A Man’s Role in His Household

Christ’s Counterculture
Ephesians 5:21-6:9
Matthew Raley (12-2-12)

Today we are keeping this discussion narrow. We are not talking about “men” and “women.” We are talking about the focus of Paul’s teaching, which is the individual household and how submission works in that unique context.

Paul could not be clearer about his focus (5.22-25). “Wives be subject to your own husbands.” “A husband is head of his wife.” “Husbands, love your wives.” The Lord has built certain dynamics into the marriage relationship, and those dynamics call a husband to orient himself one way and a wife to orient herself in another. The marriage creates the context for raising children (6.1-4), another set of dynamics in which fathers have to orient themselves in a very specific direction.

Rather than preach on this passage in detail, I am going to show what the role of a man is in his household. The initiative lies with him. Wives and children, when you hear what your husbands and fathers are called to do, I think you will understand your own roles better.

Husbands and fathers are of primary importance to building Christ’s counterculture.