Related Articles: 1) Obey Them
INTRODUCTION
Ladies, your closeness with your husband means a distance from every man who isn’t, and that ESPECIALLY includes men who claim to be your so-called “spiritual overseers!”
Submitting to your “church leaders” renders it impossible to submit to one’s own husband. Submission to your own husband means faithfulness to him, and to him alone, which means saying “NO” to any other man or group of men who are vying for your submission also!
Dear married sisters in Christ, be not deceived! You owe absolutely no submission WHATSOEVER to those who posture to be your “church leaders.”
There are many cases where a pastor has deliberately placed himself between a husband and wife and used his so-called pastoral authority as a means of manipulating them both into personal loyalty to himself.
If either the husband or wife becomes in any way critical of the church or his ministry, the pastor will "counsel" the other mate (usually the wife) to put pressure on the first one to repent, and if no repentance was to follow, then the next step in counseling would be separation and/or divorce.
This was done on the ground that "your mate's soul is in danger" because they were daring to question God's "duly authorized" minister. One dear Christian lady was under such pressure to force her husband to submit to the pastor's authority that she felt she was being torn in half. She told someone, "I feel like I must choose between the two most important men in my life."
The person wisely answered, "God never intended you to have two men in your life in any sense where you had to make a choice between them."
My friend, when loyalty to, or dependence upon, any church or any "church leader" ever comes close to being equal to your loyalty and love to your husband or wife, then you are so sick spiritually that you can't think straight.
A woman for example, is under no obligation whatsoever to submit to any man except her husband; not to the "head pastor," or his "fellow elders", or his clones, or his wannabies, or anybody. The Scripture says, to "their own husbands."
Some foolish women have been brainwashed into believing that they are supposed to submit to their pastor more than their own husband. This is sinful.
When those in “positions of leadership” in the church, or anyone else, tampers with someone's marriage... THEY ARE TREADING HOLY GROUND!
SETTING THE STAGE
But you might say, “How can these things be? How is it possible that husbands and wives have allowed their marriage to be invaded; taken over; and then destroyed by this horrendous practice in church leadership?"
Many of these men that are “exercising the oversight” in the church are professionals and are well experienced in their diabolical schemes. They are able to effectively instill carnal fear in the congregation very rapidly. A simple twisting of Scripture; the pronouncement to “obey your god-given elders”; the waving of their pointed finger in your face along with their raised voices, is all that it takes for many people to succumb to its folly.
Families, and wives in particular, are falsely being taught from many pulpits today that the “eldership" and/or "pastors” have a "supposed" authority and rulership that reaches higher and is even greater than what a husband and father has in the home, especially when it comes to “spiritual matters.”
This is total unbiblical nonsense. And unless many people start to wake up and take notice and learn, many more marriages are going to be destroyed.
Oh how clever these men are. Once the people are induced to imbibe this false teaching, the “elders” know that the “bait” has been successfully set. Now, if there happens to appear a spouse who “sees the light” and begins to perhaps question a particular point in a sermon, or might disagree with a particular church issue or doctrine, the elderships’ so-called “position of authority” overrules in the home and the “disaffected” party must submit to the position of the church, or else!
Let me repeat one of my own testimonies that you will find in the testimonies section.
When the Lord was starting to open my eyes concerning spiritual abuse and unbiblical authoritarianism, I started to share some of these things to my wife. Also, I started to have some different doctrinal positions from what the church had and different views of church policy. Well, what do you know, that lo and behold, the name of our family was next on the list for our “pastoral visitation.” The time and date was settled. At the appointed time, the “church elder” comes over. We start to chat about different church issues. The "elder" was in the house for less than 10 minutes when he turns and says to my wife, “..Well Barb, have you ever thought about separation?..” I said, “WHAT! How dare you come into my house and plant that evil, diabolical seed into my wife’s head!”
I should have thrown him out, but I didn’t. Could you imagine that! Separation, and then, of necessity, possible divorce? For what? Because one spouse disagrees with the pastor’s sermon or an issue of church policy? Sadly yes. But thankfully, the Lord rescued me and not too soon afterward, I dragged my wife and family out of that wretched, wretched place.
This is what’s being promulgated in many, many circles today. And it is a very effective tool of the devil that these ministers of Satan (2 Corth. 11:15) are all too happy to wield.
“What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”
Instead of placing herself in alignment with God's prescribed order of headship and submitting to her husband and prospering in the blessing of a fruitful marriage, many wives are placing their “pastor” as their head instead of Christ, and of necessity, replaced their husbands as their head! This all being done with the “blessings of the eldership!”
“Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord..." Nowhere in the Scriptures are women ever told to “submit to their pastors.”
You and your husband are one in God's eyes; not you and your "pastor" or you and "your church leaders." The husband and wife should never, ever forget that. Let your strength be your love and loyalty to your husband, no matter what!
I am very well aware of the terrible translation of Hebrews 13:7 and 17 that these unscrupulous ministers take advantage of. These verses, partially quoted and incorrectly translated, have been used by countless authoritarian pastors as a hammer to put their congregations into blind subjection to their personal vision for how they feel that the church should operate and behave. This is contrary to the clear teachings of the Scriptures. Any minister who says otherwise is a minister of "another Jesus."
Matt 20:25 But Jesus called them (His disciples) unto him, and said,You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Matt 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Matt 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant;
Matt 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Eph.5:22 Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph.5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, being Himself the Savior of the body.
Eph.5:24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be unto their own husbands in everything.
THE "CHURCH" TODAY
Who would ever have thought 100 years ago, that this will be the sad state of affairs in the “protestant churches” (among others) today. Who would ever have thought that articles needed to be written warning the church members of this evil, diabolical teaching that wicked shepherds are engaging in. Surely, right before our very eyes, evil men and imposters are waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2 Tim. 3:13.
Instead of the Scriptural order of God, Christ, Man, Woman; now it has become God, Christ, pastor/church, man, woman!
Instead of the Scriptural command to wives that they be subject to their own husbands in everything; now it has become wives be subject to your own husbands in everything.......domestic!
Instead of the Scriptures stating that the husband is the head of the wife as Christ also is the head of the Church; now we have “The Eldership" being head over both of them……even as Christ is head of the Church!
And instead of having, “What God has joined together, let not man put asunder”; we now have “Let the ‘pastor’ put asunder, what God has joined together.”
It doesn't get much crazier than this!
If there ever was a day when God might bring fire down from heaven upon the heads of these men with their despicable teachings and despicable behavior of “authority gone wild,” these are the days in which we are living. These are the days in which the “Lord is still a jealous God and avenges; the Lord avenges and is full of wrath; the Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, and reserves wrath for His enemies.” Nahum 1:2
These are the days of Ezekiel 34 where the shepherds feed themselves; where the shepherds refuse to strengthen, refuse to heal, refuse to bind up that which was broken, refuse to bring back that which was driven away, refuse to seek after that which was lost; but with force and with rigor have the shepherds ruled over them.
The false teachings of these spiritual abusers in putting themselves and their “church” first, has led to these dastardly deeds that are occurring everywhere.
We’re living in dark dangerous times. Many “churches” today are no longer a “safe haven” to bring ourselves and our families to. The works of darkness, (Eph. 5:11; 6:12); the ministers of Satan, (2 Corth.11:15); the characteristics of the churches we read about in Revelations Chapter 2 & 3 are ever present in these authoritarian – spiritual abusing systems.
A "FREAKISH" MARRIAGE
Remember going to the amusement parks years ago? Remember the "side shows" having grotesque looking people and other abnormalities? Some of the things you saw were infants and adults with two heads! They called this a “freak of nature.”
Ladies, do you know what you are doing when you willfully and deliberately listen to and obey the voice of your “pastor” over and above that of your husband in regards to ANY ISSUE WHATSOEVER?
Ladies, you are infringing upon your husbands God-given headship and you are turning your marriage into one that is formed in the manner of a two-headed freak!
Remember Jesus’ words, “No man can serve two masters; for either they will hate the one and love the other; or else they will hold to one, and despise the other.”
And in today’s age, where many “pastors” in many churches are spewing forth their self-serving unscriptural nonsense about their god-given authority and how they are to be obeyed and listened to on all spiritual matters, husbands are the ones losing out in so far as which master the wife is choosing.
A Christian wife has as much right to listen and submit to her elders over and against her husband's wishes, as the church has the right to listen and submit to the devil over and against Christ's wishes.
Eph.5:24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be unto their own husbands in everything.
Isn’t it the same situation back in the Garden of Eden? There is Eve – all alone, away from her husband. Now enters Satan, dangling the temptation before her eyes. “Hath God said……” Eve begins to ponder and begins to see how attractive and how spiritual his words were. Eve lusted after that beautiful tree and its fruit, even as she thought of herself to be "a strong Christian" in quoting God's own words.
But Eve thought she could ignore God's other words to her concerning her role as a help meet, as being one flesh with her husband. She thought that she could ignore her head and listen to her cunning, crafty counselor and advisor the serpent, and receive promotion from her advisor, the serpent, and still be in good standing with God.
“Ah”, she said, “my counselor and advisor, Mr. Serpent, knows the Word of God too! He quotes it so nicely and so accurately. And oh, he is so wise; even wiser than my husband Adam. He seems to be more educated and closer to God too!”
"Wives be in subjection to your own husbands in everything.”
So, along comes "the pastor” and says, “ah, but "in everything"………except spiritual matters. God has gifted ME with authority and you are to submit to me in these matters. Obeying ME is like obeying God.”
And so history repeats itself and the wife falls and succumbs to the temptation and the downward spiral of the marriage begins.
Many foolish women have listened to the godless counsel of "the elders" and have DESTROYED their marriages and their husbands!
As said earlier, the teaching of these elders is the most abominable, satanically inspired teaching ever perpetrated upon the marriage institution. It has caused more harm and destruction to human relationships than any other invention. The destruction of the marriage institution through the false teachings of the eldership is Satan's best shot at marring the glorious image of Jesus Christ and His Church.
A wife has no one to answer to except her husband. He is the only one in the world who she is united to. Women have been poisoned in their minds by the “church”.
There is no greater role for a woman in this world than being at her husband's side at all times. "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."
Proverbs 14:1
What kind of wife are you?
Eve turned aside after Satan by taking bad advice. Eve was deceived! Women are more often led into spiritual error than men. Why does a husband need to protect his wife?…
2 Tim. 3: 6-7 ”For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
What some of you wives should have done in the past, and what some of you wives need to do now when some "church leader" shows you an “apparent scripture” that supposedly states you are to submit to them or “counsels” you as to possible separation and/or divorce, is to tell him to shut up and then leave before you pluck your house down with your hands. Proverbs 14:1
It is cultic organizations, along with their cultic leaders, that will always divide the family unit instead of bringing them together.
They will make you choose between God and them; God and the pastor/eldership. And God loses out most of the time. These leaders use Scriptures such as Jesus came to bring a sword, not peace, or one must give up brothers, sisters, wife, and house for the kingdom to become a true obedient church member.
Listen! "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly..." Psalm 1:1.
Those who heed the diabolical counsel to leave their husbands in pursuit of greener pastures are turning aside after Satan. 1 Tim. 5:15
The true heroes in the churches today are its loving, submissive wives who stand by their husbands. Shame on the elders who condemn, ridicule, and mock at God-fearing wives that submit and listen to their husbands over that of the pastor; that care for their children and love their husbands, more than their pastor and church.
Yes, the church needs a revival. It needs a revival of rebellious wives; wives who will stand up and say “NO” to the home-wrecking elders who are usurping the headship of the husband.
I believe that we as Christians need to step back for a moment and take a good look at what's happening in some churches today. The big picture is ugly. There is something very wrong with this picture.
Wives need to be in subjection to their husbands…in everything! When you refuse to be a help meet to your husband and submit to his headship, but rather listen to your unbiblical authoritarian "overseers" instead, you are permitting the devil to gain entrance into your marriage.
Is your marriage a house divided? A two-headed freak?
And don’t be bulldozed and beguiled by the periodic, quaintly message or series of messages that you might hear concerning the “Roles of Husbands & Wives” or nice, little messages concerning “The Importance of the Nuclear Family.”
After all of the hot air has past; after all of the smoke has been blown away, you should know that what you are left with will be the same disgusting actions and the same disgusting pronouncements that self-centered, sanctimonious pastoral hypocrites always possess: "...I stand in a Divine Office, enclothed with authority...Are you questioning my counsel and my authority?...”
That is a sure sign of a first-class spiritual abuser and unbiblical authoritarian.
There are many, many people who need to get right with God in the church!!!
THE DYNAMICS OF DECEPTION
Let me put forth to you just one of the tactics that are used in some churches by the so-called "eldership." We are exposing the errors and the evil tactics that are present in today's church system. We are calling a spade a spade.
The following is taken from a typical sermon by a "pastor" named Albert N. Martin from the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, NJ. The sermon title is "Biblical Teaching of Rule By Elder," #TE-22.
It will be said by Mr. Martin that "the only Head of the Church is Jesus Christ Himself. Anyone who would intrude or question that headship is blaspheming!"
(Now this of course is true). But this is what he says next. "...Christ governs His church by His Word and Spirit by means of the rule of duly-appointed elders." (By means of what?)
He would go on to say, "So, the rule of Christ with reference to the local church is NOT expressed only by the subjection of every member to the Word of Christ......."
Now listen carefully. Now comes the bait and switch. Listen very carefully as the Scriptures will be further twisted and then, re-invented.
He continues, "A third factor enters and there is absolutely no inconsistency between absolute subjection to Jesus Christ as the only Head of the church and immediate subjection to elders."
He continues......."You have the same thing in regards to a husband & wife relationship. The head of every true believer is Christ and Paul says wives be subject to husbands."
"So there is no contradiction in this truth but a 'wonderful synthesis'."
Wait a minute! Do you see the problem? Among other things, he is now egregiously and flagrantly equating a wife's subjection and submission to her own husband with what a church member's "supposed" subjection and submission should be to "their elders!" The same with a husband. He is equating a husband's headship over his wife - to what an "elders" headship in the church over each and every member ought to be!
Do you see the issue? Do you see the diabolical scheme and trap that is being set?
Wives are nowhere told to submit to or obey their elders. NOWHERE!
Mr. Elder Man knows that. But Mr. Elder Man doesn't like that. Mr Elder Man wants the church member to be subject to him "in everything" too! He wants the church member to be subject to him "as unto the Lord" too! He wants the church member to consider Mr. Elder Man as "head" and "ruler" over them too, just like as a husband is head and ruler over his family.
So how is Mr. Elder Man going to arrange for this to happen? It's very simple for him. Just teach it and say that it is Scriptural, and then remind you to "obey your duly authorized God-given elders!" That's how!
But by now, I hope you see WHY the evil twisting of these Scripture's is put into operation?
It is put into operation so that all of the so-called "spiritual leaders" in the church can now have total and absolute domination in the church and in your life! So Mr. Elder Man can now tell you, quote: " I have authority derived from Christ"
(No you don't!)
"....And when I exercise this "oversight", I am not acting as a mere man; I am acting as a man who stands in an "office",
(The word "office" is not even in the original Scriptures. It was inserted by the KJV translators to the delight of many, even to this day!);
"I am acting as a man who stands in an "office", an "office" appointed by Christ and enclothed with the authority of Christ..."
Sounds just like what my Roman Catholic priest used to tell me! The only difference was that the priest wasn't dressed up in a business suit!
The so-called "eldership" is ascribing and assuming to themselves "authority" and "rulership" that even the Apostles would not dream of doing!
The marriage between a husband and wife is a picture of Christ and the Church; not a picture of the church member to their elders! Do you see the bait and switch?
IT IS G-O-D WHO HAS SAID IN THE SCRIPTURES THAT A WIFE IS TO SUBMIT TO HER OWN HUSBAND IN EVERYTHING.
IT IS G-O-D WHO HAS SET THIS POLICY.
IT IS G-O-D WHO HAS MADE THIS EQUATION OF THE HUSBAND/WIFE RELATIONSHIP AS A GREAT MYSTERY OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.
GOD has NOT put this here for prospective church members to look at, and then to emulate how they "might" relate to so-called "elders" in the church!
And neither has GOD described the mysteries and responsibilities of the marriage institution in order for authoritarian, spiritual abusing, monstrous "elders" to look at and then "salivate over" and then arrogantly ascribe to themselves the same responsibilities in dealing with church members!
No wonder marriages are being destroyed left and right by these men.
I repeat, the marriage between a husband and wife is a picture of Christ and the Church; not a picture of the church member to their elders! Do you see the bait and switch?
Don't let wicked, two-faced, doubled minded, doubled tongued lying "shepherds" tell you otherwise! Run from them and that place as fast and as far as possible.
IT IS THE ELDER WHO IS BLASPHEMING, NOT THE ONE WHO QUESTIONS HIM,..... AND THERE IS NO "WONDERFUL SYNTHESIS" ABOUT IT !
This is a loathsome evil that is occurring in many churches, with many individuals that are supposedly "exercising the oversight." Insofar as this particular individual is concerned (Albert N. Martin) is it any wonder that many have been warned: “…..I feel that it is my duty to warn you that Albert N. Martin will not hesitate to come between you and your wife in order to gain his own ends…..”
In this same message, Albert N. Martin uses the exact same trickery with 1 Tim. 3:4-5 where the Apostle says that anyone who reaches out to overseership should be one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence but if anyone doesn't know how to rule his own house, how will he care for a church of God.
Here, this teaching elder assumes, he alleges, he deduces from this Scripture that the way a father deals with his child in the home is the same way an elder deals with a member of the church. This is what he says:
"We see from 1 Tim. 3 verses 4 & 5 a parallel with a father in the home and an elder with the flock. Do you see the parallel? A father is to exercise wise, authoritative, and humble government in the total affairs of his household. He is to be concerned for the spiritual, material, physical,
psychological, emotional well-being of the whole household over which God has placed him as head. (Again) "Do you see the parallel?" "This passage powerfully supports it."
Just a minute. No it doesn't! There is no parallel at all! He just made that up and pronounced it as gospel! And the reason is to prepare you for what he will say next about a church member who starts to ask questions or who might disagree with a particular "church" decision:
"...Just like many times, I said to my children: 'Look. That's none of your business. This is the policy established and you knuckle-under. Like it or not; whether you see the reasonableness or not. We are your parents commanded by God to give positive; authoritative, humble direction in this house.'
"AND ELDERS ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO EXPLAIN THEIR REASONS FOR ALL THEIR DECISIONS."
And so therefore, when a member of the church asks for a reason or dares to disagree, he'll say this:
"Along comes a church member with questions and disagreements about this announcement. Did you see what happened?"
"The church member, in his heart, does not embrace and obey the biblical mandate to obey them that have the rule over you! I know whereof I speak."
"This wicked spirit is present in some of your hearts and you better see it for what it is. Its an arrogant, proud spirit." "Beware of the pride that will second guess YOUR "elders."
And if the "elder" is wrong?
"Which is worse - for "elders" to err in ignorance or for YOU to INFECT yourself and others with a spirit of insubordination and rebellion!
WHICH IS WORSE!"
What can we say to all of this? First of all, just like he does to the husband and wife relationship, he does to this passage also. He twists and corrupts it to gain his own ends! Sorry to say to the elder but....
A CHURCH MEMBER IS NOT YOUR CHILD!
Secondly, you call this "positive-authoritative-humble government?" Are you kidding me?
What father is there among us who, if his son shall ask him a question about a family policy, shall lash back at him in this manner? What kind of "father" is this! What would you call this kind of a father? I'll let you decide.
As has been said repeatedly, no church member is ever correct when he puts his conscience under the unquestioned "authority" of any elder! Whenever an "elder" asks or demands such loyalty on the basis if his so-called "God-ordained authority," that elder is merely proving that he has no authority at all from God. He is beyond any question a false prophet. He is the thief and robber that Christ warned about in John 10:1.
How many times has Jesus warned us over and over again throughout the Scriptures concerning these issues. But alas, much of His warnings have gone unheeded.
The issues being mentioned here are a woeful evil in MANY CHURCHES today. And there is very little a Godly husband can do about it except pack the bags, grab his wife and kids, and run to the hills as quick and far as possible. Or else, receive the left foot of dis-fellowship. Or in some cases, both! But sad to say, for many others, this fiendish disease has already arrived at its terminal state.
This "spiritual narcotic" of fraudulent eldership rule, accompanied with its "hypnotic morphine," has already done its deadly work in the marriage. Not only have some wives already succumbed and have forsaken their own husbands in their hearts, but also some husbands have succumbed as well to these false teachers and have relinquished their God-given headship over to these Wicked Shepherds.
Dear reader, do you see why there is a desperate need for a website such as this?
Do you see why there is an “angry tone” to some of the articles that are presented here?
There are a lot of Christian couples in many of these churches today who cannot even begin to realize that they are nothing more than cattle headed for the slaughterhouse when they get married.
They will quickly learn and conform to this UNBIBLICAL injunction:
".....As the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives and husbands, and all church members, be subject to their own spiritual overseers in everything....."
Does anyone really imagine that God sees these "churches" as His representative on earth?
Is it any wonder someone has aptly said, "The closer we get to Christ and His Word, the more separated from the clergy and their churches we will become."
Most “elders” that I know are horrible, horrible people with sick minds who are all too happy to instigate these dastardly deeds.
Many of them are walking around today with a chip on their shoulders which moves them to put forth people as an example of what will happen to someone who goes against the “eldership.”
There are times in many marriages where a husband and wife have disagreements and where loves’ flame has dwindled, but this is when God's unconditional love should override our own selfish personal desires. Unconditional love is God's love. When you were married, you made promises to God and to your spouse (for better, for worse; in sickness, and in health; for richer, for poorer; 'til death do us part...and for you wives, "to be in subjection").
Increasingly, people in the church don't even think twice about breaking their marriage vows (what's one more sin, right?). Church members have been desensitized concerning the sinfulness of separation and divorce. And why shouldn’t it be. In many cases, the “eldership” has instigated and pronounced their blessing on this dastardly deed!
Hebrews 13:5 teaches that God NEVER forsakes or leaves His own. How sad that so many professing "Christians" willingly forsake their own spouse during the "for worse" times of the marriage. It's wrong! It's wicked!
Don’t listen to these "wolves” who counsel you to separate or divorce from your spouse because they disagree with the “pastor” or because they changed their thinking about church policy, or for any issue whatsoever! They have NO RIGHT to tell you that it is now permissible for you to break your wedding vows.
We are living in a day where many church leaders are nothing but spoiled little brats who want all of the attention focused on them; spoiled little brats who complain that someone didn’t thank them for the sermon today or didn’t shake their hand at the door; spoiled little brats who have nothing better to do than to poke their noses into other peoples’ lives and if they don’t like what they see, complain about it to everybody else in the “pulpit” next Sunday !
Is a husbands decision to question the “pastor”, or church doctrine, or policy, or even to leave the church to attend another, so evil and rotten that wives are being “counseled” to separate or even divorce if necessary from them?
Or is it that these poor deluded women have been poisoned in their minds by the church leaders into thinking that she must help them in dealing with her “husband's sins.”
What all these so-called leaders in the church need to do is shut up, and stop destroying other people's marriages. A spouse who would otherwise be willing to "tough it out" through the struggles of marriage, often ends up filing for divorce because of some “elder” who brainwashed them to do things his way instead of the spouses' way. This is not obeying your elders. This is LOBOTOMY!!
Woe unto the rebellious wife who forsakes her husband!
But thank God for the few loyal wives who didn’t fall for these shenanigans. Thank God for all the loving mothers who didn't have to think whether or not to raise her children without their father. For the loyal wife, there was no decision to make; there was no choice in the matter as to whom she will and must submit because she would never even consider such blasphemies. Thank God for the few truly “holy women” that there are today.
In these last days, a husband and wife need to be strong in the Lord and in their knowledge of God's Word; especially wives, who are foolishly being taught to run to the “elders” when you “suspect” your husband to be asking too many questions. Ladies, you are walking in the counsel of the ungodly at such times. (Psalm 1:1)
You are amongst other spouses whose marriages have been destroyed by these "experts.” They are very keen as to how to hurt your spouse and "fix them good." These home wreckers viciously prey upon tired and weak wives who just need a break from life.
Doesn’t it anger you with a holy anger that these so-called “pastors/elders" are so eager to break up other people's marriages; BUT, they themselves would never ever tolerate someone doing that to their own marriage.
As in so many other areas, they're nothing but meddling hypocrites!
TO "UN-LEARN" IS A VIRTUE
When you have had a concept drilled into your head for many years it takes a long time to go back through the Scriptures and realize where you have erred.
The current vision of the “eldership/authority" structure that we find in many churches was not founded by Jesus Christ, but by men who love to control other human beings. These "professional clergymen" have contaminated and disfigured what Jesus founded. Jesus never taught that salvation, eternal life, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins, your sanctification, attaining to the “means of grace”, or being blessed in this life, has anything to do with the man-made “church/eldership/authority structure."
Jesus Christ is not the author of authoritarianism, hierarchy or the "professional clergy" class of people who lords it over other people. (1 Peter 5:3)
In fact, in Matthew 23 Jesus Christ severely reprimanded the religious leaders for their customs and traditions which were in opposition to God and the character of God. The parallel between the religious leaders of the time of Jesus and many religious church leaders today is very striking.
And just like as in the days when He walked the earth, it is the "spiritual" leaders who decry anyone who challenges their man-made customs and traditions because they claim their territory is divinely appointed.
It is truly sad that the only way these men can make a living is by threatening people with their twisted and demented ideas of God and how His “church” ought to function. Do they ever truly listen to what they say? Or do they care?
The sad fact of the matter is that many Christian wives in the church today are only in submission to their husbands when they feel like it, or shall I say, only when it is in agreement with the “eldership.” They're Christian wives, but only up to a point. They are clandestinely, and maybe at times, not so clandestinely, being taught that marriage is more like a game you can play, where you can quit the game any time the church leaders give you the ok.
This is not Biblical Christianity. This is not Christianity. This is not the teaching of Jesus Christ. This teaching and counsel from the pastor and his cronies comes right from the pit of hell!
VERY FEW people can understand what was just said, and probably, as long as they remain in these types of churches, never will!
If ever there was a point in time when the following quote from hundreds of years ago can be applied to the sad circumstances of today, now is that point in time:
"...Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it..."
MORE BAD NEWS
Another example of the kinds of things that are being taught is the following. Here are some points that were taught at a Reformed Baptists Women’s Retreat by a reformed baptist pastor..
(A word of warning to men: Think twice before sending your wife off to these so-called “Women’s Retreats”) These are taken from actual sermon notes:
“God has given the husband no warrant to demand his wife’s submission to
sin. (Ed. Note: “sin” as defined by the elders, of course)
The husband has no authority to demand your disobedience to God. He has no authority to
demand that you violate the "authority of the church" (Ed. Note: Hmmm. I wonder who that
might be?)
– demands that you profane the Lord’s Day or to absent yourself
from the public meetings of church. (Oh really!)
You must respectfully decline. His authority does not go that far.
Pity the woman who plays the
coward, acquiesces, accommodates and tries to cover it up by claiming
submission. She’s deluded; she’s deceived – giving him precedent for his
future demands. She’s playing the fool; she’s a coward before the eyes of her
children. She’s accomplishing the opposite of what she says she’s doing.”
This is just more of the "religious rot" that is out there. And women especially are ever so blindly buying into it. And they do so with confidence and joy! Why do they do so with confidence and joy? Because unfortunately, many have been caused to forsake their own husbands already in their hearts. They have already imbibed and succumbed to the false teachings of "their church leaders" whom they have replaced in their husbands' stead.
"Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything" (Eph. 5:24)
“…and let the wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Eph. 5:33)
These blind leaders of the blind (Matt. 15:14) are they who are the lords of a vast and powerful system which calls itself "the church," but which is not the church at all, but a blinding, restricting, abyss of incomprehensible darkness and confusion that holds the spirits of men and women in such bondage to life-destroying, carnal-minded, power-hungry, "spiritual monsters!"
Remember again back in the Garden? Eve saw no need to go to Adam before she ate of the tree. And why is it that she saw no need to confer or defer to her husband? Why was that? What prevented her from following and submitting to her husband?
It was because she “listened” to the “advice” of another; she heeded the “counsel” of another; she “listened” to the “voice” of another who was telling her not to follow God and her husband but to follow him! And so she submitted herself to the orders of another who came to her with scriptures too!
Eve was being taught that to be a "help meet" did not necessitate having her husband actively involved in her decision making process. Why, how very humiliating, having to involve her husband!
When our understanding comes from anything other than "Thy Word," it is really coming from nothing less that "the serpent" himself, disguising himself as a servant of righteousness.
How humiliating it would have been to Eve to have told “her counselor” that she preferred that her husband do the speaking. And as so often the case……as then, so now.
John 7:17 If anyone desires to do His will, he shall know concerning the teaching, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself.
And what is HIS will? “But even as the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.” Ephesians 5:24
God expects a woman to be in submission to her own husband in everything because the husband-wife relationship pictures the holy, sweet relationship of Christ and His bride.
But as we have seen, according to many “churches”, a wife does NOT have to submit to her husband when the husband thinks differently from the elders and the church. She is counseled to take the advice and position of the elder over that of her husband. And she is even told to separate from him, if he does not “repent” from his “rebellious” ways, to teach him a lesson!
Whenever a woman forsakes her husband to follow the spiritual advice or counsel of another, it will always lead to tragedy; a tragedy that (unless and until the Lord Himself intervenes), will leave its scars for a long time.
Is there any area in which the Church is not subject to Jesus Christ?
It's not true that the Church says, "In matters of doctrine we will submit to Jesus, but in matters of practice, we will do our own thing."
It's not true that the Church may say, "At certain times we will submit to Jesus, but at other times, we are free."
In all things and all ways the Church is subject to Christ.
So, for the wife to say, (as she has been taught) "I will submit to my husband when he is here, but not when he is gone," or, "I will be subject as long as he gives me what I want, as long as he is nice to me," or “if it doesn't go against my conscience” or “only if "my elders" say that your request is permissible”, is to disobey Jesus.
MORE DECEPTIVE TEACHING
Another false teaching by these so-called "spiritual advisers" that is drilled into the heads of women goes something like this. A wife is taught to say to her husband: "You know hubby, there are three spheres of government. There's the domestic sphere, the civil sphere, and the church sphere. Only in terms of domestic issues, things that come under the domestic realm, I am to look to you for guidance and to come under your submission. You know...things like paying the bills, where we go on vacation, what car to buy, whether to have a dog or not, etc., etc. I am not to come under your guidance and submission in the civil or church sphere. That is beyond your scope of authority over me, hubby!"
Is this what the Scriptures teach? This is MORE unbiblical nonsense that church members have been taught and imbibing for many, many years!
(See the article, "The False Teaching of Delegated Authority" that exposes this most abused and distorted teaching in the church today)
The Scriptures enjoin us to be in subjection to the civil powers that be.
The Scriptures enjoin us to be in subjection to your masters (employers?), both to the good and to the forward.
But the Scriptures DO NOT correlate or connect at all these entities with that of the marriage institution!
You will never, EVER find Scriptures telling wives to be in subjection unto their own government, or employer, or their town council or their “pastor”, AS UNTO THE LORD.
For the government, employer, town council, “pastor” is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the Savior of the body.
But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own government, employer, town council, and “pastor” in everything.
You will not find this perversion in the Scriptures! You will only find this perversion in the mouths of perverted "teaching elders."
But you will find the Scriptures telling wives to be subject to their own husbands, as unto the Lord……in everything!
TURNED ASIDE AFTER SATAN
What group of people might this Scripture be referring to?
"For some are already turned aside after Satan." -1st Timothy 5:15.
To find out what group has TURNED ASIDE after Satan, you simply need to read 1st Timothy 5:14...
"I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully."
The Apostle Paul makes it clear who the guilty group is, i.e., those who have TURNED ASIDE AFTER SATAN. It is women who FAIL to fulfill God's ROLE for their life as mothers and wives. You value “your church; your friends,” more than you do family. You care more about fulfilling the man-made requirements of a religious system than you do about your husband; your home; your children.
Instead of obeying their husbands (Ephesians 5:24), and behaving themselves as the Scriptures declares; women have allowed the so-called church leaders to brainwash them into becoming independent; irresponsible; stubborn; rebellious and caused them to turn their backs on their families and husband. They are walking according to the course of this world, and the prince of it, by whom they were led captive at his will; for so is every wife that forsakes the counsel and direction of their husbands and follows instead their false teachers and their doctrines. They have turned aside after Satan; and the apostle knew this to be fact, from his own observation.
It should not surprise you that God would refer to such women as having TURNED ASIDE AFTER SATAN. Remember that Eve turned aside after Satan, by TAKING BAD ADVICE.
And as usual, history repeats itself as Satan’s ministers have caused many women to be drawn away from their husbands and the Truth.
Ladies, if you continually cause your husband grief and reproach, abandoning him, embarrassing him, hiding things from him, and lying to him, then you are turning aside after Satan.
Using the tongue in the wrong way is a result of an evil state of the heart - “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt. 12:34).
Notice that turning aside after Satan also involves being “tattlers...and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not” (v. 13).
Don't listen to these wolves in sheep's clothing. These deceivers are smart and they are clever, and they understand human nature. They know how to deceive; to divide; and to destroy!
We need to heed the admonition of the apostle Paul: "Neither give place to the Devil" (Ephesians 4:27).
We are living in extraordinary times. Today, just as in the days of Isaiah, truth is fallen in the street; and judgment is turned away backward.
On every front, the truths of Scripture are arrogantly disparaged while the wisdom of man is exalted and received as authoritative, and without question.
"If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3)
The sad thing is that some wives are almost as sick in mind, spirit, and soul as their false church leaders. Maybe some of these women need to wake up and smell the stench of such religious rot diseasing their mind and soul and spirit.
"A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN"
The bottom line is this. Unless there is submission all the time, there is no submission any of the time. If you choose when to submit to your husband, you are not submitting to him at all. You are simply doing your own will, (or more than likely, the will of your "spiritual leaders" at "headquarters") and sometimes it happens to coincide with his wishes.
As one Christian woman has said, “it takes more strength for a woman to submit to a husband believing his decision is wrong, than it does to bully, belittle or refuse to submit. But God's reward for such character and strength (which I'm here to tell you takes the spirit of Christ living in you to successfully perform) is immeasurable.”
To put it into perspective, a Christian wife has as much right to pick and choose as to whether to submit to her husband in everything as the church has as much right in picking and choosing whether to submit to Christ in everything.
Ladies, don't allow these wolves to tell you to conform to their false self-serving system of theology!
Eph.5:24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be unto their own husbands in everything.
God has told wives, each and all, to submit to their own husbands and to their own husbands alone, in everything. Obedience to that command, prayer, and the leading of the Holy Spirit should keep the Godly wife in perfect peace.
Does the Church lose Her dignity when she submits to Christ in everything? Does it detract from Her beauty, Her honor, Her 'churchness' to give Herself wholly to Him? Of course not. Indeed, is it not exactly this that makes the Church a beautiful Bride? It is!
It's a beautiful woman who places herself under the headship of her husband alone and submits to him in everything: willingly and from the heart. As another has said, “My relationship to my husband is my relationship to the Lord!”
Because of false teachings abounding, there are many who do not understand what the Scriptures mean in Ephesians 5 and Genesis 3. GOD is the One who said, “He shall rule over thee” (Gen. 3:16). It wasn’t the husband who said this or who demanded it. It wasn’t Adam who made the decision. The husband didn’t even have a choice!
A wife should submit to her husband in everything because God said so; and if you don’t, you are disobeying God. Wives should submit to their husbands as if it were the Lord Himself telling them what to do.
A woman who is obeying her Lord by submitting to the headship of her own husband in everything will receive favor with the Lord. You cannot see the fabric God is weaving--you see only a few threads. You do not know what God has planned or how He will perform the weaving.
All you know is that God has His perfect plan, and the wife’s submission to her husband in everything is part of God’s way of revealing this plan. His is a beautiful plan and a glorious privilege for wives personally—once they understand it.
The relationship between a man and his wife is very intimate. A wife becomes as one with her husband. God wills that the wife submit to her husband in everything in order to enable him to nourish and cherish her. Such a relationship is in accordance with God’s perfect will—the visible picture of Christ’s invisible relationship to His Church (Eph. 5:22-31).
The Church is not subject to Christ because She is forced against Her will, but is such because of the wonderful grace of Jesus to change Her from a rebel to a beautiful Wife.
As one has said, “I know that by submitting to my husband in everything, I know that with God, in Christ, my marriage relationship can only grow one way—toward being more perfect.
This type of marriage, formed in accordance to God’s plan, is just as much a part of making Christ known to the world as is witnessing verbally. It’s the wife’s own private mission field. With this marvelous privilege in mind, there is no more resentment and no more rebellion—only joy. This Godly wife is free—gloriously free to submit to her husband in everything so that Christ’s eternal love to His own Bride, the Church, may be shown to the world.
What came first to women was God's command to be in subjection to their own husbands.
AND THIS CAN BE DONE…..The principle is this: total, absolute and unconditional obedience should be rendered unto our Lord. He demands nothing less than this. You can indeed, and must follow your husbands headship and be subject in everything if you are willing to wait on God.
Be patient and be subject to your husband. Realize that "this life is but a vapor which appears for a moment and then passes away." Turn off the voices of your self-serving, sanctimonious leaders and take on the mind of Christ which says "not my will but what thou wilt."
And His will is for you to be subject to your own husband in everything. Do this and you will stand before thousands and sing for joy.
Refusing to do so, either willingly or unwillingly, that is being seduced by ravenous wolves in the church, will result in confusion and turmoil and every vile deed.
GOD'S UNFAILING LOVE
God oftentimes uses many signs and illustrations in the Scriptures in driving home a point on an issue that He wants to emphasize. One such use is His relationship to the nation of Israel. God uses this as an allegory to show His love and mercy for his unfaithful wife, Israel.
There are a few examples of this particular allegory. One example of God's unconditional love is in the Old Testament book of Hosea.
Hosea was one of the minor prophets, sent by God to preach to Israel. Hosea married Gomer, and they had numerous children. Gomer, being allured and turning to others gods, then abandoned Hosea to go live in the sin of whoredom and adultery. Hosea was devastated, for he loved Gomer; but she was a whore.
At the end of the book of Hosea, after Gomer had lived a life of sin, Hosea finds her being sold at a slave market. Hosea buys Gomer back, thus expressing his unconditional love and forgiveness.
This whole incident is a reminder of the evil dichotomy currently existing between “church rulers” and the God-instituted rule in the family. How?
It’s a sad story but nevertheless, all too true….and even perhaps going on right now as we speak in many marriages.
How can a faithful spouse (wife) turn into an unfaithful spouse (wife)?
"....But sadly, she became an unfaithful wife...slowly being beguiled by the church and its leaders, she began to forsake her husband in her heart.....She was ever so lured by their seductive charm; their incessant and never ending call to sit under THEIR teaching and to submit to THEIR headship and to listen to and follow THEIR counsel;
"....Through the passing of time, many of her "friends" entered into the scene and now, along with the "elders", encouraged her more and more in the departure from her husband and from the Truth...."
She in turn was fully and finally seduced by the church and its leaders; seduced by her "friends" and she now became an adulteress, prostituting herself with the "eldership"
“....She began to completely forsake her husband and trampled on the marriage covenant by constantly being in rebellion to his direction and leadership. She now no longer saw her husband as her God-given head but had replaced him, not in heart only but in actuality, with her new lover and head, her church leaders.
She had become indeed a whore; whoring after the “eldership”. She had committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord and his Word; she has sought out and found other counselors and made them her idols; for the evil spirit of whoredoms has made her to err as they seek out more whores to commandeer and control.”
"…In spite of this, her husband was patient with her; suffering in silence; enduring her cruel mockings and slander; laying down his life daily for her; and gave her numerous opportunities to repent and return to him, her true husband and lover.”
".....Though the story doesn't end there.....he has not given up on his unfaithful wife.......
By the mercy of the Lord, he at last, rescued her from their poisonous fangs,
and she returned to him and truly submitted to him and to his God-given headship in everything.
She lived with him once again, as he lovingly soothed her wounds that she encountered from her abusers........anointing them with oil......she was eventually brought back to her senses;
She was faithful to him; and gradually her heart was won over by his love and mercy, to truly become his wife; and this was now her care all the days of her life; never to desert him again."
May the One True and Living God forgive us for our stupidity, and lack of knowledge of HIS will.
Ken Cascio
Webmaster
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