submission on its head, upside kingdom

This might not be exactly what you were thinking.

We’ll start with this disclaimer right up front: There is the operation and order of the church directed by the Holy Spirit that is available to any and every believer. That operation is completely un-biased and not prejudiced by gender, or slave, or age, or etc. To give one gender or pastor or some other person more credence over another, is to diminish the Spirit’s operation in that person and therefore diminish the Body.

However, there is an order in the home.

But it might shock you.

Keep your stones until you get to the end of this post and if you want to crucify me then, well, I’d take that as a compliment. I think.

There’s a lot of rass-en and frass-en about Eve or at least her role in the home after the fall in the Garden. Sometimes I feel like we’re still in the Garden trying to explain who-dun-it.

But what we should be talking about is where Heaven shadows a Kingdom principle on earth.

There are two types of submission: Man’s and God’s. One brings death (Man) and the other breathes life (God’s). One is based on Pharisaic enforcements while the other is based on Kingdom Principles. One is under the curse (1^st Adam) while the other is risen from the grave ( 2^nd Adam in Christ).

We know God created them, both male and female. Both were designed ahead of time and together, then came the flesh part: Adam first, then Eve. And we know how that turned out.

Then Christ came, and well, we jump too here, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…”Ephesians5:25.  

Stop.

Hold the presses.

Right off the bat, I see a problem.

If a husband is to be like a Christ, really like Christ who gave Himself for her:

Then he would humbly serve her, tending to her needs {washing her feet} and saying the first must become last and the last become first, the way Christ did. {John 13:12-15; Mark 10:30}

{sidenote: Adam was created first and Eve created last, so this might get a little upside down in Christ’s kingdom but hang with me, will ya. I’m just drawing parallels here. But you gotta admit, the principle of first is last and last is first, throws a big, honking monkey wrench in the whole thing.}

If a husband is to be like Christ, then that means he’d say “follow me”, at your own will, instead of lording it over her like the Pharisees.

If a husband is like Christ that would mean he’d give up his rights to himself for his bride in order for him to become one with her like Christ did for the Church and consummated Her with the Holy Spirit.

If a husband is to be like Christ, then he wouldn’t have to demand her obedience, exact her submission, or require her to prove she was a good wife. He’d do as Christ did, coming to her while she was yet, still a filthy sinner, give himself up for her even while His flesh was being crucified, for her. {In other words, she didn’t have to get her act together before Christ died to his own rights as earthly king.} 

If a husband is to be like Christ, then he’d do only what his Father in Heaven told him, even submitting to the abuse of men, ridicule, rejection, derision for not following man’s rules or the church’s rules or even how a husband should operate.  

If a husband is to be like Christ, then he’d say: have no other gods before my Father and love Him, with all your heart, and soul, and mind.

 

If a husband is to be like Christ, then he’d always be pointing his bride to Heaven and never to benefit himself.

If a husband is to be like Christ, he’d give his body, to be broken; his side to be pierced; his skin to be bruised, his head to be crushed under thorns, and his reputation mocked, just for her.

If a husband is to be like Christ, he’d deny his own kingdom on earth to lay his very life down at the threshold of marriage and woo his bride with all lowliness of a humble lamb while zealously defending her from harm.

If a husband was like Christ and sacrificed all of himself unto death, coming as a servant instead of establishing his kingdom, then there’s a principle which is truly Divine.

We know submission has been a battering ram on the Bride. However, if husbands are emulating the model of a humble servant like Christ, then there’d be no need for the weapons. Or the war.

Christ is the example given to husbands and if this is how a husband is to be, then submission isn’t at all what I thought it was.

 

{linking up with Sarah– of which I say, a big yes and amen! Exactly! What she said, too.}