Alex

I don’t assume that at all TL. You reading your ideas into the words on the page. I never said the woman was inferior to the man. However, she is also not superior. Both are sinful, both are God driven, and the husband should never make decisions without the wife (as the wife should never make decisions without the husband).

However, what is to happen when a situation arises where a decision MUST be made and the husband and wife cannot agree? After prayer and fasting they continue to disagree. After looking into both sides heavily they continue to disagree. After searching the scriptures they continue to disagree. And yet a decision must be made. It is in these instances that God calls the wife to submit to the husband. Not because she is inferior to the husband (she is neither inferior nor superior). And not because she is immature (they are both equally mature and able to come to conclusions rationally and properly). She is called to submit because a decision MUST be made. These are extremely rare instances and are the only time the husband is to use his leadership to overrule his wife. Could the husband be wrong? Yes of course, men are just as fallible as women. But if no decision is ever made then nothing will happen and the situation will be a disaster. And if you truly follow the word of God, the use of this authority is only authorized for the betterment of the wife!

(As a side note: the husband I am speaking of is a man of God who earnestly wants to serve his wife, the one you speak of is a man who is in need of church discipline and time in the word.)

Also, in complementary marriage it is important to note that the husband is called to love his wife as Christ loved the church. That means he is to give up everything for her. That means in everything he is to love her, to constantly do whats best for her, and if the situation arises he is to die for her.

When there is danger, the husband is the one who is called to be in it. When there is violence, the husband is called to protect the wife. When evil men and women are attacking her with their words, her husband is called to take the attack and defend her from their words. Not because she can’t handle it, but because in loving your wife as Jesus loved the church husbands are to sacrificially give up everything for their wives.

And in the same way the wives are called to do the same for husbands. Not because the husband is an authority over the wife (he is not! They are equals) but because she is responding to his love the way the church is called to respond to Christ’s love.

(and when I say grow and cultivate it doesn’t mean she is an inferior who must be turned into what the husband is. I mean she must be sacrificially loved in such a way where she can be who God made her to be. Growing and cultivating is helping her to become who she feels God desires her to be, not who the husband thinks she should be.)