Monday, October 30, 2023
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they won’t become discouraged. Colossians 3:18-21
How does your family serve as a witness for Christ in the world?
In the series on Colossians, yesterday Pastor Jim talked about what it looks like to live out the gospel in some major relationships in our lives - Husbands and wives and parents and children. God ordained the family, determined the parameters of families, and defined certain roles in the family unit. How we live in relation to one another in these roles should be a direct reflection of our relationship with Him. When we enter into a relationship with Him, it changes us, and it changes how we relate to everyone else in our lives.
Husbands and Wives – Paul tells us that wives are to submit to their husbands and husbands are to love their wives and not be bitter towards them. Wives are to submit to their husbands, not because their husbands are better, and husbands should not misconstrue exactly what is meant here. This is the order that God established for the family. This is a voluntary submission, not to be forced by a demanding husband. Paul’s words to wives are followed by a very important short phrase – as is fitting to the Lord. It is a testimony of respect for the order that God has determined – for wives to submit to their husband’s leadership and our obedience to what God has established pleases Him.
Husbands are to love their wives and not be bitter towards them. The form of love that Paul uses here is Agape love. Agape love is always unselfish and sacrificial, putting the needs and desires of others over your own. It is the same love that Jesus had for us as He gave His life so we have salvation and eternal life. We all have to overlook offenses and forgive and forget. Agape love is the only way we can do this. God values both women and men and they are both equal recipients of the gifts of grace, salvation, and eternal life.
Parents and children – The same as with husband and wife relationship, Paul is urging children to follow the parameters and roles set by God, that reflect our relationship with Him. Parents should never ask their kids to do anything that goes against the word of God. Again, we have some very important words that everyone should know - for this pleases the Lord.
Fathers Don’t Exasperate Your Children – When our children are exasperated, they become discouraged. They do not feel the love and support from their parents, and this shakes their whole world. Just as our Heavenly Father loves us and gives us grace, we too should parent with grace and love.
God desires for us to do what He tells us to do in His word because we want to please Him. By submitting to His authority, and the order he established in families, we are showing the world what it looks like to be a witness for Christ with our families. The way we love each other and relate to one another will show others the evidence of the transformation that has happened in our hearts because of Christ.
