Lesson 81

Lesson 81 November 9, 2003

Review:

Beginning with vs:22 we find this submission to be applied to a specific relationship; in fact the context will develop 3 specific fundamental relationships around this concept of submission, respect for and response to bonifide areas of authority.

- #1 husbands/wives #2 parents/children #3 employer/employee

They are an important part of God's provision for perpetration and preservation of society in the presence of evil.

We know that Evil is present, in that individuals all have a sin nature, and the tendency is that when given power to grab more for more power, and then to misuse the power.

DIVINE INSTITUTIONS God's provision to deal with evil!

DI #1 - Volition free moral agents; part of made in the image of God

DI #2 - Marriage

DI #3 - Family unit

DI #4 - Civil Law

DI #5 - Nationalism - Nation states; homogeneous, w/common culture

By choosing to build on the foundation of marriage, the family, civil law, and nationalism society is stabilized.

All of these DI's are permeated with 3 things:

#1 - must be a recognition of authority.

#2 - must be a recognition of responsibility.

#3 - must be a recognition of moral standards.

With this as the background or framework for our thinking; look at our context! 5:22

- Lit: The wives - to their own husbands - as to the Lord.

#1 What the relationship is being compared to is crucial. w`j

#2 The basis for this relationship is linked to God.

This is the triangle principle; all relationships must involve 3 entities if they are to be successful.

Let's establish and confirm what we've just been saying, from scripture.

That all relationships for them to be successful, they must involve three entities.

There are 5 general areas of human authority:

#1 Family; #2 Bel'r to Bel'r; #3 Gov't.; #4 Church; #5 Work

#1 Family;

a. husband/wife Eph 5:22 "as to the Lord."

What's one thing that we must always remember? You both have a sin nature!

What God says is, If you will concentrate on your relationship with Me, then that relationship with your spouse, with all its potential bumps in the road, will smooth out.

It is not wives submit to your husbands; but wives, in the same manner as you submit to one another in the fear or reverence of the Lord [vs:21], to your husbands AS TO THE LORD.

What is to govern this relationship first and foremost?

b. The parent child relationship. Eph 6:1 Col 3:20;

- the motivation for obedience is relationship to the Lord.

#2 Believer to believer relationship Eph 4:32

#3 Believer and the law/gov't. 1 Pet 2:13f

#4 Church Heb 13:17 mutual submission to the spiritual gifts functioning in the Church, specifically the leadership is in view here.

#5 Master - servant; Eph 6:5; Col 4:1

Employer - employee

5:23-24 The Basis for Submission: [back to husband and wife relationship]

1. The pattern is established.

2. In both cases the chain of command is God's choice; designed to establish order within His creation, specifically within DI of marriage.

3. See the complete chain of cmd in 1 Cor 11:3.