All the religions of the world demean and denigrate women. It is only Christianity that elevates them to a position of honor, value to be appreciated as counselors to their men.
When we honor someone it has little to do with bring them a cup of coffee or put a coat on them although this can be a part of it. The greatest honor one can show toward a woman is to value her spirit, her thoughts, and her talents.
Ephesians 5:25-26 "25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her 26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,…"
It is not loving or honoring to bark orders at a wife treating her as an "underling" or a "child." She is an important partner in life together with her husband. When he leaves her out of decisions, keeps secrets and wants no input from his wife he is selfish as well as foolish.
In our world today the Christian church has become apostate, operating more like pagans than they do like Christ.
Devaluing women is the practice of all pagan religions as well as ruthless and narcissistic men who have no religion.
Christ elevated women when He told men to the status of a valued expensive china vessel to be carefully protected. A man who elevates himself without love for his wife is dishonoring God and therefore hindering his prayers. If a man will not obey God by treating women with love and respect, he will be the most miserable man who is not blessed by God.
1 Peter 3
3 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,
2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. 3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;
4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;
6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right [b]without being frightened by any fear.
7 You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;
9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but [e]giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
10 For,
“The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 “He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
12 “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
Bu
13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?
Sadly too a man who treats a woman with contempt, snapping at her for having her own mind will teach the children to treat her with contempt also.
Men are never to speak disrespectfully to a woman just to have his own way. He is to listen to her, consider her input and genuinely desire to please her wherever he can. Snappishness toward a wife or any woman is sin. Snappishness is a demonstration of contempt and an attitude of superiority. The men and women's roles are different but neither is more important than the other, they are equal in God's eyes.
The man is the wage earner and the woman is the manager of the home. Neither one can say they are better than the other. Each calling is ordained by God, therefore to minimize the others' calling is to usurp God.
God did not give the job leader of the home to the woman, this must not be disregarded. It was given by God. God did not give the job of household counselor and manager to the husband, it was given by God to the woman. When a man attempts to manage the home, dictating to the woman how to run it he is usurping God. PROVERBS 31 is very clear about the roles of the woman and the roles of the man, they are distinct and work well when they support one another in their jobs.
Leadership is not a dictatorship in the home. The man leads by example and by the reading and washing of the Word. He makes suggestions and requests when he desires something to be done a certain way, but he does not demand or dictate, the decision of the home belongs to the woman.
The woman does not demand or force her husband either in his career, dictating where they live or what job he does. She makes requests, shares her wisdom and leaves the final decision to her husband.
If her husband is unreasonable wanting to do illegal or hurtful things the wife must never support that or engage in the sin he wants to commit. She must obey God first. Remember Abigail when she refused to obey her husband when he was clearly wrong, she averted a battle and bloodshed by obeying God first. It was to the benefit of her husband that she did this.
James 4:7 submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
Husbands and wives are commanded by God to submit one to another.
Eph. 5:21 "and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."
Col. 3:18 "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord."
Did we notice this: "submitting as it is fitting to the Lord." We obey and submit to our husbands when they honor the Lord, but we do not when they dishonor Him by disrespecting God's Word.
1 Peter 3:7
"Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered."
A man who is selfishly refusing to regard the wife with honor can not expect to develop closeness with his wife. He may have a servant but he will not have intimacy. And, sadly this is the state of many marriages today, the men or sometimes women would rather be feared and obeyed than loved.
And finally, when we obey Christ in treating everyone lovingly and with honor no matter their status or life, we will be glorifying God. Those who will only honor those they think will elevate themselves, do not love anyone except themselves.
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