[chette777]

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

What does it mean to submit ourselves one to another? I know by nature I would rather have everyone submitted to me. But as a Christian who desires God will I often wondered all that God means by this. If we are all God fearing men and women believing the Bible as our final authority this verse has plenty of application and as it seems very seldom practiced amongst the brethren today.

Supporting verses would include all listed below and of course their surrounding verses make for great understanding of submission and subjection unto man and God.

1Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

1Peter 2:18 Servants, [be] subject to [your] masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

1 Corinthians 16:16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Colossians 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Both Peter and Paul use Subject. The term Subject is found only 17 times in Scriptures and it is found only in the N.T. It is used 9 times by Paul, three times by Peter and Luke once by the writer of Hebrews and once by James. The word Submit is found 12 times in Scriptures 5 times in the OT 7 times in the NT. Three possibly 4 times it is used by Paul if he is the writer of Hebrews.

The first uses determines well the meaning Genesis 16:9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. It is a humbling or lowering of ones self to another’s authority.

Wives are to humble themselves to their Husbands but the verse before Eph 5:22 says submit yourselves one to another. This puts a clear picture that at times a Husband should be submissive to his wife’s suggestions. Of which I am sure many of us have no argument with that. Often our godly wives can have some good advice that we should follow

The good portion of the remaining of the verses deal with submitting to a leader of a church grouping or a local assembly. Which makes for church elders and Pastors. As to how Christians should carry themselves and for civil actions. And while we have no more slave owners and servants. We do have employee and employer. An Employee should be subject or submit to his employer as it is his business and his operation. It would not be good if every employee did his job the way he wanted instead of the way his employer wanted.

Then there is the Eph 5:21 and 1 Peter 5:5 submitting yourselves one to another and being subject one to another. This is left without to much clarity but it would seem that there is to be a little humbling or submission to each other as well. Hearing a brother out if he chooses to correct what he may deem an error of walk or practice or understanding in another’s life. And not judging him for his willingness to help a brother who may be in error. Of course it should be done in humility and lowliness of mind. Especially if you don’t want to fail in the same thing you think you see your brother failing in.

Often it is that we are quick to see arrogance and pride in another’s written words without giving the benefit of a doubt that we ourselves are interpreting what is said with our own arrogance and pride. Before responding to our brothers written words we must be sure we are not understanding it incorrectly. James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” Another view of this would be swift to judge ourselves and slow to judge others.

Recently while reading a post written to someone else from someone else, I learned a great deal in personal knowledge verse unwillingness to obey and believe God’s clear word. It took humbling not exalting, it too submitting to the words of a Brother not judging him or the other, but judging myself. This is true submitting and true subjection to one another even when the other did not know I was submitting or allowing myself to be subject to their words. It wasn’t written to me and yet I was able to see it as if it were and judge where I fall in the points being laid out. It was humbling to say the least.

Today’s Christians are well educated, well fed emotionally and have very strong personalities. This combination often makes the worse kind of Christians Character as it tends to breed pride and self will (iniquity) that includes all sorts of self interests above that of another. Today we are faced with Christians who would rather fight than switch (as the old TV commercial went) for me to fight against that which God is trying to change is the worse kind of iniquity. That is why I will as much as possible as it lieth with me to judge myself daily, to look as situations not as the other man needs to see it but what can I learn from it. That is submission to God and to others.

When Christian men begin to fight the battle of words and neither is willing to submit to the other we have immaturity and lack of love prevailing. But as one subjects him self to Gods word and to the word of a Mature brother then he will begin to learn more of himself. Being subject may also be understood as making ones self accountable to each other for our actions. That is as much as it is beneficial to oneself. The movement today to have accountability seems to go beyond what God wanted and leads to a leader laity subjection and not the other way around. The verses do say submitting yourselves one to another and being subject one to another. Not be subject to me because I am the leader and you are the laity or I am smarter and you are not or I am more mature than you. Being subject and submitting to each other is a spiritual quality and in so doing create maturity.

We need to learn more of how to be submitted to each other and subject to each other. I don’t think Paul and Peter would have said such things is it wasn’t needed even today. Though these things can be difficult in applying I do believe it will be of great benefit for all if we would spend our days trying to learn form God word and from him as to what he wants in this area of submitting and subjecting. Then let’s apply what we learn in everyday living and practice.