Psalms 8:4-8

Many have called man God’s “crowning achievement.” This phrase tends to lessen the view of God’s omnipotence. It indicates that the creation of man is the best God can do. However, a much better display of God’s power is seen at the Cross of Calvary, where God “…humbled himself, and became obedient unto death…” (Philippians 2:8). Through His humbling of Himself, God has manifested the greatness of His power in redeeming man.

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.” (Psalms 8:4-8)

God has manifested His greatness in redemption; but before the Fall, God had already set out His purpose for man to be His physical representative. Man was created to fill this position. Included with any position is the fact that the person filling that position should have reasonable expectations regarding such. A man’s Role gives him certain benefits to be enjoyed for his faithful service in that Role. However, God’s ordained Role for a man to be His representative should not be reduced to such a low view as to say a man has to do a good job in order to receive the benefits therefrom. On the contrary, God’s Role for a man gives him the entitlement, or Rights, to certain provisions within the scope of his Representation. God has bestowed this honor on man.

As God’s representative, man has the Right to expect respect from his family Our modern worldview causes us to reserve respect to those who have so impressed us as being worthy of such. But the Biblical command is that we give respect to those to whom it is due (Romans 13:7). This means that we owe respect to individuals according to their positional standing, and not according to what they have done in that position. A man is entitled to respect as he stands in the functional position to represent God to his family.

“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” (Hebrews 13:17)

As the head of the house, a man has the Right to expect his family to be in subjection to him. If someone within his house is living in rebellion to this subjection, the result will be the usurping of a God-given Role. A body with two heads is a monster and is destined for destruction. A man has the Right to exercise his authority over his house and promote the healthy atmosphere conducive to the growth of his family, including discipline.

A man has the Right to order his home according to the Word of God. A man so ordering his home should expect his family to appreciate his accountability to God and to support their head by praying for him and submitting to his authority. This same principle applies equally to the pastor in the performance of his function as the head of the local assembly. The man is the pastor of his family; and they should be in subjection to him so that he might do his job with joy.

The head also has the reasonable expectation that those under him will be obedient to his direction. A person may have great ideas for implementing a plan of action beneficial to a group of people. But those people will have to obey his direction in order to receive the benefit of such. In this same manner, a man has the Right, given to him by God, to have the obedience of those in his house. God does not bless acts of disobedience. A man wants his family to receive the blessings of God, and their obedience is necessary for such. A man has a Right to his family’s respect, subjection, support, and obedience.