The other day I received a letter from a reader who wanted to know my thoughts. What if a husband doesn’t want his wife to go to church on Sunday, or what if he’s simply indecisive about finding a church?

It’s a good question, and one that women in unequal marriages might be forced to consider. Do you go against his will and attend church, or do you stay home?


My husband is a church-going believer, but I do have some thoughts on this issue…

If a husband is lollygogging on which church to go to, a woman can take the initiative in finding a good one and invite him to come along.

However, if he forbids her to go to church on Sunday, she has two choices:

1. She could win him over with her actions of humility and obedience.

2. She can go to church on Sunday and further fuel his anger.

We are instructed in scripture to fellowship with other believers:

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV

But the time table that we have isn’t necessarily the time table that God requires of us. There are always Bible studies and kids clubs during the weekdays. Even something as simple as having a few ladies over for Bible study and tea on a regular basis can be a good source of fellowship.

If we become rigid by insisting that we attend on Sundays we are missing the point of fellowship which is to sharpen and be sharpened by other believers. Let me add this, it doesn’t have to be, and shouldn’t be done in secret. All I’m suggesting here is that when necessary we are willing to be flexible with our time.

If a husband forbids his wife to worship God, we are dealing with a different situation. The purpose of obeying our husbands is to illustrate the relationship between the church and Jesus Christ. It wouldn’t make any sense to obey a man who asks us to turn our back against God.

Ultimately we answer to God first, all else comes second. We can glean an example of this from scripture when in Acts chapter 5, Peter and the apostles were brought before the high priest:

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. ~ Acts 5:27-29, KJV

You are loved by an almighty God,

Darlene

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