WIVES SUBMIT TO YOUR HUSBANDS / COLOSSIANS 3:18-19

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Colossians 3:18-19

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

The Rhythm of Grace: Understanding Colossians 3:18-19

Few passages in the New Testament spark as much immediate debate or strong emotion in modern culture as Paul’s instructions on marriage. At first glance, a phrase like “Wives, submit to your husbands” can feel heavy or out of step with contemporary life. However, when we look closer at the full biblical context, we discover that Colossians 3:18-19 describes a beautiful, harmonious partnership designed to reflect Christ’s love to the world.

Let’s look at the text together:

“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.” — Colossians 3:18-19 (ESV)

To truly understand what Paul is saying, we must look at both sides of this divine equation.

1. Wives: A Willing Respect

The instruction to wives is anchored by a crucial qualifying phrase: “as is fitting in the Lord”. Biblical submission is never about forced subservience, inferiority, or the suppression of a woman’s value. Instead, it is a willing attitude of respect and a conscious choice to honor the order God has set for the home.

Just as Christ willingly aligned His will with the Father out of deep, perfect love, a wife is called to support her husband’s leadership as a true partner. This is a position of strength and dignity, not weakness.

2. Husbands: A Sacrificial Love

Paul immediately shifts the focus to husbands with an equally challenging command: “love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.” In the ancient world, husbands held absolute cultural power. Paul completely flips this dynamic on its head.

A husband is commanded to love his wife sacrificially, mirroring how Jesus gave Himself up for the Church. He is called to serve, protect, and nurture. There is no room for domination, bitterness, or harshness in a Christian marriage. When a husband leads with this level of selflessness, he creates a safe space where respect flows naturally.

A Sanctuary of Peace

Marriage according to Scripture is not a battlefield for power; it is a collaborative partnership. On platforms like Facebook, online discussions reflect mixed opinions on how these roles fit into today’s world. Some worry that traditional language can be misused, while others emphasize that sticking to the text preserves family unity.

The beauty of the text shines when both roles are honored together. Love and respect complete one another. When both spouses look out for the needs of the other ahead of their own, the home transforms into a sanctuary of peace and a living testimony of the Gospel.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the sacred gift of marriage and for the wisdom found in Your Word. We pray for couples navigating life together, asking that You align their hearts with Your perfect design. Give wives the grace and strength to respect and support their husbands willingly. Give husbands the humility and depth of heart to love their wives sacrificially, without bitterness or harshness.

Soften any hardened hearts, heal areas of brokenness, and let Your peace rule in every home. May Christian marriages everywhere reflect the profound beauty of Christ and His Church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. WHATEVER YOU DO WHETHER IN WORD OR DEED / COLOSSIANS 3:17
2. WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU / COLOSSIANS 3:16
3. THE PEACE OF CHRIST / COLOSSIANS 3:15
4. PUT ON LOVE TOGETHER IN PERFECT UNITY / COLOSSSIANS 3:14
5. FORGIVE / COLOSSSIANS 3:13
6. TAKEN OFF YOUR OLD SELF – PUT ON THE NEW SELF / COLOSSIANS 3:9-10
7. BECAUSE OF THESE THE WRATH OF GOD / COLOSSIANS 3:6
8. GREED, WHICH IS IDOLATRY / COLOSSIANS 3:5
9. CHRIST WHO IS YOUR LIFE / COLOSSIANS 3:4
10. YOU DIED YOUR LIFE IS NOW HIDDEN WITH CHRIST / COLOSSIANS 3:3
11. SET YOUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE / COLOSSIANS 3:2
12. RESTRAINING SENSUAL INDULGENCE / COLOSSIANS 2:23
13. DIED WITH CHRIST TO THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THIS WORLD / COLOSSIANS 2:20
14. WORSHIP OF ANGELS / COLOSSIANS 2:18
15. EAT, DRINK, SABBATH DAY / COLOSSIANS 2:16
16. DISARMED THE POWERS AND AUTHORITIES / COLOSSIANS 2:15
17. WRITTEN CODE WITH ITS REGULATIONS / COLOSSIANS 2:14
18. BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM / COLOSSIANS 2:12
19. CIRCUMCISION DONE BY CHRIST / COLOSSIANS 2:11-12
20. DECEPTIVE PHILOSOPHY … RATHER THAN ON CHRIST / COLOSSIANS 2:8
21. ROOTED AND BUILT UP IN HIM / COLOSSIANS 2:7
22. PERFECT / COLOSSIANS 1:28
23. CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY / COLOSSIANS 1:27
24. THE MYSTERY THAT HAS BEEN KEPT HIDDEN / COLOSSIANS 1:25-26
25. SUFFERED FOR YOU / COLOSSIANS 1:24
26. IF YOU CONTINUE IN YOUR FAITH / COLOSSIANS 1:23
27. RECONCILE TO HIMSELF ALL THINGS / COLOSSIANS 1:20
28. ALL HIS FULLNESS DWELL IN HIM / COLOSSIANS 1:19
29. FIRSTBORN FROM AMONG THE DEAD / COLOSSIANS 1:18
30. BY HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED / COLOSSIANS 1:16
31. THE FIRSTBORN OVER ALL CREATION / COLOSSIANS 1:15
32. REDEMPTION THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS / COLOSSIANS 1:14
33. FROM THE DOMINION OF DARKNESS / COLOSSIANS 1:13-14
34. STRENGTHENED ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS MIGHT / COLOSSIANS 1:11-12
35. WE HAVE NOT STOPPED PRAYING FOR YOU / COLOSSIANS 1:9-12
36. KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL / COLOSSIANS 1:9
37. HOPE THAT IS STORED UP FOR YOU / COLOSSIANS 1:5
38. FAITHFUL BROTHERS AT COLOSSE / COLOSSIANS 1:2
39. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace