So I have been reading this book called Vertis Conflict by Shaunti Feldhahn. I have read this book previously when I was a freshmen in high school. I did not fully grasp some of the concepts in the book due to the fact that the book deals with college subject matter, such as philosphy classes and the like. So I have decided to read this book over. It deals mainly with spiritual warfare and what we as humans miss behind the scenes. Well tonight I was reading this book and it was speaking about women and a woman was arguing that the bible tells people that women are to be repressed. Now, while I have never really bought into this idea, I was raised just subcoming to the idea that women were not to preach. And while I am not saying that I am going to be a youth pastor or what I will be doing in the future, I am saying that after studying and actually looking at the scriptures, I have only found that on many occasions the scriptures say that women were a big part of the word of Christ being spread. In fact, Paul mentions on multiple occasions many women and their husbands helping plant churches in different cities. I have only learned that the people that are trying to repress women have been using scripture out of context, and this includes people that have supposedly studied scripture throughly. The one area that I, up until tonight, saw as only somewhat oppressive, yet still agreed with it, was the submission of women to their husbands. Don't get me wrong I have always completely and utterly agreed with this statement, but never looked at it the way that it was meant to be looked at.
However, the Vertis Conflict has had a different perpective on this issue that I have heard my entire life. One that I must have missed the first time I read the book. This is what it says...
"It says for husbands to love their wives like Christ loved the church."
"Okay--so here's my opinion of how to answer your main question. Yes, the passage does say that the wife should submit and that the husband, as the head, should love his wife as Christ loved us. So here's the quesion for you: Knowing what you now know about the Christ story, who has the harder job? The wife who has to submit or the husband who has to love his wife like Christ loved the church?"
"Look, if I were your husband, yes, you'd have to submit to me--but you'd be submitting to a man who was commanded to love you as sacrificially and as fully as Christ loves you. Give me a break! Which command is really harder, ladies? Which is the more servantlike? You're afraid of the word submit, and understandably so, because it raises all those specters of being kept under a man's thumb, losing your freedom, your equality, and so on. But that's not the Bible's model. If you submit to a godly husband--a husband who loves you so much that he's willing to die for you--he's going to be putting your good just as high or higher than his own. He's going to be doing everything possible to serve you and love you. And all you have to do is submit to that -- to accept his best heart for you and to honor his God-given desire to lead your marriage in the best and most holy way possible.
"God's design for a godly marriage is wonderous. And that is why I think this is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible--even today."
I found that passage to be pretty incredible. I mean I don't know if any husband could EVER love their wife as Christ loves us, but it is def. something to strive for. Just the thought of some man out their loving me so much that they would be willing to die for me...its mind boggling. I mean my past relationships have not been the best I don't even know if I would know what a relationship where the guy respected me like that would even look like. In fact, I have been watching the way I behave around guys and the things I let the say to me and I don't know that I give myself enough respect. I just let them say what they say and move on. It doesn't really bother me, but I have been thinking and maybe it should. I don't know something I am praying about. Life goes on...
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