May
26
Written by:
Pastor Jesse Nicholson
5/26/2011 8:43 AM
I am sure that when you saw the title of this blog you were thinking this would handle the theological study of sin. However, that is not the subject of what I am writing this time. Instead it is me attempting to say what I meant to say last night, but was not clear in my delivery. How do I know this you might ask? I had some lengthy discussions with some friends after the service. I am grateful for their insight.
Let me share some background. Each month this year I am preaching on a topic that coincides with our verse for the month (something we have worked on for a number of years here at CBC). This month happens to be submission. The verses we are working on are James 4:6b-8a. This week I was in I Peter 2:13-17 and even making some limited application through 3:7. Of course I Peter 2:13-17 has to do with our submission to the government. However, I was attempting to show the attitude of submission from the passage not so much the practice. I think I put the emphasis (although not intentionally) on submitting to government rather than making clear my point of our overall attitude when we submit. So, let me now say in a few words what I tried to say in about 30 minutes last night (which, by the way, went into our prayer time—that’s a whole other subject for another time).
What is the attitude of submission? Is it simple obedience? Let me answer it this way; James 4:6-8 says that “God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.” One of the key words in those two sentences is therefore. It ties together the two thoughts—submission and humility. One of the key components of submission is humility.
In 1 Peter 2:13 it states, “submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake.” In that phrase it seems to be implying the obedience aspect of submission. Or as the word means, to arrange under an authority. Also within I Peter 2:13-17 is a strong emphasis on honoring or respecting. It is very hard to submit to someone you don’t respect, but the onus is not on the authority to earn respect. It is on the individual (the Christian) to give that respect. A husband for instance does not have to earn the respect of the wife in order for her to submit to him. Of course if he is doing what he is commanded to do, “love your wives as Christ also loves the church” then the respect will be earned and more easily expressed.
I am afraid Christians have mixed the world’s attitude of submission with their own belief about it. We want to say that someone has to earn respect and then we will submit to them (that’s pride and God resists the proud). That’s not Biblical. Look at the life of Christ (as I Peter 2 shows). Jesus, as our example, submitted himself to him that “judges righteously” (Pilate—the government official allowed to be in his position by God for this very purpose—Christ’s death.). Was it fair? No. But Jesus did not come to be treated fairly (Isa. 53). If He did come to be treated fairly He would have set up His physical kingdom here on the earth. No, He came to be submissive to His Father “that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” Thank God that Jesus got it. May we follow in His steps and submit. How? With a strong dose of humility and for the Lord’s sake (I Peter 2:13) even to that boss (or husband) who belittles or is not clear in his communication. Why? For the very same reason Jesus did it, that they “being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” Do it for the gospel’s sake and for the glory of God!
When we understand submission and practice it, I am convinced that we will see revivals in our churches. Submission is the key to success in the Christian life. Whether it is practiced in the home by a child/teen to his parents, or a wife to her husband, a husband to Christ, an employee to a boss, or in you responding to a message in church, or your personal devotions with the Lord, you are in every case ultimately submitting to God. He is the one who put you where you are for a reason. It’s great to be the servant of a benevolent God who loves me and wants to use me as part of His plan. Now, if I submit to Him, just think what He can do with me and He can do it with you too. I hope this was a little bit more clear this time around. May God help us!