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And
every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the
earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I
saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Revelation 5:13
Wives,
submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the
husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the
church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is
subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every
thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church,
and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a
glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but
that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their
wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For
no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it,
even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his
flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and
mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one
flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the
church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife
even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 5:22-33
For
a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image
and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
1 Corinthians 11:7
Whose
adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and
of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the
hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of
great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also,
who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their
own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose
daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any
amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to
knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and
as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not
hindered.
1 Peter 3:3-7
It seems to me that
men are given honor in their created nature, and women are given glory.
A man owes glory to God, and a woman owes honor to Him. This is the
source of the love and respect issue. The heart of a man is honor, and
thus, when he is respected, it acknowledges his honor. The heart of a
woman on the other hand, is glory, and when she is loved, it
acknowledges her glory. The whole ‘self worth’ thing that is touted in
postmodern psychology is basically a reaction of the individual to their
sense of one of these core values, either honor, or glory.
There
isn’t anything more glorious in all creation than a lady who is in right
relationship with God and those around her. Moreover, there isn’t
anything more honorable than a man, in right relationship to God and to
those around him. Furthermore, the converse is also true: the most
vile, inglorious thing I’ve ever seen is a woman who is out of proper
relation to God and those around her. Also, the most dishonorable thing
in creation is a man who has violated his relationships with God and
those around him. Women don’t suffer from dishonor or disgrace like men
do. Men don’t suffer from lack of glory or beauty like women do.
When
you try to replace a woman’s glory with honor, you defile her. When
you try to replace a man’s honor with glory, you emasculate him. Yet,
that is what the Fall has done. It has robbed us of the very core of
our nature, and there is not a man or woman who isn’t feeling that
void. That is why women will go to extreme lengths to prove that they
are attractive, that they are beautiful, that they are glorious. This
often ends up in a cheapening of their glory, selling themselves for
money, trinkets, or empty promises. Men, to prove that they have honor,
will sell themselves short by going to porn or violence, or seeking
power among their peers, to prove to themselves that they are worthy of
honor. Yet, there’s nothing that can honor a man, or glorify a woman
except the One who created the one honorable, and the other, glorious.
For He in Himself, is the source and culmination of all honor and
glory. He is worthy of all honor and of all glory. Therefore, since
the heart of man is honor, it must be given to God. Since the heart of
woman is glory, it must be given to God. Any honor or glory that we
possess is but a gift of His honor, of His glory, and will be required
of us by Him. The honor of man glorifies God. The glory of woman
honors God.
