Submitting in a World Against Submission

I’ve participated in a lot of conversations about submission over the years. Submission can bring up images of happy people helping each other, or images of angry people trying to get the world to revolve around their every whim. Managers expect their employees to submit to their policies and procedures; lawmakers expect their constituents to follow their rules. The word “submit” appears in the Bible in many different passages, including 1 Peter 2:13-14: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” Merriam-Webster’s dictionary under intransitive verb defines submit as “to defer to or consent to abide by the opinion or authority of another.” I appreciate this definition for a few different reasons.

First of all, the dictionary doesn’t universally prescribe who must submit to whom. It doesn’t tell us that one person must be better than the other to warrant submission. It doesn’t tell us that the weak must defer while the strong rule, or the other way around. It leaves many options open to the reader to interpret and apply to his or her life depending on circumstances.

Second, submission requires permission or approval from the person submitting. The dictionary uses the word “consent.” The opposite of “consent” is “force.” Submission is not something forced, but something freely given by one person for the benefit of himself or herself and others.

Third, the word “submit” is a verb, which automatically gives the reader a sense of action instead of passivity. To submit to another requires an act of will. The dictionary uses the phrase “abide by.” We “abide by” the decision of another when we decide to follow where they lead.

Finally, I most appreciate this definition because I think it comes the closest to defining the word “submit” in a biblical way.

What Does Biblical Submission Look Like?

First of all, God gives us specific instructions explaining to whom we must submit. These instructions are not based on merit or value, but on authority. Jesus sets the perfect example for us when he submits to the will of the Father. Our first and foremost responsibility as Christians is to submit to Jesus–to love him, obey him, and enjoy him. John 5:15 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Our second responsibility is to love others. Matthew 22:37-39 says, “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” We submit to one another out of our love for one another. [1] Additionally, servants submit to their masters. [2] Wives submit to their own husbands. [3] And children submit to their own parents. [4] Church members submit to their own pastors and elders–those God appoints to lead the church as shepherds and caretakers. [5] Christians submit to the governing authorities, remembering that God puts them in place for the good of all people. [6]

Second, the dictionary’s definition of “submit” points out that submission requires consent from the person asked to submit. Submission is an act of the will, not a character trait or personal weakness. Biblical submission is given willingly out of love for Jesus. It isn’t forced onto another person with threats, anger, manipulation, or violence. If you’re in a situation where someone is coercing you into submission using any of the above, flee as fast as possible! This is abuse, and does not honor God. This is very different from someone encouraging you to submit to their authority. A manager would naturally want her employees to follow her leadership, for the sake of the business and the employees. It’s tough to have to let an employee go because he’s not willing to follow the procedures that keep everyone safe and the business running smoothly. (I had to do this once–I used to manage a coffee shop!)

I also encourage my children to submit to my authority as a parent (unless I ask them to do something that goes against God’s Word) because this is good for them and pleasing to God. The command for children to obey their parents comes with a promise: “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land” (Ephesians 6:3). I want things to go well for my children, and I especially hope they live long in the land, prosper and grow, and serve God with all their hearts. So, I teach them to obey my and Brian’s authority. 1 Peter 2:15 encourages us to obey our national leaders in a similar way: “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” Submitting to parents ultimately benefits children; my submission to authority ultimately benefits those who are foolish and ignorant by silencing them. Wisdom grows more from listening and watching, and less from talking and talking. We set a good example for unbelievers when we follow God’s commands out of love for Jesus, including the command to submit.

Submission doesn’t mean to blindly follow along with whatever those around you request of you or do to you. When persecution began for the Christians in Jerusalem, many left for other cities, but the apostles stayed behind. God used those who moved to different cities to spread the gospel further and further. The apostles who stayed behind faced whatever consequences came from sharing the gospel in Jerusalem. [7] Was it okay for the disciples to leave Jerusalem? Absolutely. They were free to leave this very dangerous situation–they were under no legal obligation to stay, and they continued to fulfill God’s calling for them as they fled. Was it okay for the apostles to stay behind? Yes, definitely. They continued Jesus’ work among a very lost and stubborn group of people. In this way submission requires wisdom and discernment: we must know who to submit to, when to submit, and if and when to leave a potentially dangerous situation.

Third, submission springs up from trusting in Christ and believing in God’s sovereignty and goodness. When we abide in Christ, we can face whatever trials meander towards us or jump to the attack. We know that God will take care of us no matter what happens to us here on earth. We can trust ourselves to his just judgment through Jesus. [8] In times of trials and persecution, we can remind ourselves that we have a heavenly inheritance. We are sons and daughters of the King of kings, whose throne will never fade or perish.

Do All Things in Love

How do we submit in a world against submission? I think we need to start by recognizing that some people, including Christians, have a wrong perception of what submission means. We must remember that God made us in his image and we each have value. Persecution is very different from abuse. The Bible tells us to rejoice in persecution because it means that we are suffering with Jesus–a very great honor. We are to do no such thing for abuse. Physical, spiritual, and emotional abuse only bring harm and damage to everyone involved. Abuse must end as quickly as it is discovered. Ephesians 5:11 reminds us to “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” We do pray for relief from persecution, but we know that it may not fully commence until Jesus returns.

We also need to remember that we must not submit when governing authorities ask us to do something against God’s Word. When the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar asked his subjects to bow down to a statue of himself, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused. They did, however, submit to the consequences of their actions. They trusted that God remained in control even amidst the fury and the flames of the furnace, and their trust was not misplaced. God saved his faithful servants. (See Daniel 3 for the full story.) We’ll all be held accountable for our actions before God in the final day. This means that husbands will not be held accountable for whether or not their wives choose to submit. It isn’t ever a husband’s job to make his wife submit to his authority. As wives, we submit to Christ first and our husbands second. We must be patient with our husbands and defer to their decisions despite their imperfections.

Finally, we need to remember that this rebellious world will probably never like the idea of submission. Submission is not an attractive word in our society, and neither is authority. No society, however, can ignore the necessity of submission and authority for long. When they do, society falls apart little by little until violent protests begin to ravage cities and people turn on each other. The world needs Christians to set the example of submitting to each other in love and those in authority for the good of everyone. King Nebuchadnezzar glorified God when he saw God’s provision for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Jesus saved the Philippian jailer after he saw God’s power and care and heard the gospel from Paul and Silas, who were imprisoned for their faith. [9] A wife’s submission to her unbelieving husband can soften his heart to the gospel and save him from death. [10]

Dear reader, please don’t give up on submitting in a world against submission. “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Photo: Katie Moum on Unsplash

[1] Ephesians 5:21
[2] 1 Peter 2:18
[3] Ephesians 5:22
[4] Ephesians 6:1
[5] Hebrews 13:17
[6] 2 Peter 2:13-14
[7] Acts 8:1-4
[8] 1 Peter 2:23
[9] Acts 16:25-34
[10] 1 Peter 3:1-2