Thursday, October 1, 2009

The Helper (The Excellent Wife)

As I am sitting waiting for my other class to start at 2, I decided I should post a lil more about The Excellent Wife. I am really enjoy reading it and are learning more things.

 One point that I read is something I think a lot of women might have a problem with.
A wife is a helper. Sorry ladies, but it's true. Man was made first and then God thought it was not good not have him be alone so he created a helper for man. (Genesis 2:18) 

We were both made in the image of God, however men were made first. That didn't just happen. God just didn't flip a coin to see which sex to create first. He knew who to make first. (Genesis 2:7,18, 21-22) Martha Peace (the author of The Excellent Wife) states that the order of creation was significant, the husband was created to rule over the earth; the wife later, was created to be a "helper" that would be suitable for him. Each one of us were created in His image, but are created to carry out a different role. 

Peace continues to say that woman were created for the man, not the other way around! (1 Corinthians 11:7-9) Paul is talking here about God's intent.

Another thing I read was man is to glorify God and woman is to glorify the man.
    • When I first read this I was like WAIT! Aren't Christians supposed to glorify God above all else?! Then I started thinking. The majority of the scriptures that talk about wives are directed towards how she should treat her husband or submit to him! 
      • Ephesians 22-24
      • Proverbs 31
      • Ephesians 5:33
      • And some other scripture I will talk about a lil later. 
    • So my understanding is when a wife treats her husband like the Bible says she should, she is glorifying God.
Mrs. Peace explains that the husband is to be like Christ is to the church. While the wife is to be what the Church is to Christ (glorifying and submitting). 
      • Ephesians 5:23- "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being Savior of the body..."
      • Ephesians 5:22-24, 32- "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything."
I figured I should add some stuff for the guys who might read my blog so you don't feel left out! :)
      • Husbands are to model Christ's response to the Church
        • Christ died for the church, a sacrifice of self 
        • Ephesians 5:25 - "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her."
      •  Christ loves, nourishes, and cherishes the church.
        •  Ephesians 5:28-29 -So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church.
Now I don't want wives to go to their husbands and nag at them and say "why don't you do.... like the Bible says." That is not a nice way of going about that. Instead pray for him! Focus on what you as a wife should be doing, being a helper.

So to summarize all this...women were created to be a helper to their husbands. As a wife we are to glorify and submit to our husbands. And husbands are to be as Christ is to the Church (cherishing, sacrificing for, nourishes, and loving) to their wife.


Oh my goodness that was a lot of information, but I really wanted to share it with y'all. I really enjoy reading this book. I recommend it to anyone who just got married, or is thinking about getting married.

 Just a disclaimer! :) I don't know everything about this stuff and I might not ever. I am simply blogging about this to help my fellow sisters in Christ. 

I hope you like and I will keep posting about my thoughts and things I liked about The Excellent Wife.

Have a great day!

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