I think that the verse has been misrepresented by men for too long. I only wish they would spend half as much time focusing on Ephesians 5:25, which says:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...
Stop right there. Christ was willing to give up His very life. That's how deep his love was.
verse 28 states:
In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church...
So, taking into consideration this directive, what woman would not want to submit to a man that loves her so much that he would die for her, because she would know that anything that he asked her to do would only be in her best interest.
So, yes, He meant to submit, knowing that your husband would never knowingly do anything to steer you wrong or hurt you. So, I kept the word obey in there - because he also has a promise to keep.
And that's my 19.08 cents worth.
[This message has been edited by tickledpink (edited April 19, 2001).]
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