Lord’s Day, Vol. 3 No. 5

Be good and obedient to their own husbands

Titus 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Titus exhorted the women in his congregation to be a good and obedient wife to her own husband so that the word of God would not be blasphemed. The word “blasphemed” means “be reproached”.

The testimony of God’s people would either glorify or blaspheme the word of God. Being godly and possessing Christ-like character speak volumes of our faith in the Lord. It testifies of a higher wisdom and prudence of living that is consistent to the will of God as revealed in His Word.

Wives are exhorted, in fact, commanded twice to submit to their own husbands in the writings of the Apostle Paul, Titus’ spiritual mentor, in Ephesians 5:22 and Colossians 3:18.

The wife is to submit to her husband in the Lord. She is to obey her husband as she obeys the Lord. Submission is not merely an outward formality but a wholehearted devotion, though it is manifested in outward obedience. It removes the notion of self-will.

Does it mean that the wife gives up all initative or creativity? Walter and Trudy Fremont in the book “Formula for Family Unity”, rightly cited Proverbs 31 and describe the wife “as creative and having initiative even within the framework of her submissive role.”

It begs the question “how”. It is exemplified as the Christian’s submission to the Lord. This is God’s formula for unity and success in family life.

This submission of the wife “as to the Lord” has the sense of a trusting relationship. As the wife trusts the Lord, she submits to her husband.

1 Peter 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands.

The wife knows the sovereign care of God in ordering all things in a believer’s life and therefore she is aware of God’s abiding care for her to release her anxieties and allow God to lead by entrusting her life to the headship of her husband. She sees beyond circumstances to the sovereign power of God working out something good.

Ephesians 5:22-24 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

As Christ is the head of the church, the head of the home, the husband is the head of the wife. The husband is the God-ordained leader in the family. The wife is to recognize this God-ordained role of the husband and receive blessing in helping the husband fulfil his role.

With the Lord’s help in the husband and wife relationship and the wife exercising faith in the Lord, her fear of submitting to her husband will dissipate. Since God ordains the order of the relationship, He would ensure the workability of that order.

The undesirable trait of unkind behaviour of the wife towards her husband could arise because the wife is disappointed with her husband who fails to love her, to put her interest at heart. Therefore, she returns tit for tat and decided she would not be a good wife.

But Titus exhorts the women to be good to her husband.

This poem entitled “Kind Words and Deeds” by Longfellow illustrates to us this trait of biblical goodness.

Kind Words and Deeds

Kind hearts are the gardens

Kind thoughts are the roots,

Kind words are the flowers,

Kind deeds are the fruits.

Take care of your garden,

And keep out the weeds;

Fill it with sunshine,

Kind words and kind deeds.

Practically speaking, it means to not be weary in well-doing by developing a courage and consistency for doing good. Not to lose heart or lose courage in doing good for it comes with a promise of reward – in due season we shall reap!

The character of benevolence or showing kindness is a godly trait that we do well to learn. It is the sign of Christian maturity.

Dear readers, biblical goodness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and has to be cultivated. Obedience to God’s Word would lead to God’s blessing. Do take time to ponder and examine the truths revealed in the light of God’s Word. Amen

Yours lovingly in Christ,

Ps. Lek Aik Wee