Throw Out Submission

Whenever I write about wives submitting to husbands, I receive comments from women upset with me and they try to advocate mutual submission based on the one verse that we are to submit to one another. 

So I thought I would do an experiment.  Let's throw out the five verses in the Bible that specifically admonish wives to submit to and obey their husbands.  Okay, these verses are gone, now what?

Let's look at some other Bible verses about treating others ~

But whoever wishes to become great among you shall be our servant: and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 
Mark 10:43,44 

 {We are called to serve others.}

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 
I Peter 4:8 

{We are told to love others deeply.}

Older women...encourage young women to love their husbands.
Titus 2:3,4
{Wives are specifically called to love their husbands.}

What does love look like according to I Corinthians 13...patient, kind, not jealous, does not brag, is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things...NEVER fails.

Okay, wives, you don't need to submit to your husbands anymore just serve them, love them, put up with their bad habits and offenses, bear all things, endure all things, etc.  Thank goodness this is all the Lord requires of us and not that dirty word "submission."

Now some of you will say, "Yes, but our husbands aren't loving us like they are called to love us."  This seems to be a huge stumbling block to women obeying Scripture.  YOU are not responsible for your husband's behavior, like I have said many times before.  You are just responsible for your own. 

Never forget the promise God gave to women that we may win them without a word and cling to that.  Remember Jesus is our example ~ 

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself {I think this includes our husbands.}.  Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.  Have his attitude in ourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:3-5