There is something about the word “submit” that makes our flesh crawl. We hear the call to submission in the Scripture and immediately our sinful nature begins to protest and rebel.

In the N.T. the word “to submit” is a military term that carries with it the meaning “to rank oneself under.” In the word there is no connotation of inferiority of personhood, only of function. The people and situations in which God commands His children to be submissive are manifold.

In I Peter 5:5 and Eph. 5:21 we are told to submit to each other in general.
In Luke’s gospel Jesus demonstrated submission to His earthly parents. Later in Luke’s gospel He demonstrated full submission to His Father when He cried out: “not my will be done!”
Slaves are commanded to submit to masters (Titus 2:9, I Peter 2:18) as well as every Christian being told to submit to the governing authorities (Romans 13:1, 5; Titus 3:1).
Wives are told to submit to husbands (Eph. 5:21, 22) as well as Husbands being told to submit to Christ’s Lordship. In a comprehensive command we are told in James 4:7 to submit to God.

Submission is actually a beautiful jewel that adorns the life of every believer. When we joyfully submit to God’s plan for our life we find harmony and joy. When we willfully and resentfully resist we bring misery.

As we think specifically about the church and roles and responsibilities of respective individuals within it; it is important that we remind ourselves that men and specifically elders are not to be self-willed tyrants who dominate people’s lives- rather they are shepherds who give their lives for the sheep. Equally, sheep must allow themselves to be taught and led.

As we together strive for God’s glory, let us seek to submit first and foremost to God, and then to each other that together we may serve one another in love.
Because of grace,
Tim

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