropriate for the next. For example: You will act a certain way towards your children, and in another way towards your mother and in yet a different way towards your husband. So when we speak of the woman’s role in marriage we are primarily speaking of those times that relate between the husband and wife. It helps us as women with roles to fulfil all day to PRIORITISE our roles. We need to firstly have a GOOD FOUNDATION which means you have to know who you are in Christ and you have to live in that relationship daily. So, firstly I am a Christian and a child of God, secondly I am a wife, then a mother, then a housewife, then a friend. After all these roles have been fulfilled on a given moment, I can entertain visitors and show hospitality. We all agree that God’s Word is infallible and true. We also agree that we can go to the Word for WISDOM and COUNCIL. In John 14:16 we read that the Holy Spirit is our Counsellor. We have faith that the Holy Spirit is our Teacher and that marriage is a God-ordained institution. We trust that the Word will enlighten our understanding on how to fulfil our roles in a way that is pleasing to our Lord. 2.1 The role of the wife in marriage is to maintain her relationship firstly to GOD. Wives are firstly Christians. This is the foundation of the husband/wife relationship and the foundation of the Christian family. If our VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP with our Father is struggling, then so will our HORIZONTAL RELATIONSHIP with our husband also struggle. The wife’s devotional times alone with God will keep her marriage strong. The wife needs to study the Word, act on the Word and grow spiritually. When the woman in the home APPLIES God’s truth in her life by faith, she will experience great joy and fulfilment as a wife and mother. We need God’s Word to know how to live our lives. It is our manual for living a godly life. Hebr. 4: 12 “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Ps. 119: 11 “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I may not sin against You.” 2.2 The wife needs to take an ACTIVE/SUPPORTIVE role with her husband. Read Gen. 2:18, 20-24 “The Lord God said, `It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him’… So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man. The man said, `This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called `woman, for she was taken out of man.’ For this reason a man will LEAVE his father and mother and be united (CLEAVE) to his wife, and they will become ONE FLESH.” Therefore, three things need to happen in a marriage: • LEAVING: leaving the authority and protection of the original family must take place at the time of marriage. Leaving is the process of letting go of some attitudes and habits of one who is single, and taking on the responsibilities of marriage. It includes a change from dependence upon parents to a shared dependence with your partner. From considering “me” to thinking of “us”. A new independent relationship is being built. • CLEAVING: means to stick, join or cling together. Therefore, cleaving speaks of a close personal relationship which is characterised by a selfless love for each other. In taking a part from Adam to create Eve, God is emphasising their equality in being, for they are both made from the same material. When a man loves his wife, he is being obedient to God. God did not create a slave or a house servant for Adam. The teaching of Genesis is that the two will stick together as suitable mates who will provide for each other friendship and companionship. Cleaving must take place in 3 ways: In their minds. Matt. 19:6 “So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” They must know that they have been joined together and cannot break the marriage. In their feelings. They think about what will please the other one. In their actions. They work and talk together and help each other in and outside the home. They become a team. • ONE FLESH: the meaning of “one flesh” is much more than just in the physical sense – it includes also a joining together to become one emotionally, mentally, socially and spiritually. The husband and wife can share their joys, sorrows, hopes and fears. There is a growing for one another. They share their thoughts. In this way they get to know each other’s way of thinking. This will help in making a decision in the absence of one partner. The purpose of marriage is to produce godly offspring. Read Mal. 2:15.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 09:45:42 +0000
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