“…submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ…”

Submission!

Sometimes the word is misused by those who would assert their “authority” by demanding “subjection” of others. Sometimes the word is avoided by those who would shun the “humility” of “serving” others. This embattled Bible word is abused and avoided by those who most need to hear the full truth of its intended meaning. It’s time we recover the biblical meaning of submission. More importantly, it’s time we begin to experience submission as God intended in our relationships one with another at home and at church.

To begin with, biblical submission is “mutual” and “voluntary.” A straightforward reading of the passage clearly states that our submission is to “one another”—me to you…and you to me. It goes both directions. Not so clear is the fact that biblical submission is the choice of the one doing the submission. The grammar of the Bible word is a unique and special form of the word implying that our obedience to the command to “submit ourselves” is a “voluntary response to an outside motivation.” The verse is clear about the initiation–“I choose to submit”–and the motivation–“out of reverence for Christ.”

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of submission, and the clearest depiction of Jesus’ submission is found in Philippians 2:5-8. In that passage we see Jesus’ unselfish, self-giving, sacrificial, servant-hearted submission as the model we are to follow. We, too, are to be:

· unselfish—setting aside our selfish, egocentric sinfulness

· self-giving—offering ourselves to others for their benefit

· sacrificial—willingly inconveniencing ourselves on behalf of others

· servant-hearted—serving others in practical and meaningful ways

As you can see, this is radically different from the “authoritarian subjection of others” and the “flight from humbly serving others.”

I see a significant need to apply this kind of submission in our church family—in our speaking and listening!

Here’s my observation: many people are willing to talk, but few are willing to listen. What I mean is, many people are willing to talk about themselves, but not many people show an interest in getting to know people deeply with a view to helping them connect to Jesus and find God’s solution to life’s challenges.

I’ll teach more on meeting spiritual and emotional needs later this month. This week I want to challenge you to apply submission to your speaking and listening:

· Unselfish—Set aside your selfish, egocentric preoccupation with self and pray that God will give you a genuine, heart-felt interest in others.

· Self-giving—Offer yourself by taking some time to ask basic questions of others and then really listen! Think about what they are saying and come alongside them in listening instead of thinking of what you want to say.

· Sacrificial—Willingly put your own interests aside for the sake of others. Delay your tendency to be the focus of the conversation through talking in favor of really listening.

· Servant-hearted—Serve others through “active listening” (Google it, ask me, or wait until later this month) and obey God’s word by applying and experiencing the Scripture (for example, “Rejoice with those who rejoice!).

This kind of submission requires that we are “filled with the Spirit” and that “the word of Christ dwell in us richly.” This kind of submission will deepen the love we share with one another in our homes and in our church. This kind of submission will broaden our experience of God’s truth in our lives as individuals and as a fellowship. This kind of submission will move us toward God’s goal of becoming fully-developing disciples of Jesus Christ.

Submitting and listening,

Scott Corwin, Pastor