WHOSE AUTHORITY SHOULD YOU RECOGNIZE?

AUTHORITY IN THE FAMILY 

The family is the basic unit of human society.  Within it a  husband and a wife can find rewarding companionship, and children can be safeguarded and trained for adulthood.  (Proverbs 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:1-4) Such a noble arrangement needs to be organized in a way  that enables family members to live in peace and harmony. Jehovah's way of accomplishing this is through the principle of headship, summed up in these words, found at 1 Corinthians 11:3: "The head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of Christ is God."

The husband is the family head. However, there is a head above him-Jesus Christ.  Paul wrote:  "Husbands, continue loving your wives, just as the Christ also love the congregation and delivered himself up for it."  (Ephesians 5:25) A husband reflects his subjection to Christ when he treats his wife in the way that Jesus has always treated the congregation.  (1 John 2:6)  Great authority has been conferred upon Jesus, but he exercises it with the utmost gentleness, love, and reasonableness.  (Matthew 20:25-28) As a man, Jesus never abused his position of authority. He was "mild-tempered and lowly in heart," and he called his followers "friends" rather than "slaves." "I will refresh you," He promised them, and that is what he did. -Matthew 11:28, 29; John 15:15.

Jesus' example teaches husbands that Christian headship is not a position of harsh domination.  Instead, it is one of respect and self-sacrificing love.  This would clearly rule out mistreating a mate physically or verbally.  (Ephesians 4:29, 31, 32; 5:28, 29; Colossians 3:19)  If a Christian man were thus to mistreat his wife, his other good works would be valueless, and his prayers would be hindered.  -1 Corinthians 13:1-3; 1 Peter 3:7.

Note: Even they are Christian husbands, God would not approve of any man physically or verbally abuse his wife and he would not want the wife abusing her husband in that way either.  Yes, it does happen, some women have abused their husbands, because their husbands are kind and do not believe in abusing women in any way. 

When a husband imitates Christ's example, it is easier for his wife to comply with the words of Ephesians 5:22, 23:  "Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord, because a husband is head of his wife as the Christ also is head of the congregation."  Just as a husband is to be submissive to Christ, a wife must be in subjection to her husband.  The Bible also makes it clear that capable wives merit honor and praise for their godly wisdom and industriousness. -Proverbs 31:10-31.  

Next time: WHOSE AUTHORITY SHOULD YOU RECOGNIZE?/Conclusion of AUTHORITY IN THE FAMILY

From the book: KNOWLEDGE That Leads to Everlasting Life