Christian marriage by V. toussaint

Recently I received some news that a couple I know is having marital problems and they are at a breaking point. This came at a time when I happened to be studying the statistics on Christian marriage in the US verses that of the rest of the nation. Shockingly the statistics are about the same. Then I began thinking about some of the high profile Christian marriages that have split up in recent years. Juanita Bynum and Paula White to be more clear. I also began some research on domestic violence in the church and found that the numbers were very high. I was shocked  to find that in this day and age we still have such issues in the church. We are supposed to be transformed and healed. We are supposed to be revealing that to the world so they will want Christ as we do. Yet they must not see much of a difference in us then they see in themselves.  It is sad and makes me wonder about who Christians are trying to transform into? That maybe Christians are saying my sins are forgiven and I am saved and that is the end of it. They are not really seeking to be more holy and sanctified. they are not working out their salvation with fear and trembling. I blame the domestic issues on a doctrine of submission on the part of the wife but not on the part of the Husband. My research showed me that this belief is the common culprit in domestic issues. It is my belief from the scriptures that there is a call for mutual submission to each other in the Christian marriage.Eph. 5:21 Submit to one another in fear of God. I cannot say I blame any women for leaving a potentially dangerous situation. I was in that very same situation once myself and God delivered me from it. The situation to me is poor teachings in our churches and not enough compassion on the side of the church to protect women from violence from the man who is supposed to love them like Christ loves the church and lay down his life for her. Or more importantly, I don't see the Jesus of the bible beating the Church into submission and so we shouldn't see husbands beating their wives into submission in the church. There needs to be mutual love, mutual respect, and mutual submission taught in our churches starting as soon as possible because the problem of divorce is not going to go away without it and the domestic issue will not turn around with the old doctrine of one sided submission still being taught. I pray God deliver every women that is dealing with domestic violence. I pray God speak to the hearts of Christians every where to heal our marriages by teaching the truth about what the word says regarding marriage. And I pray that compassion be on the hearts of the Christians to be willing to start counseling for women in these types of situations and shelters for those seeking refuge.  I pray for much more marriage counselling in churches and for the doctrine of one sided submission to disappear. It is not biblical and it's time we recognize it. Lifting this all up to Jesus, Amen.

citations:

 Study: Christian Divorce rate Identical to National Average By Audrey Barrack/Christian Post reporter

Christianity and domestic violence, Wikipedia