Where Have All\nthe Ladies Gone?
\n\nHere in\nAmerica, the devil has had considerable success in his assault on Christian marriage\nand family. This goal was achieved by promoting alternatives that appeals to\nthe fallen nature in Man.
\n\nOur primary enemy\nis not our spouse, siblings, children, in-laws, or parents. Our enemy is the Eph.\n6: 12 forces of evil that have successfully influenced the negative choices\nthat wayward family members have made, are making, and will make in the future.
\n\nAs political\nand religious leadership have correctly indicated, how goes the family, goes\nthe nation, and the world at large. No wonder the devil makes the family unit,\nthat God designed, a primary target.
\n\nRebellion\nagainst authority is an inherent part of the fallen nature that is hostile\ntowards God, or in this scenario, the things of God (1).
\n\nFallen Man\ndoes like anyone telling him what he has to do.
\n\nIn the\naftermath of this onslaught, we have a “liberated” family structure and a society\nwhose members are self-centered, non-authoritarian, with little or no genuine concern\nfor others beyond what others can do for them.
\n\nGod has chosen\nto place the husband in the position of marital authority over the wife, and for\nfathers and mothers to have parental authority over the children. These\nprinciples were established in the Old Testament dispensation and reinforced in\nthe Church Age dispensation in which we are living (2).
\n\nFinal\nauthority does not mean tyranny. Note\nthe balancing marital elements of Eph. 5: 25, 33, and the guidance for fathers\nconcerning the children.
\n\nFailure on\nthe part of one partner does not justify rebellion or bitterness on the part of\nthe other. Such negative responses violate the command (not an option) of\nRomans 12: 19.
\n\nNote that while\nmarital authority is delegated to the male partner, male dominance in the home\nhas its limitations, and does not apply outside of marriage.
\n\nWhen men and\nwoman choose to embrace Christian marriage, they, in doing so, sacrifice the\nindependence and freedom that single men and women have, and take on the marital\nand parental responsibilities called for in Scripture. These separate, but equal, responsibilities\nprovide both advantages and obligations for each partner.
\n\nMarital and\nparental authority are delegated forms of authority that come from God, the\nsource of all authority. We are accountable for neglecting or abusing authority,\nand for any insubordination towards authority (3).
\n\nThe only\ntime, what would be otherwise considered insubordination, can be justified is\nwhen one is told to do (or not to do) something that God either prohibits or requires\n(4) Acts 5: 29).
\n\nA Godly wife,\nvia example, plays a key role in the instilling of discipline in the lives of\nthe children when she complies with marital authority, especially when she is\nin total disagreement with the decisions of her husband.
\n\nLiberal\nhuman viewpoint, but not God, perceives the traditional role of a godly wife\nand mother to be inferior. In God’s eyes, she is the other half of the same coin.\n
\n\nSome would\nsay that she is the better half, concurring with William Ross Wallace’s poem, contending\nthat the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
\n\nContrary to\nhuman viewpoint, Scripture tells us that the one who serves is greater than the\none served, and that the needs of others are to be considered more important than\nour own (5).
\n\nProverbs 31:\n10 KJV rhetorically asks who can find a “virtuous” woman (to become one’s wife).\nThis virtuousness is based on her appearance, thoughts, speech, priorities,\nactivities, behavior, and subordination to marital authority. In context, this virtuousness is synonymous\nwith godliness.
\n\nEspecially\nin times of widespread apostasy, finding the type of woman who, by her own\nchoice, will fulfill the role of a godly wife, can be a hard find. But to find\nsuch a valuable woman, is worth the search and wait.
\n\nProverbs 31:\n11-31 goes on to provide a list of examples and characteristics associated with\nbeing a godly wife. These activities take\nplace inside and outside of the home.
\n\nNote\nhowever, these are indicators that she already is a godly wife, and not that\nthese things are the means to become or to remain one.
\n\n\n\nA boisterous woman may impress the world, but it is a woman\nwith a quiet and gentle spirit that is “precious” in the eyes of God (6).
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(1) \nRomans\n8: 7 (2) Gen. 3: 16/Exodus 20: 12/Eph. 5: 22-24) (3) Romans 13: 1, 2 (4) Acts\n5: 29 (5) Mark 9: 35/Phil. 2: 3, 4 (6) 1Pet. 3: 4.
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\n\nHere in\nAmerica, the devil has had considerable success in his assault on Christian marriage\nand family. This goal was achieved by promoting alternatives that appeals to\nthe fallen nature in Man.
\n\nOur primary enemy\nis not our spouse, siblings, children, in-laws, or parents. Our enemy is the Eph.\n6: 12 forces of evil that have successfully influenced the negative choices\nthat wayward family members have made, are making, and will make in the future.
\n\nAs political\nand religious leadership have correctly indicated, how goes the family, goes\nthe nation, and the world at large. No wonder the devil makes the family unit,\nthat God designed, a primary target.
\n\nRebellion\nagainst authority is an inherent part of the fallen nature that is hostile\ntowards God, or in this scenario, the things of God (1).
\n\nFallen Man\ndoes like anyone telling him what he has to do.
\n\nIn the\naftermath of this onslaught, we have a “liberated” family structure and a society\nwhose members are self-centered, non-authoritarian, with little or no genuine concern\nfor others beyond what others can do for them.
\n\nGod has chosen\nto place the husband in the position of marital authority over the wife, and for\nfathers and mothers to have parental authority over the children. These\nprinciples were established in the Old Testament dispensation and reinforced in\nthe Church Age dispensation in which we are living (2).
\n\nFinal\nauthority does not mean tyranny. Note\nthe balancing marital elements of Eph. 5: 25, 33, and the guidance for fathers\nconcerning the children.
\n\nFailure on\nthe part of one partner does not justify rebellion or bitterness on the part of\nthe other. Such negative responses violate the command (not an option) of\nRomans 12: 19.
\n\nNote that while\nmarital authority is delegated to the male partner, male dominance in the home\nhas its limitations, and does not apply outside of marriage.
\n\nWhen men and\nwoman choose to embrace Christian marriage, they, in doing so, sacrifice the\nindependence and freedom that single men and women have, and take on the marital\nand parental responsibilities called for in Scripture. These separate, but equal, responsibilities\nprovide both advantages and obligations for each partner.
\n\nMarital and\nparental authority are delegated forms of authority that come from God, the\nsource of all authority. We are accountable for neglecting or abusing authority,\nand for any insubordination towards authority (3).
\n\nThe only\ntime, what would be otherwise considered insubordination, can be justified is\nwhen one is told to do (or not to do) something that God either prohibits or requires\n(4) Acts 5: 29).
\n\nA Godly wife,\nvia example, plays a key role in the instilling of discipline in the lives of\nthe children when she complies with marital authority, especially when she is\nin total disagreement with the decisions of her husband.
\n\nLiberal\nhuman viewpoint, but not God, perceives the traditional role of a godly wife\nand mother to be inferior. In God’s eyes, she is the other half of the same coin.\n
\n\nSome would\nsay that she is the better half, concurring with William Ross Wallace’s poem, contending\nthat the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
\n\nContrary to\nhuman viewpoint, Scripture tells us that the one who serves is greater than the\none served, and that the needs of others are to be considered more important than\nour own (5).
\n\nProverbs 31:\n10 KJV rhetorically asks who can find a “virtuous” woman (to become one’s wife).\nThis virtuousness is based on her appearance, thoughts, speech, priorities,\nactivities, behavior, and subordination to marital authority. In context, this virtuousness is synonymous\nwith godliness.
\n\nEspecially\nin times of widespread apostasy, finding the type of woman who, by her own\nchoice, will fulfill the role of a godly wife, can be a hard find. But to find\nsuch a valuable woman, is worth the search and wait.
\n\nProverbs 31:\n11-31 goes on to provide a list of examples and characteristics associated with\nbeing a godly wife. These activities take\nplace inside and outside of the home.
\n\nNote\nhowever, these are indicators that she already is a godly wife, and not that\nthese things are the means to become or to remain one.
\n\n\n\nA boisterous woman may impress the world, but it is a woman\nwith a quiet and gentle spirit that is “precious” in the eyes of God (6).
\n\n
(1) \nRomans\n8: 7 (2) Gen. 3: 16/Exodus 20: 12/Eph. 5: 22-24) (3) Romans 13: 1, 2 (4) Acts\n5: 29 (5) Mark 9: 35/Phil. 2: 3, 4 (6) 1Pet. 3: 4.
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