Craig

Kay @ 60,
It is interesting that you mentioned people who “wish to believe that Paul would have lumped the wife in with “household”.

This seems to be the view of the staff at our church. For example, one of the paid full time staff, our youth minister, who has a theological degree, had this to say 2 weeks ago on the youth group’s blog in response to a question on Eph 5.
“Submitting must mean obeying at some point if it means respecting…….” “….with this comes responsibility for the husband to lead his wife and his family. That doesn’t mean that he makes all the decisions for the family yet the example below indicates that he is to make decisions and the wife and family are to follow them.
“…the responsibility for the family making godly choices lies with him. Also, when the family makes dodgy choices, the responsibility is his too.
In practice, it means that when the family discusses things and makes decisions together, it is the husband’s job to make sure that Jesus comes into the picture. If it doesn’t, then the Bible says that he has done the wrong thing and he is responsible for the family’s poor choice.
This is where respect comes in. The wife is to recognise that it is her husband’s job to raise the family in Jesus -and then to let him do it!
Example: The husband gets a new job offer, but it involves moving. The wife doesn’t want to move the family. The husband and the wife (and family) would discuss it together. In the end, if the best thing for the family’s Christian growth is to take the job, then the family should submit to the husband exercising his responsibility. At the same time, the husband must only take the job if he is sure that it is the best thing for the family’s Christian growth.
Notice how sometimes the best thing for the family might not be what everyone wants to do? If the husband wimps out because of the pressure and doesn’t choose the best thing for the family, he is not taking his responsibility seriously.
So what does this mean? Wives, Sons and Daughters of Christian Husbands/ Dads: help them to fulfill their responsibility by listening to them and understand why they might stop you from doing something you want or make you do something you don’t want to. Talk to them about it when you disagree and ask them to show you why it is the most godly option. Pray with them and for them when they make decisions–they are responsible before God for you. And if you don’t agree with them–respect the role Jesus has given them by submitting to their authority and obeying them. ”
“……. the responsibility remains for the husband to raise his family in Jesus.”

My son leads one of the small groups in the youth group and he showed me what was written on the blog. We had a good discussion about it and he could see the glaring lack of scriptural support for all that was said.