Page 52 - No Apologies

practice conformity to Christ as they learn how to humble themselves under divinely
appointed authority, and to demonstrate the gentle and meek nature of Christ as they
exercise authority over others.
It will often happen that a person under authority is found faithful and pleasing to the
Father even while the one who rules over them is disobedient. This does not cause the one
under authority to be disadvantaged. In truth, they have more opportunity to demonstrate
faith and obedience to God as they bear up patiently when suffering unjustly. A woman
should never declare that she will be a submissive wife only when her husband gets his act
together. I have heard numerous women say that they will honor their husbands when they
begin to act honorably. This is great error. It is the will of Christ that servants prove
themselves faithful when they have wicked masters, and that wives remain chaste and
respectful when they have disobedient husbands. As they do so, the wives can gain great
favor with God even while their husbands are heaping up judgment upon themselves.
The apostle Peter declared that women are “fellow heirs of the grace of life.” The word
“heirs” reveals that Peter is speaking of inheritance. In the Law women did not receive an
inheritance with the men. If a man had sons and daughters, the land of his forefathers was
to be passed onto his sons. His daughters were not to receive an inheritance in this way. The
only exception was when a man had no sons. Then the man’s property went to his daughters
(Numbers 27:1-8).
When it came to inheritance, the Law treated women no differently than slaves. Slaves
did not receive an inheritance in the land of Israel, neither could a Gentile. Only male
descendants of Abraham received the promised land as an inheritance.
The apostle Paul declared that in Christ the rules of inheritance have changed. In the
kingdom of God all may share an inheritance with Christ. In the third chapter of Galatians
Paul establishes this truth. Both at this time, and in the age to come, men and women, slave
and free, Jew and Gentile, can all be accounted as heirs of the grace of life that is found in
Christ. When the subject of inheritance comes up, Yahweh makes no distinction based upon
gender, societal status, or natural descent. The Law does not determine who will inherit the
promises of God in Christ.

Galatians 3:18
For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise...

As Christians, me must not confuse a person’s status in this life with their worthiness
in the eyes of God. Christ declared that many who are first at this time will be last in the age
to come, and many who are last now will be first in the resurrection of the dead (Luke
13:30). A person’s status in the age to come is dependent upon whether they walked humbly
and faithfully before God and man in this age. Many servants cannot escape their servitude,
but neither do they accept it with grace. Similarly, many women do not accept their role as
helper to their husband with grace. Those who manifest complaint, murmuring, rebellion,
clamor, envy, and discontent will not only be last in this age, but in the age to come as well.
Yahweh’s instruction to wives and to servants are the same. Even as wives are
exhorted to be subject to their own husbands in everything, servants are commanded to be
subject to their masters.

Titus 2:9-10
Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be