ONE OF the most important areas of godliness in the life of a believer is the area of submission. If one is not submissive but rebellious in spirit, there is a great danger of pride and sin. Many warnings are given in Scripture towards that state of rebellion and un- submissiveness in a believer’s life. We must recognize God’s sovereignty and rule over all creation, our lives and the Church. We must submit our minds to the authority of Scripture as we submit to God in our spirits; He owns us now. We must submit to those whom He has equipped with callings and giftings in the Church to lead the body of Christ.518 God always has and always will place shepherds in the body of Christ to help oversee and protect the flock of God under the chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord.519
When we follow the way of un-submissiveness and elevate our own selves we fall into the place of being ruled by the spirit of lucifer or Satan,520 who was the first to rebel against God. Thus he will influence us to rebel against God and all of His delegated authorities that have been set up.
“As we examine what it means to have this spirit of submission, we need to let go of our human reasoning and our cultural trappings so we can fully accept what the Word of God teaches. Unfortunately, we have inherited this rebellious nature from Adam. So don’t be surprised to discover it fighting to stay alive. We’ll be helped if we allow the light of God’s Word to reveal this rebellion and then deliberately choose to believe what the Scriptures say instead of what our flesh says.
“Biblical submission to authority is recognizing that God, my Creator, is the ultimate authority and has all power. As clay in the potter’s hand, I, His creation, should yield full control of my life to His will. This includes submitting to and obeying all delegated human authority over me, realizing that when I do so, I am actually submitting to God’s authority. Likewise, when I rebel against delegated authority,521 in essence I rebel against God Himself.
“This definition identifies who God truly is and our place in His creation, which includes absolute obedience to Him and to His delegated authorities.”522
Jesus Himself was submitted to God the Father.523 Therefore, He was submitted to every other authority as led of God’s Spirit. Such is an example for us to follow for when we are mistreated for the sake of the kingdom of God we are blessed.524
True submission can only happen as led by the Spirit of God. Many submit, but in their hearts they are too bitter and angry to submit to an authority. Godly submission is where the individual is able—by God’s grace—in good and bad circumstances, to submit and obey God. One example of this in the Old Covenant is when David submitted to Saul’s leadership even though the Lord had departed from King Saul’s life. Even at times Saul tried to kill David by throwing a spear at him, yet under these circumstances he still submitted.525
In the Epistle to the Ephesians, we are clearly shown the Biblical precedent for submission: “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do 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.”526
While husbands seek a submissive wife, they must submit to God themselves and act towards their wives in the same way as Jesus did towards the Church. Jesus loved the Church so much that He laid down His life for the Church and likewise a husband needs to lay down his life for his wife. Ephesians says: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.”527 This leads to a beautiful union where the wife has no problems to submit as she sees the love and sacrifice of her husband.
Submission exists in our everyday life and moreover applies to political leaders and the police. Submit to the government: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”528 Where we are forbidden to believe and share the Good News of the Gospel we must answer as Peter and John did: “But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to Him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’”529
The Bible also teaches submission to each other. We don’t have to be right all the time. We can humble ourselves to preserve peace: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”530
We must submit to the leaders that Christ appoints in the Church. Here is an example of this exhortation for submission by an early Church Father: “For, if the prayer of one and another has so great force, how much more that of the bishop and of the whole Church. Whosoever therefore comes not to the congregation, he does thereby show his pride and has separated himself; for it is written, ‘God resists the proud.’ Let us therefore be careful not to resist the bishop, that by our submission we may give ourselves to God.”531
1 Corinthians says: “To submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it.”532 Also Peter the Apostle said: “in the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’”533
In the epistle to Hebrews we are exhorted to: “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”534
The most important submission is to God: “But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”535 If we do not submit and surrender fully to God there can be no victorious Christian life for us. By submitting to the Heavenly Father and asking Him to bring the victory, the conflict is won. For Christ is the victor. “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”536 Jesus not only has freed us from the penalty of sin but He has also freed us from the power of sin.537
May we learn afresh the godly discipline of submission as we gather under the Headship of Jesus Christ.