Sin so often seeks to do two things—express itself and excuse itself. Here’s an example: we’ve heard those stories in which an unbelieving or disobedient husband makes life miserable for his Christian wife. We’ve also heard the world’s counsel to those women—“You deserve better than this! Leave the bum! God doesn’t expect you to submit to him! Take the kids and move out!” Can you hear the appeal to sin in those recommendations? Express yourself. Excuse yourself.

The world loves to lend advice to Christians under that kind of pressure. It whispers in their ear, “Escape—get away from all this.” Or worse, “Attack—fight for your rights.” Sadly, many Christian wives, often from desperation, take that advice, ignoring or else refusing to consult the Bible.

But what counsel does God give to women living with disobedient or unbelieving husbands? Does the Bible even address that subject? Absolutely. Join John MacArthur as he explains the power of godly submission in a difficult marriage . . .

<audio>

First, listen to the sermon excerpt, then join the discussion in the comment thread. Before commenting, please note: this post is not referring to extreme abuse cases in which the life of the wife and children are in danger. In such cases, when a violence-prone husband becomes agitated and abusive, the wife should remove herself (and her children) from danger, by leaving the home, if necessary, and retreating to a secure place.