Bible Study Seattle

“And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  Ephesians 5:21 NLT

Does this mean everyone should submit to everyone else?  How about a mother submitting to her daughter?  A boss submitting to her employee?  A principal submitting to her students?  A husband submitting to his wife?  No!  Isn’t it obvious that this would be a disaster?  It’s no different with marriage.  Let’s try this verse again:

“Submit to other Christians of authority out of reverence for Christ.”  BSS blog version

Why did God create Adam first?  Could he just as easily created Eve, then taken the rib from her and fashioned Adam?  And why did God create men larger and stronger than women?  So that they could threaten and intimidate the women?  No!  Why did God create mothers larger and stronger than their babies?  So that they could threaten and intimidate their own children?  By no means!  He created these strength differentials to emphasize the order of authority and enable the stronger to help the weaker.  Granted, some mothers abuse their babies, and some husbands abuse their wives.  But all recognize such cruelty and rightly punish abuse.  God created mothers stronger than babies so that babies would have proper fear and respect for their mothers, and mothers can protect their babies.  Likewise wives to husbands.  Likewise people to God.  There must be order or there will be no order.