Submission

Today, we’ll be looking at another challenging topic of the Bible: submission. This is something that we American Christians need to take some time to seriously consider. I say that because we live in a culture that is quite opposed to the biblical concept of submission. And that has affected us. But being submissive is not optional for us. So, we need to think through what submission means so that we all can follow Jesus faithfully.

Let’s start, as usual, with a definition. What is submission? Here, the structure of the word itself helps us. The word submission is based on some Latin words that, when joined together, mean ‘to put under’. But what is it that we are put under when we submit? The answer to that is authority. Submission is about being placed under some authority. Because that’s the case, we will need to take a look at authority before we consider submission.

So, what is authority? It is a kind of power that a person or institution has been granted. In fact, it is God who grants this authority. Consider this from when Adam and Eve were created.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28

While you won’t find the word ‘authority’ here, you do find the word ‘dominion’ which is the same idea. So, God granted to humanity authority over creation.

Here’s another example of this.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1

God has granted to government a kind of authority over its citizens, and His command is that we are to submit to that authority.

It’s important to establish this notion of God actually granting authority because it is a common opinion that authority is somehow evil. It may be necessary, but it’s still evil. The claim is that, if things were perfect, there would be no authority because there would be no need of any authority. But that’s not the case. Back in the days of Adam and Eve, God structured His perfect creation by granting authority.

Now, when you see it this way, that authority comes from God, it becomes clear that no authority is absolute. No one has authority from God that is without limits. So, Adam and Eve could not just do whatever they wanted with the creation that God gave to them. In fact, when He gave that authority to them, He was quite clear about what the goal of that authority was to be.

Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it…

And the same is true when the authority of government is explained.

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.

So, God gives a measure of authority to people and institutions. At the same time, He gives those people and institutions goals and limits. That’s what separates the proper use of authority from tyranny, divinely established goals and limits.

This leads to another important aspect of authority. All those to whom God has given authority are accountable to Him. Did they use that authority wisely in order to achieve the goals that He set before them? Did they stay within the limits God established? Everyone to whom God has given any authority will have to provide answers to those questions on the last day.

All of that helps to explain what submission is. People are to obey that person or institution that God has placed in authority over them. This obedience is limited. It is limited by the nature of the authority granted. A government can require much of its citizens, but there are some things that it has no authority to demand. The same is true of all who have been given authority. There are limits to authority. And that means that there are limits to submission. As a result, there may well be times when the right thing to do is to disobey the commands of someone who has exceeded the authority given to him.

Now, having said that I also need to say this. When you are deciding whether it is right to disobey some authority, bear in mind this very important fact. Just as God holds accountable those in authority, He will also hold accountable those called to submit. So, if you decide to disobey, you had better be sure that God will agree with you on that course of action. On the Last Day, just as many tyrants will be exposed for how they abused the authority granted to them, many rebels will be exposed for failing to submit.

Here’s another aspect of how those in submission relate to those in authority. Those in submission are not expected to stop thinking and just obey. It is not a lack of submission to ask honest questions or to discuss what is commanded.

At the burning bush God commands Moses to go to Egypt to free His people. How does Moses respond? He does not just go. He raises some questions and issues.

Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? Exodus 3:11

If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them? Exodus 3:13

But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’ Exodus 4:1

Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue. Exodus 4:10

That’s quite a few items. And God deals with all of them. Moses did nothing wrong by discussing the mission with God. I say that even though it’s pretty clear that he doesn’t want to go. But God did not rebuke Moses for his questions.

However, that changes when Moses says this.

Oh, my Lord, please send someone else. Exodus 4:13

This is what follows.

Then the anger of the Lord kindled against Moses. Exodus 4:14

Honest questions are fine. Refusal is not.

A person need not put his brain into neutral in order to submit to authority. Raising honest questions, discussing what is being commanded and the like is fine. But when the authority comes to a conclusion and decides on a course of action those in submission are to quickly and willingly obey.

Here’s something else to bear in mind. There will be times when submission will hurt. Here are some examples. The first is when an angel confronted Hagar, Sarai’s servant.

He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” Genesis 16:8–9

Why was Hagar fleeing? That’s explained a little earlier in the text.

…Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. Genesis 16:6

And yet, God’s command to Hagar is to return. She was commanded to return to a harsh situation. Sometimes submission will hurt.

Peter has similar words.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 1 Peter 2:18

Peter is telling slaves to submit to their masters. And please understand that masters in the Roman Empire could be very cruel. They had the power of life and death. Some of the saints that Peter wrote to likely had masters who could be cruel. Still, the slaves are told to submit.

There will be situations where submission will be painful in one way or another. But even that is no excuse for disobedience. Remember that Jesus said that following Him would be hard.

This leads to the question of why someone should submit. My answer has two parts. Here’s the first part. You are to submit to an authority because God says so. Authority is His idea.

Discussing things with that authority is fine. Raising questions, fine. Offering alternatives, fine. But once a decision is made, what needs to follow is obedience. So, submission to some human authority is a result of submitting to God’s authority.

And just to be clear, the obedience that God calls for is not just a body doing what is required, like some kid going off in a huff to clean his room. God expects an obedience that reflects a submissive heart - quick, willing obedience. It was the attitude of the heart that Peter was talking about when he wrote,

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect…

Here’s the second reason to submit. It’s because you trust your God. You trust His wisdom. He knows what He’s doing in granting the authority that He has. And you also trust His love. He is so totally for you. Isn’t that what those slaves Peter wrote to had to do, trust their God? How else could they have submitted to evil and cruel masters? It’s confidence in your God that moves you to submit. So, there will be times when you will need to pray something like this. ‘Father, grant me the grace that I need to trust You now so that I will submit in the way that You call for.’

There are lots of situations where questions about authority pop up. One that will become more and more significant has to do with the authority of government. I would be surprised if, during the lifetimes of the children here, the question of principled disobedience to government never comes up. But I will leave discussing that for another time.

Instead, I will talk about two other institutions that God has established and given a measure of authority. I’m going to talk about what authority and submission look like with these two. This is where all that I’ve said thus far gets practical.

The first is the Church. The Church has authority from God. That means that there is to be submission to the Church.

This is why you will find this command in your Bible.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17

You can see both authority and submission reflected here. Authority first. Jesus has given the leaders of His Church, both pastors and ruling elders, the mission to watch over the souls of the members of their congregations. That’s the goal for which church leaders are to wield their authority.

At some point, Jesus will evaluate those leaders, both pastors and ruling elders. He will evaluate how they used the authority He gave them. He will consider how well they did watching over the souls of the people. They will have to give an account. And that will be a very sobering time, especially for some. There will be those whom Jesus will confront because they abused their authority by being tyrants. And there will be those whom Jesus will confront because they abused their authority by refusing to use it.

Then, there is the other side of the coin. The members of a church are to submit to their leaders. They are to obey. Questions can be raised, discussions had, alternatives offered. But once a decision is made it is to be obeyed.

It is important to bear in mind the goal of this dynamic of authority and submission: the well-being of souls. This dynamic of authority and submission is the way that God has established for the care of souls.

Now for the other institution that I want to talk about. This dynamic of authority and submission also applies to marriage.

God has given every husband authority over his wife. But remember. That’s not a blank check. God has a goal in mind for this authority.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25–27

Jesus loves His wife. His goal is that she might flourish, being filled with splendor and beauty. Authority is given to each husband with the same goal in mind, that his wife might flourish, being filled with splendor and beauty which are qualities of the heart.

That will require husbands to do some important things. He must anticipate the future. A husband needs to look down the pike to see what might be coming so that he can deal with those things well, long before they become difficult problems. Failure here will turn problems into crises.

And while the wife is a full partner in making decisions about these things, the weight of the responsibility for anticipating the future is not to be on her shoulders. It is not to be her burden. The husband has been given the authority and the responsibility to deal with all of that. He is to take the initiative in this, anticipating the future and then making appropriate plans for his wife and children. So, if it’s the wife who always brings up the issues that need to be dealt with, something is wrong.

A husband also needs to remember that he will be evaluated. How did he do in working toward the goal given to him, that his wife might flourish, being filled with splendor and beauty. Jesus will evaluate every husband.

It needs to be said that one reason that some wives do not submit in these things is because their husbands have not been using their authority wisely. It’s hard to submit when there is no authority to submit to.

But the failure of a husband actually does not excuse a wife for her insubordination. A wife is to submit to her husband even when he is failing at his calling. That will make submission painful. But that isn’t an excuse for not submitting.

A wife also needs to fight the temptation of filling the vacuum left by her husband’s failure to do things like anticipate the future and to take the initiative. Her husband’s failure to wield his authority is no excuse for the wife to wield that authority. To be sure, this is very hard. But the command is clear. ‘Wives submit to your husbands.’ There is no excuse for a wife to usurp that authority even when a husband refuses to use that authority.

Even in the best circumstances, submission can be very hard. How much more when life is far from the best. This is another place where it is good to remember that God gives grace to obey His commands.

Last thought. Here is the battle for all of us. We are Americans. That means that we have been taught to be independent. Submission can be an option for us but it is never a requirement. That’s what we’ve been taught. What’s the hero like in the typical action movie? At some point, he disobeys, completely disregards, a rule or a command and saves the day. His failure to submit is praised. God says that that is wrong, sinful. But we have heard and seen that sort of thing so much that it is deep within us all. So, the first thing is for us to acknowledge it. Submission is a fairly alien concept to us. And along with that, taking the responsibility to wield authority wisely is also a fairly alien concept to us.

But who is our God? He is the one who is so very for us. His love has been proven to us over and over. Likewise, His wisdom. He really does know what He is doing with our lives. So, we can trust Him as we work to first understand what submission and authority look like and then as we work to live that way.