Should a Wife Submit to Her Husband?

Should a wife submit to her husband? The short answer is yes but under one condition. The Bible states the condition in which a wife should submit to her husband. 

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (Ephesians 5:22-23 ESV)

Before feminists start throwing stones let’s delve in a little deeper.

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV)

1 Corinthians 11:3 shows that a man should first be submitted to Christ if he is to expect his wife to be submitted to him. 

A woman is under no obligation to submit to a man who isn’t submitted to Christ. There is nothing more dangerous than a woman allowing a man who isn’t living a life that reflects Christ in him to lead. 

God’s decree is for a man to be the head of the household. This is perfect if the head of the household is a man of God. 

The husband being the head of the household has nothing to do with who the physical breadwinner is but has more to do with the spiritual. In the spirit, the man is the head of the house. God covers a man, and a man covers a woman. Why then should a woman submit to a man who isn’t covered by God?

It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub (Satan), how much more shall they call them of his household? (Mathew 10:25 KJV)

A man that isn’t submitted to God is subjecting his household to whatever or whomever he is submitted to. 

It amazes me when I see women get into relationships with spiritually bound men and wonder why they struggle in such relationships. It’s not rocket science, whatever a man is subjecting himself to is what he will subject his household to. The doors a man opens in the spirit are open to his household and the doors he shuts in the spirit are shut to his household.

This is why it is imperative that a woman chooses the right man. A man that has no power in the spirit is a dead man walking. A man that isn’t praying on a daily basis, who doesn’t have the power to command demons out of his household might as well surrender his household to Satan.

Mathew 10:1 gives us an idea of what a man that has submitted himself to Christ looks like.

And he (Jesus) called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. (Mathew 10:1 ESV)

The Bible shows that when true believers command evil spirits in Jesus’ name, the spirits have no choice but to obey.

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (Luke 10:17 ESV)

A husband should have the authority through Christ Jesus to cast out demons. I’ll give an example. A child walks into the home and his father notices he has picked up the spirit of anger from school. His father should have the spiritual awareness to identify the spirit and the authority in Christ to command it out of his child. 

This doesn’t mean a woman can’t cast demons out of her children. It however means that if a saved and sanctified woman of God binds herself in the spirit (via sexual intercourse or marriage) with an unsaved man, she is subject to whatever he is subject to.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV)

A woman has no business marrying a man who isn’t a true believer and follower of Christ. 

Humans are spirits in a body, not bodies in a spirit. This means we are more spirit than we are body. A man that is strong in body but weak in spirit is a weak man.

The rank we hold in the physical isn’t as valuable as the rank we hold in the spiritual. This is because the majority of the attacks humans face are spiritual.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12 KJV)

How can a man protect his household from spiritual attacks if he isn’t strong in spirit? How can he rebuke the Kingdom of Darkness if he has no authority over them? 

He (Jesus) also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? (Luke 6:39). 

You wouldn’t let a blind man lead you around, would you? A woman should not allow herself to be led by a man unfit by Kingdom standards.

It is impossible for a man who isn’t subscribed and submitted to God through Christ Jesus to have the power and authority to fully protect his household.

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalms 127:1 ESV)

In this day and age, the question women should be asking isn’t whether or not they should submit to a man in marriage, the question should be: “Who should we be marrying?”.

A woman shouldn’t marry a man who isn’t living a Godly life. If he isn’t living a Godly life, he isn’t submitted to Christ; if he isn’t submitted to Christ, he isn’t worthy to be a husband. 

Statistics show that nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. I believe one of the main reasons for this is because women aren’t picking their partners carefully. I say women because studies show that nearly 70% of divorces are initiated by women.

Before a woman picks a life partner she need only ask one question: “Who is the man submitted to in the Spirit?”