Chapter 6 - The Significance And Power of “Without Spot or Blemish"
Writer Author Celia Wilson
Christian Book Excerpt
:
Christian Living
- Fiction No
Hebrew history teaches us when animals were sacrificed on Jehovah God’s altar they had to be free from spot or blemish to be acceptable to God. Similarly, Jesus had to come to earth in the form of a man to live a sinless life, in order that He might die, giving His life as a sacrifice without spot or blemish, for our sin. Remember, we learned that I Peter 1:18-19 informs us as follows, “But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” And now we understand the precious Blood of Jesus will present husbands to wives as lambs without blemish or spot. However, first they must be presented to God as lambs without spot or blemish and Jesus accomplishes this for them.
Now, how does this apply or relate to us as their wives? Remember, in Ephesians 5:22-29, Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he (JESUS) is the savior of the body (of Christ). Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church (wife), not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it (she) should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their own bodies, he that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.
Words in parentheses are my insertion. Alright, I changed the fonts for emphasis. I hope it works. Let’s examine this scripture carefully. The first thing we learn is vital. Wives are supposed to submit to their husbands AS TO THE LORD. PLEASE NOTICE, the scripture doesn’t say the wife has to submit to her husband if he hates himself. I don’t know about you, but my Lord, Jesus Christ, never mistreats me nor does he ever abuse me. He never disrespects me. So in submitting to our husbands as to the Lord we are to expect our husbands to be “lord like”. Amen. He isn’t Jesus so I didn’t capitalize lord, so he’s not expected to be perfect as Jesus was. However, he is expected to be as much like Jesus as is humanly possible for a human man to be as he relates to his wife.
If this wasn’t important to the writer of Ephesians he just could have written, “Wives submit to your husbands.”
Correspondingly, we learn the husband is the head of his wife. That coincides with everything we’ve always been taught in church right? Right! That’s a good thing. Next, it says EVEN AS, what does that mean? It means the husband is the head of the wife just like – even as – Christ is the head of the church. What does that mean? The husband is not JUST the head of his wife to RULE and LORD over her, to order her around, or BULLY and BOSS her. No, he is the head of his wife just like, even as Christ is the head of the church. The husband is suppose to imitate, look like and mimic Christ as the head of the church in his position as head of the wife.
What does it mean to say Christ is the head of the church? In the books of Colossians and Ephesians, Paul develops the concept of the church as the Body of Christ. Since the Church is the Body of Christ and Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body of Christ what does that mean? What does the head of a body do in relation to the body? The head, a healthy head, is supposed to plan and make the best decisions for the body. How many husbands are overweight from not eating properly or not exercising? How many husbands are in dead end jobs, under-employed or unemployed from not making the best decisions to either obtain more education or get a second or better job? How many husbands are drinking themselves to death, or drugging themselves into the graves and not seeking help for their addictions? How many husbands are driving too fast, or living in the fast lane by having sex with others outside the marriage, whether they are women or men (for the men on the down low)? Many husbands don’t love themselves. Tell me how they can love their wives? How can they take care of the body (his wife) when they as the head, can’t focus or make good decisions for themselves?
The eyes (eye lashes, eye brows), ears (ear wax, ear drum), nose (nose hair, mucus), mouth (teeth, tongue, and taste buds), chin, cheeks, jaws, hair and scalp are all on the head. What are their purposes? With the eyes the head sees. The eyelashes protect the eyes. The eye brows give character to the face. The head needs to see so the body avoids danger, enters into healthy, safe, fun places. We can see what we’re eating, where we’re laying and to whom we’re talking. Seeing is very important. When a husband says to a wife, “I’m the head of this family, the head over you,” is he leading the family in the best ways and places? Is he seeing the danger before hand and avoiding it for the sake of his wife?
Is he providing for her so she lives in a beautiful setting? Does he groom himself well? Is he ensuring that she sees the good in his character by practicing gentlemanly qualities (opening her door, pulling out her chair, walking on the outside on the sidewalk, etc.)? With the ears the head hears what is important for the survival of the body. The ear wax and ear drums are for protection and the channel by which the ear hears and differentiates sounds. When a husband tells his wife he is in charge of her, she needs to be quiet and do as she’s told (as if she were 5 years old), is he hearing all the threats to his wife and family? Is he hearing the sweet music of life that makes it a joy to be living? Is he able to differentiate between the garbage and garble in the world and the life giving voice of God? Is he able to really HEAR his wife? Does he really listen to her or even let her talk? Does he think she has anything to say worth listening to? Does he value the sound of her voice? Does he protect the sounds his wife and children hear?
The mouth (which houses the teeth and tongue) is used to keep the body alive, by giving it nourishment. The teeth ensure the nourishment is the proper size for consumption. The tongue makes sure only good nourishment is digested, or at least that it tastes good. It protects us from food that doesn’t taste good. The mouth is where the bad food we eat comes out in the form of vomit. Without the mouth the body dies, unless one is ill and fed intravenously. Therefore, when a husband brags to his friends that HE’S the HEAD of his HOUSE, HIS wife, is he providing proper nourishment for her on all levels (intellectual, social, spiritual, physical, creative and financial)? Is he protecting her from poisons? Is he making sure what she needs to consume in her life is good on all levels? Is he making sure what he provides for his wife is in the proper size? You know the right amount of water, starch, vegetables, fruit, protein, etc. Does she get the right amount of praise, verbal support, encouragement, compliments and spiritual direction from her husband? Does he get rid of stuff that might make her or his children sick? You know what I mean cussing, yelling, fault finding, bossing, criticizing, ignoring (not speaking to her) and negative confessions? Does he pray for her and cover her in prayer? Does he speak God’s Word over her? Does he conduct family meetings or read the Bible with his wife?
The jaws, cheeks and chin help give the face form, help to process food and consume liquids. They help with the forming of words and hold the teeth together. Is the husband (who is the head of his wife) helping to give her proper form (the form of a godly, blessed, holy woman of God)? Is he helping her consume the proper nutrition in the form of solids and liquids literally food, but spiritual and emotional healthy nourishment, also? Isaiah 54:5, “For thy maker is thy husband, The Lord of hosts is his name....” Is he making her into the woman of God she is suppose to be by speaking the Word of God over her, into her, over and into his family? He makes her by what he sows into her. Does he give her time to herself to pray, meditate, exercise, spend time with her friends, etc.? Does he run his hands over her body speaking health, beauty and sexual satisfaction over her?
Lastly, you have the hair and scalp. What are their purposes? Hair provides protection and is a fashionable feature. The scalp holds the hair and covers the cranium. So is the husband who wants everyone to hear and know his wife RESPECTS him (as he daily verbalizes he’s the head of his house) providing protection for his wife on all levels? Is he in shape to do so? Is he physically agile, does he have self- defense skills? Is he able to provide for her fashion needs? Is she well attired from head to toe? Do her undergarments match? Are her teeth white: are they all there? Is he able to hold, comfort and physically support his wife? Is he able and willing to provide her with the physical and emotional intimacy she needs? Does he cover her in word and deed? Are all her needs met?
The head is the home of the brain, the thinking, deductive, reasoning, creative portion of the body. Is he providing all these things for his wife and family? If he isn’t is he trying to find ways to improve his ability to provide these things for his wife? As the HEAD of the Body husbands have a great job to perform. Are they up to the task? I pray they are. The next part of Ephesians 5:23-29 informs us that the husband is the savior of the body. He has to be, because Jesus is the savior of the Body of Christ. How can a husband save his wife or provide a saving atmosphere when he is abusing her physically, emotionally, verbally, financially or sexually? He can be her savior by providing all the things necessary to facilitate life for her; by pampering her, ensuring she is well cared for. Jesus came specifically to save the church. Do today’s husbands come specifically to save their wives? Is that their purpose for living other than serving Jesus Christ?
The scripture we read said, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved he church.” So the question would be how does Christ love the church? Jesus loved the church enough to die for her. Jesus loved the church so much that He gave up all His heavenly power to come to earth to die for the church. Jesus loved the church so much that He endured whipping and crucifixion for her. He sacrificed His “self” for her. How many Christian husbands do we know who live life this way in relation to their wives? Many of today’s Christian men would have us believe the woman, the wife is the one who is suppose to provide the sacrifice of her “self” in marriage; that she’s suppose to serve and obey. But didn’t Jesus serve as He healed, delivered and set people free? Yes. Where is the mutual serving in the family, in the home, in the marriage?
Many men would say they serve by going to work, but many women also work, so this “service” has to be more than just going to work or running a business. It has to be an in home serving. I won’t even go into how important a head would be without a body. If you sat a head up on a pedestal and just let it sit there what would happen to it? If there were no arms to feed it, neck to turn it, legs to make it mobile, etc. what would happen to that head? It would die wouldn’t it? The wife as the body is vital to her husband. So, again, I say there has to be mutual serving.
As Christ loved the church did he smack it, slap it, push it, stab it or shoot it? NO. So how can Christian or so called Christian husbands say they love their wives when they abuse them? Jesus “gave himself for it.” Are husbands giving themselves for their wives? Are they giving their time, their energy, their money, their prayer, their ALL for their wives? Until they do how can they call themselves the head of the wife? Until they start functioning, thinking, working as THE HEAD they are only figure heads, like the Styrofoam heads that hold wigs, or like the store that hires someone Black to act like they own it to draw the locals in when in reality it’s owned by someone totally removed from the neighborhood. God made them the head, but their fronting. Their leadership is a bunch of empty filler. They may be the head of their wives in position by God’s ordination, but they are not in purpose.
Editor's Comment:
About the Writer Author
State:
Ohio
Country:
USA
Email:
ilisten7ccw@yahoo.com
Website:
familyempowermentconsultants.weebly.com
Profile:
Click here!
|
|
Most Recent From This Writer
Inspired Still - Designs by LaVellaK
Design Challenged? No worries! Among many design services I offer, I'll gladly design hats, t-shirts and more for you or your organized Special Event. Email me at justask@worthfinding.com for details!
Photgraphy & Design by LaVella Kraft
|
Select Article or Story
|