Marriage--a Partnership of Three
A marriage may exist without the Lord, and Christians who marry do get divorced, but we are talking about the marriage that God intended for his creation. However, in the creation of the marital trinity, the fact it exists with three members is not by chance—but the creative plan of God. If the couple is devoted to each other and growing together in the Lord, the base of the triangle comes closer toward each other—they are growing in love (agape) and out of the idea of selfishness.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
When we try to work alone, we get limited results. When we work together then we can share a greater return. Likewise, in the marital trinity, we see various roles for the husband and wife. In today’s society, we do not like to talk about submission. The uproar of the sixties and the seventies was a revolt against the man-woman submission ideal God spoke about in His word.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which He is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-24
  With the advent of the birth control pill and state-sanctioned abortion, women are now freer in their personal decisions regarding sexuality. This allowed society to value getting ahead regardless of another person’s values. I lived in the times of the eighties—the ME generation. Books were written about how to achieve financial success. Yet, while many were running to the bookstores to buy books on personal success, we were losing the war on relationship success. This was not the ideal the Father had for his creation. We see this modeled by the Son the night before his death.
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. John 13:3-5
Jesus was a great teacher of leadership. While He was due all honor and allegiance, He chose again on the night before He was to die to teach the disciples the great lesson of submission. On the way into Jerusalem, his disciples are talking who would be the greatest in the new kingdom. They still did not know or understand this new kingdom would be far greater than any other kingdom. Therefore, He stood and performed the one task that could not be forced upon a Jewish slave or bondservant. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. This is real submission—not the boss of the household but the servant of all those who live in the same house. I have had my feet washed and I have washed the feet of others. It is a humbling experience. It takes a real determination to kneel at the feet of another person. Jesus did it to show us what leadership was all about—to serve others.
The modern feminist movement tried to equate equality with sameness. A smart couple can realize prior to the marriage each person brings something special to the marriage. These are gifts to the marriage partners from God.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:21