Christian Submission

 

SUBMIT

            hupeiko ^5226^, "to retire, withdraw" (hupo, under, eiko, "to yield"), hence, "to yield, submit," is used metaphorically in <Heb. 13:17>, of "submitting" to spiritual guides in the churches.#

Note: For hupotasso, see SUBJECT, A.

(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)(Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

 

 

A true Christian submits firstly to God, and secondly to His ordained authorities.

1)       God

2)       Human Authorities

a)       Government

b)      Church

 

 

 

To God

 

Psalms 81:11‑12

11         "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.

12         So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.  (NIV)

 

 

To Authority

Government

Romans 13

Be Subject to Government

   1Every (A)person is to be in (B)subjection to the governing authorities For (C)there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

   2Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

   3For (D)rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;

   4for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an (E)avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

   5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also (F)for conscience' sake.

   6For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.

   7(G)Render to all what is due them: (H)tax to whom tax is due; (I)custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

 

1 Pet 2:11‑13

11         Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

12         Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

13         Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority,

14         or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

15         For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

16         Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover‑up for evil; live as servants of God.

17         Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

18         Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.

19         For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.  (NIV)

 

Church

 

Heb 13:17

17         Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.  (NIV)

 

1 Cor 16:14‑16

14         Do everything in love.

15         You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers,

16         to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it.  (NIV)

 

Eph 5:21

21                 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  (NIV)

 

 

Non-submission in the Church

 

Titus 3:9‑11

9          But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

10         Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.

11         You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self‑condemned.  (NIV)

 

Rom 13:13

13                 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.  (NIV)

 

Gal 5:19-24

19         The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;

20         idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

21         and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22         But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23         gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

24         Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  (NIV)

 

What do all these underlined words mean?  Here is the Greek translation of the words used in “deadly sin” lists in the New Testament.

 

            eris       2054     G          strife; debate; contention; variance         variance            contentions       discord strife            variance-the state of varying or being in conflict

 

            hairesis 139       G          choosing; dissensions arising from diversities of opinions, factions, party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies)   

 

 

James 4:6‑12

6          But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

7          Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8          Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double‑minded.

9          Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10         Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

11         Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

12         There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you‑‑ who are you to judge your neighbor?  (NIV)

 

At work

Eph 6:5‑8

5          Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

6          Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

7          Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,

8          because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.  (NIV)

 

Heb 12:3‑6

3          Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

4          In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5          And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

6          because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

7          Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

8          If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

9          Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!

10         Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

11         No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

12         Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

13         "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

14         Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

15         See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.  (NIV)

 

Verse 14 never involves compromising truth, or disobeying God’s commands.  We submit firstly to Him.

 

 

Return to thisGospel.com's home page.