Your division of public and private is also foreign to Paul. In referring to Eph. 5:21, you and Phillip have somehow forgotten that the very next verse gives further exposition of the thought. The "submitting to one another" cannot mean that husbands should submit to wives, since 5:22 rules that out.
What???
In the church, in our duty to one another in fellowship, men and women are to submit to one another. In the Body of Christ, a man can lead in his home, and submit to his wife at the same time.
I can submit to someone at the same time they are submitting to me. Submission is not a position under, it is a yielding of my rights for your benefit! Perhaps that is the problem - there is a wrong definition of submission running around loose.
Consider how often the Bible tells us to submit to and serve one another in the body - male and female submitting and serving one another:
Here are the notes from a sermon I preached not too long ago - not online yet - that deals with submission within the context of the church:
Worship in Spirit and Truth: Our Duty to One Another in Fellowship
Part 8
Submission
1 Peter 5:5-11
I. An Overview of Submission to Those in Authority
A. Defined: To be subject to "“ a voluntary relinquishing of your rights to others. "œA voluntary response to God´s Word and Will in giving up one´s independent rights to other believers in general and to ordained authority in particular."
B. Understanding Submission
1 God is the final authority, so submission to others must be rooted in submission to God. Submission to God overrules submission to others!
2 Submission means that decisions are made together, mutually, and does not mean that one person is an absolute decision maker with no accountability to others.
3 Submission does not mean doing everything that you are told to do.
4 Submission cannot be demanded by others (except by God). Submission to others is voluntary, not coerced, otherwise it is not submission.
C. The Christian is Commanded to Submit in the Following Realms of Authority:
1 In Everything Submit to God "“ James 4:7
2 In Society to the Government "“ 1 Peter 2:13-17; Romans 13:1-7
3 In the Family according to Roles
a Husbands and Wives "“ 1 Peter 3:1-2; Eph 5:22-24; 1 Cor 7:3-5
b Parents and Children "“ Eph 6:1-2; 1 Tim 3:4
4 In the Workplace to Employers/Managers "“ 1 Peter 2:18-20; Eph 6:5-7
5 In the Church to Elders and Teachers "“ 1 Peter 5:5a; Heb 13:7, 17;
1 Thess 5:12-13; 1 Tim. 5:17-19
a) Episkopas "“ bishop "“ overseer, manager
b) Presbuteros "“ elder "“ age/maturity (used in 1 Peter 5)
c) Poimen "“ shepherd "“ pastor
II. Submission to Each Other (those who are not in a position of authority) - vs. 5b; Eph 5:21
A. Esteem Others as Better "“ Phil 2:3
B. Prefer One Another "“ Rom 12:10
C. Serve One Another "“ Gal 5:13
D. Submission in Action - Acts 2:42-47
III. Requirements for Proper Submission "“ vs. 5c-11
A. Humility (5c-7) - a deep sense of one´s littleness!
B. Resist the Proud (8-9)
1 Sober "“ calm, collected, temperate
2 Vigilant "“ Alert, opposite of careless, apathetic
3 God resists the Proud (resist, oppose, engage in battle)
4 You resist the Devil! (devil´s sin "“ prIde)
5 He seeks to destroy "“ John 10:10
C. Depend upon Grace (10)
D. Glorify God (11)
Phillip
[Edited on 2-1-06 by pastorway]