There’s so much misunderstanding in the world today about the position and role of women. Those who are Bible-believing Christians are often perceived as being archaic in our positions. And unfortunately, this perception has infiltrated the church!

But did you know that when the writers of the New Testament gave us God’s position on the role of women, it was absolutely counter-cultural? In that day women were treated as possessions that could be discarded at will! But when Jesus came, the position of women in the world was dramatically elevated. This is why Paul tells husbands to love their wives “as Christ loved the church” (Eph. 5:25).

Keep this in mind when you read 1 Peter 3:1, which says, “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives” (New King James Version).

So what does being submissive look like in a biblical marriage? Well, what does your husband need? He needs a wife who honors him, a wife who prefers him, a wife who notices him, and a wife who believes in him. Above all else, a husband needs a wife who respects him! 

Above all else, a husband needs a wife who respects him!

On the other hand, disrespecting your husband — being critical, non-supportive, and passive about his needs — can damage his self-esteem and cause him to emotionally withdraw to avoid being insulted again.

When God the Son came to earth to die on the cross, he clearly submitted to the will of God the Father. So here you have two co-equal beings…with one submitting to the other. What a perfect picture of a Christian marriage! So you and I must do the same. We must submit out of love to our husbands and respect them as they lead.

Understanding true biblical submission — the kind that Jesus showed to the Father — is the key to having a fulfilling marriage. A submissive wife is one who joyfully declares, “I love my husband and my family, and I am going to live my life God’s way!”