The early American colonist William Penn made this wise statement regarding the freedom of a person’s relationship with God: “Men must be ruled by God or they will be ruled by tyrants.” I heartily agree with Penn, especially if by the word “men” he means mankind. I might rephrase it thusly, “Women in general and wives in particular also must be ruled by God or they will be ruled by tyrants.”
When God made the first man and woman in His image, He included for them these in their soul: consciousness, intellect, conscience, emotion and volition. Giving commands to Adam and Eve would have been meaningless if they had no volition or will.
Some Bible teachers who hold the world view that men are in a hierarchy over women teach that since the husband is the “head” of his wife, she must always bow her will to his desires. But Jesus Christ Himself stated in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve to masters… You cannot serve God and _____.” I would fill in the blank and say, “You cannot serve God and any other entity.” That would be a paraphrase of the first of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). The same teaching is echoed in Matthew 23:8b “… for One is your Master and ye are all brethren.”
In reading the gospels, I find no place where Jesus Christ, the Son of Man and the Son of God, forced or even intimidated a man or woman to be His disciple against their will. He presented the truth and left it up to each person’s conscience and volition whether to follow Him.
And although God the Father desires that none perish (2 Peter 3:9), He holds a person’s will inviolate. Each must choose God’s free offer of salvation through His Son; He compels no one even to accept His offer of eternal life! Isn’t that the way you understand God?
And is any person a greater “god” than the One True God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
