MRS ANANIAS

MRS SAPHIRA ANANIAS.

(ACTS 5:1-10)(could it be submission?)

The story of the characters in this particular story got me pondering on the issue of "submission" which Christ has called wives to regarding their relationship with their husbands.

Could it be that Saphira was simply submitting to her husband's dictates after he had kept the remaining portion of the money gotten from the land sold. Was she being submissive? Also it's also possible she was even the initiator of the whole idea in the first place. Whatever the case may have been however one thing is obvious here she was an accomplice because which ever way she played along.

If you were in Saphira's shoes from the view point of her husband being the initiator of the ploy what would you have done. 

I did a brief survey /questioning amidst women(married) and got some list of response which I will be listing.

*My husband remains my husband whether good or bad.

* I will submit to his will and keep praying for Him.

* I will try to convince him if I can but at the end if he doesn't agree I have no choice than to play along and hope will be well.

* I won't go down that lane with him .

NOTE: ALL RESPONSES GOTTEN FROM CHRISTIAN WOMEN.

All these responses I conclude that they responded based on their level of understanding of the scripture. This brings me to the major discussion.

WHAT IS SUBMISSION IN MARRIAGE?

Marital Submission is when a wife voluntarily and willingly chooses to submit herself under her husband’s leadership and authority, in their marital relationship.

According to 1 Corinthians IT:3, the man is the head of a woman, therefore the position of the husband as a leader is biblical.

There has been a great controversy even amidst Christian women coming to terms to this godly mandate and some who have accepted this are not clear on the the term itself. So as to have an understanding I will love to highlight some erroneous beliefs on submission in marriage in order to put clarity on the word *submission*. Did some reading and was able to compile these:

SUBMISSION IN MARRIAGE IS NOT....

1. A wife’s submission is not to men in general.

Every person—man or woman, young or old—has relationships that require submission, whether to parents, a boss, civil authorities, or spiritual leaders in the church. And all of us as believers are to have a humble, submissive attitude toward one another in the body of Christ (Eph. 5:21). However, when Scripture instructs wives to submit, it is specifically to “their own husbands,” who have been established by God to serve as the head of their wives and to love them and lay down their lives for them.

2. Submission does not mean a wife is inferior to her husband.

Scripture affirms unequivocally that men and women are both created in the image of God and therefore have equal worth. They have equal access to the Father and are equally coheirs with Christ, sharing equally in the Holy Spirit, equally redeemed and baptized into Christ, equally partakers of His spiritual gifts, and equally loved and valued by God.

3. Submission doesn’t subject a wife to a life of forced compliance.

The word used in the New Testament for “submission”—referring to the orderly fashion of following a leader—speaks of an act that is voluntary. In a proper understanding of marriage, no husband should ever force his wife to submit to him through coercion or manipulation. Submission is her willing decision not only to follow him, but ultimately and supremely to follow in obedience to her Lord.

4. Submission doesn’t amount to slavery/subservience.

A wife is not a  maid. Not an employee. Submission is rather a joyful, glad-hearted, intelligent, loving responsiveness to your husband’s God-ordained position as your spiritual head (see Eph. 5:22–23). And that headship doesn’t mean your husband has absolute authority over you. Husbands are not the supreme authority over their wives. God is. Husbands have been delegated authority by God, and they will answer to God for exercising it in a humble, sacrificial, loving way.

5. Submission doesn’t minimize a wife into not having a mind of your own.

Being submitted to your husband doesn’t doom you to a fate of blind, unquestioning obedience. You still possess valid opinions and the right to express them in a humble, godly way. As your husband’s helper, in fact, you would be derelict in your duty not to bring things to his attention that he either doesn’t see or doesn’t seem to understand.

6. Submission doesn’t mean husbands are always right.

Your husband is a man ant not God. He is every inch the sinner you are. (You know that too.) So biblical submission cannot possibly be based on how wise or godly or capable your husband is, nor on whether his style or manner or personality is to your liking. Bottom line—he is not the one who makes this pattern work in marriage. God is. And God is the One to whom you and I are ultimately submitted in our marriages.

7. Submission never requires a wife to follow her husband into sin.(This might have been the case of Saphira's)

Your ultimate pledge and loyalty are to Christ. If your husband abuses his God-given authority and requires of you something that is contrary to the Word of God, you must obey God rather than obey him.

8. Finally, a wife’s submission never gives license to her husband to abuse her.

In conclusion my dear sisters,you should be able to deduce from this piece that submission is not subjugation and be aware not to also keep fufilling our lustful desires hiding under the umbrella of *submission*. We are all Called to submit to God this makes it easier to submit to ourselves in marriage.

Shalom.

OLAMIJU OLAJUMOKE.