A Husband's Christlike Authority, Sproul on Salvation, and Neutrality About Jesus
Welcome back to The Think Institute Newsletter. Every Friday I send an email to our 1,000+ subscribers with an idea from me, a quote from somebody else, and something for you to think about. If you find this helpful, let me know and share this with a friend. Anyone can sign up for free at https://thethink.institute/newsletter.
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AN IDEA FROM ME
“The husband exercises Christlike authority over his wife, as her head. So Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 11:3, when he says, “But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.” He puts her needs ahead of his own, as he leads her, both in word and deed, in walking with the Lord and pursuing His mission. Like Christ, a godly husband is willing even to lay down his life for his wife.
"However, most husbands will not be called to do anything so dramatic. For most, the self-sacrificial aspect of a husband’s headship comes in the everyday form of prioritizing his wife above himself, thinking of her as more important than himself, and making a concerted effort to ensure she is loved, honored, and cared for (cf. Philippians 2:3–4). As the Lord instructs us in Philippians 2:3–4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.”
“The husband is responsible for self-sacrificially leading his wife and, if God grants him the gift of being a father, their children. Ultimately, he—the husband/father—answers to Christ for how he governs and leads his household. This is part of what it means for Christ to be the head of the man (see 1 Corinthians 11:3 above).”
Source: from my forthcoming book, The Bible Based Family. The men of the Hammer & Anvil Society are studying this together for the next seven weeks. Membership is closed now and will reopen Monday, March 4th. Learn more at: https://thethink.institute/society.
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A QUOTE FROM SOMEBODY ELSE
“If the final decision for the salvation of fallen sinners were left in the hands of fallen sinners, we would despair of all hope that anyone would be saved… Left to themselves, no one will ever choose Christ.”
Source: R. C. Sproul, Chosen By God, (Sanford, Florida: Ligonier, 2022), 191–192.
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SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Your non-Christian friend tells you, “I have no problem with Jesus. I think he was a good teacher. I just don't think he was God or the only way to God.” How do you respond?
If you write back to me with your response, I will tell you what I think. Reply to this email or reach out at https://thethink.institute/contact.
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Lord willing, I’ll talk to you again next week.
In Christ,
Joel Settecase
Executive Director
The Think Institute
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