Jesus calls each of his sheep by name, and they hear and know his voice (John 10:1-16). Sheep encompasses rams and ewes, males and females. Ewes can hear the voice of their Shepherd just as clearly as rams. While Jesus made a clear distinction between sheep and goats based upon their actions (Matthew 25:31-33), his sheep are not separated into masculine and feminine groups.
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10:16b TNIV, italics added)
Everyone can follow our Good Shepherd directly without any mediators or middlemen. Yet many teach that a husband is supposed to tell his wife what God’s will is for her and their family. This idea that husbands have spiritual authority over their wives can cause ewes to second guess their ability to hear the Shepherd’s voice. These teachings encourage a wife to heed the audible voice of her spouse even when it contradicts the inaudible voice that she is hearing within her spirit. Fallible men can end up usurping the Holy Spirit’s direction for their wives, and wives are encouraged to become followers of men instead of God.
Since many of the decisions that we make in our lives are not clearly a matter of right or wrong but are based on the promptings of the Holy Spirit, wouldn’t it be negligent to tell a wife that she must follow the leadership of her husband unless he asks her to sin? And how does this not convey to wives that they are spiritually inferior to their husbands because they were born female instead of male?
