Biblical Submission

"And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands."

The angel instructed Hagar to return and submit to Sarai. Even in difficult relationships, God's order brings blessing and protection.

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:"

Humbling ourselves under God's hand is the path to exaltation. Submission to God lifts us up in His perfect timing.

"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."

Submission to spiritual leaders is for our profit. They watch for our souls and will give account to God—our obedience makes their work joyful and beneficial for us.

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Submitting to God and resisting the devil are two sides of one action. Our surrender to God's authority gives us victory over the enemy.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

We are to present our entire selves—body, mind, will—as a living sacrifice to God. This is not burdensome but our reasonable service in response to His mercies.

"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Christ's obedience unto death is our supreme example. As He submitted fully to the Father's will, so must we surrender completely to God.

"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."

In reverence for God, we humble ourselves and serve one another. This mutual submission creates unity and demonstrates Christ's character in the church.

"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."

(Repeated for emphasis.) Submission to godly leadership brings spiritual profit; resistance brings grief and hinders our growth.

"That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth."

We are to submit to those who labor in the gospel and help in the work of the Lord. Their faithful service deserves our respect and cooperation.

"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."

Younger believers submit to elders, and all clothe themselves with humility. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."

A wife's submission to her husband is ultimately unto the Lord, part of God's design for marriage that pictures Christ and His bride.

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord."

This submission is "fit in the Lord"—it is proper, right, and according to God's order for the marriage relationship.

"That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."

Older women are to teach younger women to love and be obedient to their husbands, so that the Word of God is not dishonored by disobedience.

"Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord."

Children's obedience to parents in all things (within God's moral law) is well-pleasing to the Lord and part of His design for the family.

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation."

Civil authorities are established by God. To resist lawful government is to resist God's ordinance and brings judgment upon oneself.

"They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."

Jesus affirmed our dual obligation: give to civil government what belongs to it (taxes, obedience to just laws) and to God what belongs to Him (worship, ultimate allegiance).

"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king."

We submit to human government for the Lord's sake, doing good to silence false accusations. Our submission flows from freedom in Christ, not slavery—we are servants of God honoring His order.

"But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."

Exception example: When the authorities commanded the apostles not to preach Christ, Peter and John replied, "We must obey God rather than men." When human law contradicts God's clear command, obedience to God takes precedence.

"And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."

The apostles were beaten and commanded again not to preach, yet they rejoiced and continued preaching Jesus. They honored God's command above man's, willing to suffer for obedience.

"Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons."

Employees are to obey employers not with eye-service (working only when watched) but with sincere hearts, as serving the Lord Christ. Our ultimate reward comes from Him.

"Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free."

Work done as unto Christ, from the heart and with good will, receives its reward from the Lord—whether we are bond or free. Our service is ultimately to Him.

"Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."

Servants (employees) are to please their masters, not talking back or stealing, but showing complete faithfulness—so that the doctrine of God our Savior is adorned (made attractive) by our conduct.

"Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

We are to submit even to harsh or unjust masters. When we suffer wrongfully for doing good and endure it patiently, this is commendable before God. Christ is our example—He suffered unjustly without retaliation, committing Himself to God who judges righteously. By His stripes we were healed.

"Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven."

Those in authority—employers, parents, church leaders, government officials—must treat those under them justly and fairly, remembering they too will give account to their Master in heaven.