In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-12)
Submission is not a popular topic these days. It smells of weakness, dependence on another and relinquishing of our own sense of power and control. To a society bent on the importance of titles, roles and independence, those who submit to another are seen to have lost the fight, showed that they are not strong enough and are left looking like a dog that has just been scolded with its head down and tail between its legs. Some biblical passages are often wrongly interpreted in the same way. In true biblical submission however, giving up control, and putting our dependence on God is a sign of strength and that the Holy Spirit is working in our lives. Godly submission is rooted in God’s good and loving intentions for each one of us. This passage from Philippians is a wonderful picture of what biblical submission looks like.
Biblical submission begins with the Trinity. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit all mutually honor and yield to one another. Christ, in submission to the Father didn’t make Himself less than the Father, but rather His submission was a way for Him to give glory to the Father. God doesn’t force us to submit – that is called oppression. Submission is rather a willingness for the grace and love of God and His ways to shape our choices, relationships, and work. “He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30). As I talked Monday about confession, submission is there too. In order to open ourselves to confession before God and others, we need to be willing to submit ourselves to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Spirit that calls us into holy and right living. I suppose that’s one reason why confession is often so difficult to do.
Scripture tells us to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21). Our relationships are to be a reflection of the relationship in the Trinity because we are made in His image. Every person in the body of Christ contributes. Every person serves. Every person has an important part to play that no one else can. Submission may mean giving or may mean receiving. It may mean taking a back seat, or it may mean standing in the spotlight. It may mean staying and it may mean going. Submission in every case is about loving others, loving God and giving of ourselves. It is about humbling ourselves before others and before God not as an act of weakness of mind or character, but as an act of obedience to the ways and the will of God in our lives.
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” (Romans 12:3-5)
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:12,14)
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
God has a plan, and it is always right. He knows the best way for His people to live. Submission is trusting that God’s instructions concerning how we are to live are good for us. He tells us to forgive, to serve, to love even those we deem least “lovable.” These instructions were not given with an iron fist, but to set us free to be who we were meant to be in Christ.
Growing Into Up 