This is why the Bible forbids churches from allowing new converts to become pastors in the church when it says they cannot be “…a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:6). The Greek word translated as “novice” means “newly planted”, meaning a new convert.
The idea here is that a new Christian who has not experienced many years of the trying and testing of his faith may become conceited and lifted with pride. But it is only through the trials of life as a Christian that we gain both the humility and wisdom enough to be good teachers of the faith.
It is not easy to be the good husbands and wives or Christians that God calls us to be. It is hard. It is a constant daily struggle with our sin nature. It takes a daily recommitment to God knowing that we may have failed in our duties to God or our spouse in some way just the day before.
The Apostle Paul stated the following about his struggle with his old man, his sin nature, which warred against his new spiritual nature given him by Christ:
“… for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do…
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
Romans 7:18-19 & 24-25 (KJV)
Being a follower of Christ and a good Christian spouse is about more than making a one-time commitment to serve God and saying “no” to our flesh. It is about so much more than mere will power. It is about daily depending on Christ and the Holy Spirit and constantly recognizing where we fail, confessing our sin, and seeking to do the good that God would have us to do.
Biblical Gender Roles 