USGN Article - March 2005
Written by Barbi Franklin

No Longer To Go It Alone!

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (NIV) Ephesians 5:21

Recently, we heard a preacher teaching from Genesis 3 about the curses of sin. As he shared verse 16, he lectured that wives are forever destined to be ruled by her husband. He went on to quote numerous verses to support his doctrine.

Friends, few concepts have been as frequently distorted as God’s true intentions for marriage. We throw out one or two scriptures to support our soapbox, but dismiss the rest of the Word of God. As we look at the scriptures, we see balanced instructions given equally to husbands and wives. What this innocent, yet naïve, preacher overlooked was that God had a mighty plan. He sent His son Jesus to redeem the world from the curses of sin and give us not only eternal life in heaven, but abundant life while on the earth. Jesus’ death and resurrection revealed God’s plan of restoration.

God’s plan was to restore us to Himself and His original intent. His plan for Adam and Eve was that they would be partners and companions, to rule all of His creation together. God said it was “not good that man should be alone.” Eve was a “counterpart aid” created so that Adam wouldn’t be alone. The word, “Neged,” is the Hebrew word for counterpart, matching part, or corresponding person. In other words, God made the perfect match, like two peas in a pod. The husband’s fate was no longer to go it alone, he now had someone to live life with! “Two hands are better than one!”

It’s very human to appoint someone to be the CEO of a church or home. But these are two institutions created and ordained by God and thus should be run by spiritual methods, not earthly ones. The Israelites kept begging God for a King, just “like the other (pagan) nations,” wanted. Finally, God gave in to what they wanted, and it wasn’t fun. In the same way, we want to appoint a “boss” because we don’t want to learn to walk in unity with each other in obedience to God. Our churches and homes have been diminished to operate with carnal and humanistic strategies. But God has a better plan!

As we rely on the Lord, we can learn to walk in unity in the Holy Spirit! God wants us to be fulfilled and unified in His will. This is no small task, counting both our human nature and Satan at work against us. In fact, one of the meanings of the name Devil is “to divide without cause.” But when we come into agreement with God, submitting ourselves humbly before Him together, He will reveal His will!

Our best example of perfect unity is the relationship of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And there is no hierarchy in the Trinity. Jesus voluntarily yielded to His Father’s will throughout His earthly ministry. But this doesn’t mean that the Son is in some sort of unending, one-sided submission to the Father. Each member of the Trinity bestows honor on the others, the ultimate model of servanthood.
 

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