Lesson 4 on biblical submission...
Proverbs 31:10 - More Precious Than Jewels
(Photo of Hope Diamond taken by Dane Penland
of the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.)
of the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.)
An excellent wife is very hard to find. Her rare, inner beauty is so exquisite, that she alone (on earth) can have the greatest influence on her husband. The gentle and quiet spirit (biblical submission) of an excellent wife also captures the heart of the Lord God Almighty who not only deems her submissiveness as her greatest strength, but finds her inner strength, most precious in His sight (I Peter 3:1-6).
The definition of excellence is "to possess outstanding quality, superior, surpassing others with good qualities". But what is God's standard of excellence? We find it in! Corinthians 12:31b
The definition of excellence is "to possess outstanding quality, superior, surpassing others with good qualities". But what is God's standard of excellence? We find it in! Corinthians 12:31b
"And I will show you a still more excellent way."
The above Scripture verse proceeds the most noted, quoted and often used in wedding ceremonies - 1 Corinthians 13, also known as the "Love Chapter". 1Corinthians 13 goes into much detail of God's agape love, which through Christ we find is first and foremost, submissive to the will of the Father with great love and humility (Phillipians 2:5-8). No wonder God finds this rare quality in a wife so precious in His sight. She (a Biblically submissive wife) is the best paradigm of Christ's love and submission to God the Father (1 Corinthians 11:3). And we know as daughters' of the Most High God, there is no human being who's ever lived that is more precious in God's sight, than His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Just imagine sisters this great gift God has set before us! Our gracious Lord and God has given us the privilege to exemplify the most perfect expression of love ever known to mankind - Jesus Christ! What is your response?
As Scripture says, Jesus was equal with God (He was perfect, pure and without sin), but did not consider equality with God something to be grasped or used the aspects of His deity to work His will (as a man), but submitted to the will of the Father in all things. As daughters of God, and co-heirs with Christ, we have the same opportunity set before us. We are "equal" with our husbands in that we have the same value in God's eyes and we are equal sinners. But only wives have the incredible opportunity to model Christ's relationship to God by willingly and lovingly submitting to her husband who is equal to her because they are both sinners, and both fall short of God's glory.
Based on your memorization of Psalm 139:23-24 & Psalm 19:14 from last week, make a two column list:
Just imagine sisters this great gift God has set before us! Our gracious Lord and God has given us the privilege to exemplify the most perfect expression of love ever known to mankind - Jesus Christ! What is your response?
As Scripture says, Jesus was equal with God (He was perfect, pure and without sin), but did not consider equality with God something to be grasped or used the aspects of His deity to work His will (as a man), but submitted to the will of the Father in all things. As daughters of God, and co-heirs with Christ, we have the same opportunity set before us. We are "equal" with our husbands in that we have the same value in God's eyes and we are equal sinners. But only wives have the incredible opportunity to model Christ's relationship to God by willingly and lovingly submitting to her husband who is equal to her because they are both sinners, and both fall short of God's glory.
Homework (journal your answers):
Based on your memorization of Psalm 139:23-24 & Psalm 19:14 from last week, make a two column list:
- Column 1 - all the sins God revealed to you that you must crucify
- Column 2- Scripture verses to help you when tempted with each sin you listed
Once you've completed the list, you should:
- Only work on one sin pattern at a time or you'll be overwhelmed
- Find all the Scripture verses that note and/or shows examples of Christ's submission to God.
- From your two column list of sins to crucify, take the first sin pattern you intend to crucify this week and write down an action item or items you will intentionally pursue to achieve this week (i.e., not nagging, speaking more kindly and supportively to my husband, not speaking harshly or critically of my husband to or in front of the children, make him lunch w/love notes [not lessons], etc.) For more ideas or questions, feel free to contact me.
A thought to ponder:
Remember it was a woman (Madalyn Murray O'Hair) who demanded Bible reading and prayer in schools to become illegal. Remember it was a woman (in Roe v. Wade) who was the catalyst to legalizing the murder of hundreds of thousands of unborn babies. It is a well known fact that the only thing that can take down a spiritually and physically strong man is an unbiblically submissive wife. Don't believe me? Ask Samson.
Choose each day which song your heart will sing. Will you sing the words that Helen Reddy wrote calling God, "she" to demonstrate her power and her liberty from being under a man's authority in the 1970's when she sang:
"I am woman, hear me roar...
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman!"
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman!"
Or will you use the inner beauty, the inner strength of a gentle, quiet and submissive wife who fears the LORD and trusts Him for all things and sing from your heart:
"I am woman, watch me hide....
In Christ alone,
To change the tides
Of this country,
I will stride
With Christ my Savior,
I am His bride!"
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