Robert’s heart was broken for his little sister, Jina. He remembered years ago, how he was nervous when she first talked about getting married. I mean, Morris seemed like a good guy. He was lots of fun and always had a flashy car. They were so young, though, were they ready? Was Morris the right guy? Robert remembered dismissing these thoughts, thinking maybe it was just big brother being nervous for his sister. She was so happy with him. Now, however, years later, he knew… Morris had flashy cars because he was the thief we read about in Born to be a Car Thief. Robert had wanted to hunt him down when his marital unfaithfulness became evident as we described in our article, Broken Promises. Jina was the most forgiving person in the world. She gave him chance after chance to make things right, but now things have gone too far… Now his dear sister was laying in the hospital with injuries and physical abuse she received at the hands of her own husband.
“I am here to visit Jina McFarland”, Robert said to the lady behind the desk near the hospital entrance. He grimaced that his sister still wore Morris’ last name. “Her room is on the 5th floor… Room 522”, the helpful lady said. “Room 522… 522…”, Robert thought about those numbers as he walked toward the elevator. Those numbers triggered a Bible verse in his memory… Wow, what would make him think of that now? Ephesians 5:22-24…
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
-Ephesians 5:22-24
Robert thought about these verses and the rest of Ephesians 5. If you keep reading beyond verse 24, you will see the proper role of the husband and his duty to his wife. Finally, in verse 32, we find out the Apostle Paul is actually talking about the relationship between Christ and His church, of which marriage is the picture. “Jesus was the Savior of the body of His bride”, Robert thought to himself. “Morris was supposed to be that picture in his own family but instead, he was the abuser of his bride, and sending her to the hospital with his violence.”
“Morris is not fit to fill the role of husband”, Robert thought to himself. That thought reminded him of everything he recently went through with his church. We chronicled Robert’s experiences with his church leadership in our article, Being a Faithful Steward in the Church. There were passages that said he was to submit to his Pastor, but when his Pastor departed his God-ordained role and started teaching heresy and supporting sinful activities contrary to the law of God who had commissioned him, then he was not being a faithful steward in this office that belonged to God. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful”, Robert remembered as he knocked lightly on the door of room 522.
“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.“ – 1
Corinthians 4:1-2
This is one of the more difficult articles I have tried to write. Family is very important to me, and I attach a high value to the role God has given me as husband and father in my own family. I know situations like the one in which our fictional friend, Jina, finds herself, are not rare. I know this kind of thing – or worse – happens more often that any of us care to think about. But I used this example to show us something about positions of authority God entrusts to people. Which of us would tell our sister that her proper course of action is to return to Morris when she gets out of the hospital? Which of us would tell her she needs to submit to Morris’ physical and emotional brutality? Yet, there are scriptures that say clearly that the husband is the head of the family, and the wife’s role is to submit. How do we reconcile this?
Like the Centurion we discussed in “Officials Under Authority”, those who God places in positions of responsibility are obligated to be in line with their chain of command, which always starts with God. God is the source of all authority. When God gives a position of responsibility to someone, that person has an obligation to conduct that office or responsibility in the way God wants it done. We also will find guidance in the Scriptures for how God wants it to be done. As long as we are talking about humans, we understand the job will not be perfectly carried out, nor will it somehow escape the stain of sin. If someone in authority comes to us and genuinely apologizes for a misstep, or some imperfection, we would not be surprised and would freely grant forgiveness. But if that person willfully goes out of that line of authority and starts intentionally doing things God hates, and is unaffected by attempted corrections, then they are no longer a legitimate authority. If our Centurion, who derived his authority from Rome, decided to lead his soldiers against Rome, he is no longer a legitimate officer of Rome. In the same way, a man who accepts a position of husband, whose God-ordained duty is to be a picture of Christ, laying down his life in love for His bride, has no legitimate authority to abuse his wife. He needs to be a faithful steward in carrying out the tasks he has been given.
Leadership in any jurisdiction is given by God. God gives husbands their role, and that role is limited. Men placed in this position are stewards of their family, and their legitimate authority is to carry out God’s plan. It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
-2 Samuel 23:2-3
Wow!! You have written an important article. I pray that the Lord will direct those who need to read this and ponder it’s content will have eyes to see and ears to hear.
Thank you for sharing an important message.
Thank you. It was a difficult one to write. The article is fiction, but I know there are many, very sensitive, similar, real-life things that are so common. I want us to understand that when God gives people positions of responsibility, it is never carte blanche authority to anything and everything they would potentially do in that role. People are sinful and do bad things, so God gives limits to all legitimate, human authority. The next article is to communicate that truth in the context of civil government. Thank you!
Truly well articulated Jason! Family is Gods business! He knows the delicacy of human frailty. We certainly all do so much better by seeking Him first and trusting Him with every step before making determination from limited assessment. Grace is about Godly patience in our growing into full maturity. Above all we are to love and can only do that purely by looking to Him and THANK GOD we live in THIS country where moment be moment we CAN live uprightly according to all Jesus fulfilled. Honestly wisdom comes through as we place our trust in HIM so we do well by others placing God first and others ahead of ourselves. Love is often simpler to display by what it is NOT in the days we are living in. What I mean more particularly is Love is NOT lenient and giving a free for all to do anything people choose and to call it love that says let them learn for themselves by making their own mistakes. That’s not love at all. A very hard lesson that damaged and lost the lives and effecting far to many people I’ve known.
Accountability and community matters greatly!
Thank you for your comment. Yes, there is so much going on in our society and so many lives are being damaged and destroyed by the lies that lead people away from God’s truths. Thank you for your comment.