Two sides to every story

I was discussing blogs with a friend on Saturday and we both expressed how interesting we have found it reading each others posts. It has been a way of seeing each other in a new light we otherwise may not be aware of. Through this discussion we decided an interesting thing to try would be a linked blog. That is to say we would both blog on the same thing and see how they compare. I would invite you to read the other blog here and hope it turns out to be as interesting as it sounded when we first thought of it.

So here it goes; Ephesians 5:21-33, in this passage Paul is writing giving instruction on how to submit and whom should submit to whom. For me this passage is one that can be and is often misunderstood. And by its misinterpretation some very unchristian actions and behaviours could be justified. It is what gives credence to the old adage that a man is the head of his household and all shall do as he commands. However in the passage it does give clear guidance, if you are head of the household you should act the way that Christ acts as head of the Church. Jesus told us clearly that if we wished to be first we must first make ourselves last, that we should serve others and not seek to be served. After all we do call Jesus the servant king. For me though it is not just about the Biblical aspect or the Christ like nature that we should take from this. At the end of the day this passage could be a very helpful secular piece of marriage advice. Having experienced a couple of serious long term relationships in the past I can see that the times that were happiest we followed the advice given very closely. Though the times which were bad we were as far from it as we could be. In a relationship there will always be a dominant partner and a submissive partner and as such one will naturally take charge. Both roles are important and both partners should know which place they are in because their roles will be very different. The role of head of the household is not one of obey me or else, it is a position that requires respect from both parties. Respect should be given to the head but then also he should act in a respectful way or why else should he be respected. As with all aspects of life we should lead by example, we should act in the way we wish to see others act. We should seek to make the world a better place not just for ourselves but for those around us and those in the wider world. The Biblical teaching is that a wife must submit to her husband the way we submit to Christ, but that therefore requires that a man serves his wife in the same way that Christ serves us. This is not a passage seeking to subjugate women or to press home a patriarchal agenda it is a guide on how to live in a Christian partnership. Paul is not telling women to be a door mat any more than he is telling men to tread all over their wives. The message is that we should love and respect each other in the same way that Christ does. So should a wife submit to her husband? In my opinion yes, it is as the Bible commands and if we hold the Bible to be true and holy then that means the whole Bible not just the parts we like. But when we follow the scriptures it is very important to understand them and not take them out of context otherwise we do not end up living in a Christ like manner.