Say what??

After reading a great book on biblical manhood, after attending conferences on how to be a better husband and father, and listening to wiser men than me in this area, along comes R.C. Sproul. I watched session 1 of the Holiness: 2001 National Conference (here), and once again I am reminded of the massive responsibility that God has placed on me. My job as a husband is to love my wife as Christ loves His church (Eph. 5:25-27). I knew this, I've heard it before many times. I just didn't quite understand all that it entailed! Christ had a three-fold office during His ministry on earth; 1)Prophet 2)Priest and 3)King. As a husband and father, I'm called to fulfill all three of these offices in the context of my wife and kids. Let me give a brief synopsis of what this looks like.

Prophet: I need to be the principle teacher of my wife and children. In order to do this, I must be as proficient as possible with learning God's Word and teaching that word to my family. I must be an active learner and teacher in this regard. This requires me to actually read my bible, to understand my bible, and to impart this knowledge to those under my care and responsibility.

Priest: There are two parts to this office, namely the intercessor and sacrifice. I am to pray over and for my family, constantly! I am to give myself to my wife and children. This requires me to put aside some things I want to do and spend quality time with them. This means I need to limit the amount of time I'm doing "church" things, or "school" things or "exercise" things. I need to limit the amount of time I send my children away to "do" things. In order to give myself to them, I need to make myself available to them, not just in a bodily sense, but to actually BE present and engaged!

King: I am the King of my castle. Yea me!... Christ was the servant King, and so must I. My reign is not one of a tyrant, but one that shows mercy, compassion, justness and benevolent love.

If every man would be like Christ, would there be such a backlash against the submissivness of our wives to the husbands authority?

Answer carefully.