Ephesians 5:22-33 and 6:1-4

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”  And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

CHRISTIAN WIFE

• Submits to her husband
• Recognizes her husband’s position as the head of the family

Colossians 3:18 – “Wives, submit (“to stand under” – subordination) to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”

1 Peter 3:1 – “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives.” 

• The term “head” does not mean that the man is more important to God than the woman.  It is not talking about worth; it is talking about function and order within an organization – the family. 
• Submission is the divine order in a relationship.  Biblical submission must come voluntarily – out of love.  It cannot be demanded or required by one person to another. 
• No where does the Bible place woman lower than men generically.  The spirit of submission is an act whereby a woman voluntarily acknowledges her husband’s leadership responsibility under God, and, as an act of faith, grants him that position of authority in the family.

CHRISTIAN HUSBAND

• Husband loves his wife like Christ loved the church
• Husband loves his wife as his own self
• The standard for the husband’s love is to be that of Christ for the church.  Christ gave himself for the church.  This is the kind of love the husband is to have for his wife. 
• These scriptures show how dependent the marriage is upon the love of the husband – how much effect his love has upon the marriage. 
• Rare is the woman who would reject such love.  Rare is the woman who would refuse to walk hand in hand with the man who loved her like that. 
• To nourish means to “feed, clothe, and look after.”  To cherish means to “treat with warmth, care, tenderness and appreciation.”

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE – Joined together.  Greek proskollao means “to join fast together, to glue together, to cement together, to be joined in the closest union possible.” 

• Physical union
• Mental union
• Spiritual union
• Marriage, as God meant it to be, is a spiritual union that can be created by God alone.  It is more than two people agreeing to live together.  It is more than two people sharing a natural affection and attraction.  It is more than two people sharing the raising of children.  It is more than two people being bound by a legal contract.
• Marriage, as God meant it to be, is a totally unique union unlike any other relationship.  Only as we allow God to be a part of our marriage can we find this spiritual union and truly know the love that Christ intended – the love that Christ has for His church.
• The Christian home is to be lived in the very presence of the Lord.
• The Christian home is to be governed by the Lord.  All decisions (where we live, where we work, how much we spend, how much we save, how we disciple the children, etc.) are to be made in light of the Lord and His will.
• The Christian home is to have three partners:  the husband, the wife and Christ.

CHRISTIAN CHILDREN

• Are to obey their parents (in the Lord)
• Are to honor their parents
• Children who are Christians should obey their parents because it pleases the Lord.  Of course, it will please their parents, but the emphasis is on the Lord.  Children should walk close to the Lord so that they desire to please and obey Him.  That includes obeying their parents. 
• Children are to show respect and value their parents as precious. 

CHRISTIAN PARENTS

• Are not to provoke their children

• Recognize that things change.  Time and generations change.  Christian parents must learn to distinguish between what is unchangeable (the truth in God’s Word) and what changes from generation to generation.
• Do not over control your child.  Stern restriction and harsh discipline will cause a child to rebel. 
• Do not under control your child.  (This is the most common problem today.)  Giving in to your child, allowing them to be the boss will lead to problems.
• Do not live an inconsistent life before your child.  “Practice what you preach.” 

• Are to bring them up in the ways of the Lord

• To Nurture  means “the whole training and education of children involving the cultivation of the mind and morals, correcting mistakes and curbing the passions.”
• Admonition means “counsel, encouragement, correction.” 

• A child who is brought up Biblically:

• Learns love.  He is loved by God and can love others.
• Learns power and triumph.  God will help him.  There is a power he can turn to even when Mom and Dad cannot help.
• Learns hope and faith.  No matter what life brings, God will see him through.  God has prepared a very special place for him in heaven.
• Learns to serve.  God has given him the privilege of serving others for God. 
• Learns trust and endurance.  Life is full of temptations and pitfalls that can destroy us and rob us of joy and peace.  The way to escape those temptations is to trust in God and to take the strength He offers to say “No to sin and yes to God.”
• Learns peace.  Regardless of what is going on in the world around him, he knows God is there and God will be with him no matter what.