Section 2 Summary

We have noticed in this section of the book, the importance of submission on Christian maturity. I realize submitting willfully is contrary to human nature, but it is what is commanded by God both through Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit via the written word of God. The Christian life is a struggle to overcome our human nature and live up to our potential as a Christian.

Submission to God is a necessary and essential part of a Christian’s life, if they want to be pleasing to God and spend an eternity with God in Heaven. Submission to God is simply obeying the commandments of God, which in turn is the love for God. A number of places in the Bible, some of which we looked at in this section and others we have not because of time and page constraints, says basically the same thing in different words, “For this is the love of God, that ye keep his commandments.” We see it is impossible to separate the love for God from obeying the commands of God.

A necessary part of submission to God involves submission to the leadership of the local congregation. God has placed men in the leadership positions in order to have someone accountable for the overseeing of the spiritual growth of the congregation. We have noticed in this section God will hold the leadership responsible for the effort they put forth. This is why, except in the case of the leadership in a congregation becoming dictatorial and sinful, rebellion against the leadership is the same as rebellion against God.

In addition to submitting to the leadership of the local congregation, we noticed God also expects us to submit to and to serve one another. The attitude the Bible says must dictate my actions and thoughts is, “Will this encourage my brother or sister to grow unto love and good works?” As we have noticed, submission is the theme of Christianity and at the same time it is one of the hardest things for us as human beings to do. Submission shows whether we are still carnally minded or if we have grown to the point of becoming a spiritually minded Christian.

We also noticed not only does God expect us to submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ, who at least are part of the spiritual body of Christ, but He also expects us to submit to the government of the land in which we live. We do this as part of our submission to God. We obey the laws of the land, not because we fear punishment from the government, but because of our reverent respect and fear for God.

Lastly we noticed our submission to God extends even to our families. Husbands are to please their wife, not from fear of being nagged, but rather because we fear God. Wives are to submit to their husbands, not because they are afraid of their husbands, but because they love God and want to obey the commandments of God. As a couple, trying to serve God working together to be the type of parents God would have them to be, they work together to provide a united consistent front to their children, raising them in the fear of God. They discipline their children in a consistent fair manner, not giving their children reason to be angry or provoked to wrath. The children submit to their parents not because of fear of corporal punishment, but because they want to please God.

Submission is truly an important part of becoming a mature Christian. We are not pleasing to God until we have learned to humble ourselves and serve others. The more we serve, the greater we appear as God exalts us. The more we humble ourselves the greater we become. This is truly the paradox of Christianity.