Colossians 3:18-4:1
I don't know if you follow the news but there is a man named Mark “Chris” Sevier who was suing to have 'the right' to marry his Apple computer. The lunacy of the idea. Shocking as it may seem, the case was dismissed. I've written about such dribble before. What paradigm of marriage does one have that would allow someone to think they could marry an inanimate object? If marriage was about nothing more than one-sided sexual gratification then anatomically correct blow-up doll sales would run wild.
This passage however gives a different view of reality even if it has been used in the past to justify wives submitting themselves to abusive husbands. Bad things are inevitable when you take scripture out of context or use it selectively to bolster your power. How many good women sacrificed themselves at the altar of "being submissive to your husbands".
The truth of this passage is not about power or being submissive as it is about balance and equality. St Paul took some of the standards of life and some standards of that specific time and tried to balance the two bookends to create equality and respect. It is not meant to be one sided ( women being submissive to their husbands" and it is not about justifying slavery (see! slavery is sanctioned by being mentioned int he Bible!) Slavery is not sanctioned. Slavery was normative for that time before we realized through the workings of the Holy Spirit and our maturity that slavery is absolutely wrong. Slavery shows a profound lack of respect for God's creations, our brothers and sisters.
The balance that we witness is something we need to rattle our brains over. We need to challenge the status quo and we need to leave no stones unturned in our efforts to respect each other and understand each other.
Mutual respect, consent and two way communication are keys, if not a requisites for any marriage and any good relationship. One could add that you would never want to do anything that would harm the other, each is protective of the other. Inanimate objects offer none of those things.
Nothing one sided ever is correct and one sided efforts never work out. There must always be balance.
This passage however gives a different view of reality even if it has been used in the past to justify wives submitting themselves to abusive husbands. Bad things are inevitable when you take scripture out of context or use it selectively to bolster your power. How many good women sacrificed themselves at the altar of "being submissive to your husbands".
The truth of this passage is not about power or being submissive as it is about balance and equality. St Paul took some of the standards of life and some standards of that specific time and tried to balance the two bookends to create equality and respect. It is not meant to be one sided ( women being submissive to their husbands" and it is not about justifying slavery (see! slavery is sanctioned by being mentioned int he Bible!) Slavery is not sanctioned. Slavery was normative for that time before we realized through the workings of the Holy Spirit and our maturity that slavery is absolutely wrong. Slavery shows a profound lack of respect for God's creations, our brothers and sisters.
The balance that we witness is something we need to rattle our brains over. We need to challenge the status quo and we need to leave no stones unturned in our efforts to respect each other and understand each other.
Mutual respect, consent and two way communication are keys, if not a requisites for any marriage and any good relationship. One could add that you would never want to do anything that would harm the other, each is protective of the other. Inanimate objects offer none of those things.
Nothing one sided ever is correct and one sided efforts never work out. There must always be balance.
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality.
Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, for you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
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