Sacrificial Love Produces Submission

Written by Bishop Ronald D. Roston for 3V Magazine

We must make it crystal clear that submission, as it relates to men and women, is only intended to be exercised in the holy bonds of marriage. It is not intended to be used in extra-marital relationships between Christian men and Christian women. Additionally, the Scripture clearly states that we should be submitted one to another!

“You're my wife, you have to submit to me; the Bible says so”. These words have undermined many marriages within Christendom. This sensitive subject has been misunderstood, misinterpreted, and misused. The lack of understanding concerning this spiritual concept has contributed to a growing chasm between Christian husbands and wives. The abuse of this concept has destroyed the desire of Christian women to be governed by the implications of what it means to be submitted to their husbands or future husbands.

God desires wives to be submitted to their own husbands. However, this submission is not unconditional. There is also a requirement for the husband to fulfill. This important requirement is often overlooked as we discuss the concept of submission. According to the 5 th chapter of Ephesians, the husband is commanded to love his wife as Christ loved the Church; and gave Himself for it. The factor that makes Christ the head of the Church is that He was willing to lay down His life and die for the Church. This same principle applies in marriage, and in the reciprocal process between submission and love.

The type of love that Christ exhibited was way beyond normal love. He did not merely love out of His abundance. He gave from the essence of who He is. He gave Himself; the totality of Himself. His was a sacrificial love, a total love, an unselfish love; a love with no strings attached. The Scripture says that, “God commended His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Christ died for the totality of humanity, whether all of humanity receives His free sacrificial gift or not. Everlasting life was made available for everyone; it simply awaits their acceptance of it. Christ's sacrifice was not predicated on humanity's worthiness of receiving salvation; in fact we weren't worthy. But He sacrificed Himself so that humanity could receive God's original design for it; everlasting life. If we expect our wives to voluntarily submit to us, our love, as husbands, has to mirror the love of Christ.