Biblical Patriarchy

I’ve already seen one psycho-feminist take this out of context, with multitudes yet to follow.

Via: Ethics Daily.com!

One reason that men abuse their wives is because women rebel against their husband’s God-given authority, a Southern Baptist scholar said Sunday in a Texas church.

Bruce Ware, professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., said women desire to have their own way instead of submitting to their husbands because of sin.

“And husbands on their parts, because they’re sinners, now respond to that threat to their authority either by being abusive, which is of course one of the ways men can respond when their authority is challenged–or, more commonly, to become passive, acquiescent, and simply not asserting the leadership they ought to as men in their homes and in churches,” Ware said from the pulpit of Denton Bible Church in Denton, Texas.

In North Texas for a series of sermons at the church on “Biblical Manhood & Womanhood,” Ware described his “complementarian” view as what “Southern Seminary as a whole represents.”

Commenting on selected passages from the first three chapters of Genesis, Ware said Eve’s curse in the Garden of Eden meant “her desire will be to have her way” instead of her obeying her husband, “because she’s a sinner.”

What that means to the man, Ware said, is: “He will have to rule, and because he’s a sinner, this can happen in one of two ways. It can happen either through ruling that is abusive and oppressive–and of course we all know the horrors of that and the ugliness of that–but here’s the other way in which he can respond when his authority is threatened. He can acquiesce. He can become passive. He can give up any responsibility that he thought he had to the leader in the relationship and just say ‘OK dear,’ ‘Whatever you say dear,’ ‘Fine dear’ and become a passive husband, because of sin.”

“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Jos 24:15)

The concept of obedience is highly unpopular in modern day society. But Joshua could not have made such a statement shortly before his death had he not been absolutely sure that his house would follow his lead in complete obedience, even after his death.

Realizing that obedience to the husband and father as well as to God is crucial in a godly family and putting this realization into practice is usually a process. Women want to run the show according to their curse (Gen 3:16), and men more often than not leave it up to their wives to do so, which is the reason for their curse (Gen 3:17). Modern society doesn’t want to admit this anymore. For husbands to take responsibility for their whole house and not just for themselves, and for wives not to resist the authority of their husband, but to gladly obey his word and trust his judgment in everything, is a highly unusual step to take. But it is crucial for both husband and wives to realize God’s plan in their relationship, and the roles he assigned each of them, if they want to walk after the LORD (Deu 13:4; Mar 3:25). Obedience in the family is not done for the sake of obedience, though. Since faith in God shows itself in complete obedience to God’s Law and trust in God’s word, obedience in the family is just an earthly example of our obedience to God the father.

There is more to come, so stay tuned.

My wife decided some time ago to call me Lord, after 1 Peter 3:5-6. It took a little getting used to really, and after a short time I asked that if she felt inclined towards referring to me with such a title of respect that she change it from lord to master. She was kind enough to do so, and has called me master ever since.  It suits us both, and is in line with scripture.  My wife is a good wife indeed.

The question of whether or not a wife should call her husband lord is addressed in Hard Sayings of the Bible.  To us, it doesn’t seem to be all that “hard” of a saying in scripture, but to many it seems to be a difficult saying to accept and implement.  That’s a pity indeed.

For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

lord \ˈlȯrd\ noun

[Middle English loverd, lord, from Old English hlāford, from hlāf loaf + weard keeper — more at loaf, ward]

(before 12th century)

1 : one having power and authority over others:

a : a ruler by hereditary right or preeminence to whom service and obedience are due

b : one of whom a fee or estate is held in feudal tenure

c : an owner of land or other real property

d obsolete : the male head of a household

e : husband

f : one that has achieved mastery or that exercises leadership or great power in some area 〈a drug lord〉