Don Fortner identifies three essential elements for a happy Christian home grounded in Ephesians 5-6: a loving husband exercising headship as Christ is head of the church, a wife who reverently submits to her husband's God-ordained authority, and children who honor and obey their parents. Fortner emphasizes that these relationships reflect divine arrangement rather than human superiority, with each family member bearing specific responsibilities—the husband to love and lead, the wife to reverence and obey, and children to respect and submit—all aimed at glorifying God through proper household order.
What does the Bible say about a husband’s role in the home?
The Bible teaches that the husband is the head of the wife and is responsible for leading the family in love, as Christ leads the church.
Ephesians 5:23-25
How do we know submission in marriage is biblical?
Biblical submission is illustrated in Ephesians 5:22-23, where wives are called to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ.
Ephesians 5:22-23
Why is obeying parents important according to the Bible?
Obeying parents is mandated in the Bible as it is the first commandment with a promise, found in Ephesians 6:1-2.
Ephesians 6:1-2
Would you be interested in three things which would guarantee a happy home? I do not frequently make any guarantees. But I will guarantee that wherever these three things are found, you will find a truly happy home. If you, desire a happy home seek these three things.
A TRULY HAPPY HOME BEGINS WITH A LOVING HUSBAND AT THE HEAD OF IT -- "The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church ... Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it" (Eph. 5:23,25).The primary responsibility of every home rests upon the shoulders of the husband and father in that home. God holds me responsible for my household. Before God, I am prophet, priest, and king in my home. I am God's representative in my family. That is an awesome responsibility. I am the one responsible to provide for my family, to train my children, and to govern my household. Every husband must be the head of his family. The decisions of the family, the welfare of the family, and the government of the family rest on his shoulders alone. And he must exercise his headship In true love, ruling his household for the glory of God.
Second, A TRULY HAPPY HOME REQUIRES A SUBMISSIVE, OBEDIENT, AND DEDICATED WIFE -- “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church" (Eph. 5:22-23). By Divine inspiration, the apostle Paul commands the husband to love the wife; and he commands the wife to reverence her husband. It is not difficult for a man to love his wife if she is reverently submissive to him; and it is not difficult for a woman to be submissive and obedient to a man who truly loves her. This is by no means a matter of male supremacy or female inferiority. It is simply a matter of divine arrangement. Our President may, or may not, be a man superior to us; but by God's arrangement he is in a position of authority over us. It is therefore our responsibility to show him proper reverence and obedience as our President. Even so, it is the responsibility of a wife to reverence and obey her husband as her head. He is in a God-ordained position of authority over her. To rebel against him is to rebel against God. To dishonor him is to dishonor God. No woman will ever find happiness in her home until she recognizes her husband as her head, reverences him, and submits to him as such.
Third, IN A TRULY HAPPY HOME THE CHILDREN MUST BE RESPECTFUL AND OBEDIENT -- "Children, obey your parents In the Lord: for this right. Honor thy father and thy mother; which is the first commandment with promise" (Eph. 6:1-2). It is not possible to have a happy home with unruly, disobedient, and disrespectful children. Neither the parents nor the children are happy in such a situation. It is the responsibility of children to honor and obey their parents; and it is the responsibility of parents to see to it that their children both obey them and show them proper honor. I know people say that it cannot be done; but God requires it. It can and must be done. Start early and be consistent, firm, and loving in your discipline, and your children will honor you and obey you. if you truly love them and seek the best for them, you will make your children obey you.
When these three things are in order: When the husband is the head of the family, when the wife is submissive to her husband, and when the children obey their parents, your home will be a happy home.
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