Going back to Genesis to look for answers concerning male authority over women is critically important, because here is where the order of authority is established and given directly by God to Adam and Eve, which we all must abide by, which, btw, He does not change all throughout the entire Bible. God does not establish male rule and authority over women initially, then come to the church age and establish yet a new world order. The order of hierarchy is commensurate with the church age as that which was established from the very beginning. God is consistent. Men take responsibility over women from the clear passages of Genesis, and it is equally true and clearly spelled out in the rest of Scripture, that that domain and exercise of power is to be IN the home as well as IN the body of the church.
It is very apparent that God calls those in authority, in this case man, to be wise and loving to those whom he has rule over. In fact, men are supposed to love their wives as themselves. “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself (Eph 5:28).” Men are also told to love their wives as Christ loves the church. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it (Eph 5:25).”
If we take into account what it means to have genuine agape love for someone, anyone, be they our brothers and sisters in Christ, our neighbors or our husbands and wives, it means that we esteem them as greater than ourselves. The Bible tells us that, “…love does not seek its own (1Cr 13:5).” So, to truly be a leader and loving simultaneously it is imperative to have wisdom. Wisdom to know that it is impossible to Lord anything over anyone, because “Love does not brag and is not arrogant (1 Cor 13:4).”
More later...
