Submission

There is a really trying text in Ephesians that causes a lot of ire for many. It is the concept of "be subject to" or "submit to." Now, to be fair, the initial problem isn't the concept. Most of the world understands that everyone is subject to someone. It is, I think, a largely American problem because we practically worship "freedom" as our favorite god. Independence is one of our highest values. So laying "be subject to" alongside "independence" is just not comfortable.

The other problem, I think, is our perception that "submit" means "diminish." This is simply not true. I could offer some cogent arguments with fancy words (like "cogent"), but it's best if we go to the ultimate "submitter" and see it for ourselves. Jesus said, "I have come down from heaven not to do My will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me." (John 6:38). Jesus said, "So that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me." (John 14:31). Ultimately, "When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who put all things in subjection under Him, so that God may be all in all." (1 Cor 15:28). In the same vein, Paul urges Christians to "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." (Php 2:5). Which mind? Jesus surrendered being seen as God and became a servant all the way to the cross (Php 2:6-8). Diminished, right? Not at all. The outcome was "God highly exalted Him" (Php 2:9-11). No, being submissive does not require being demeaned.

Most people don't realize it, but that passage in Ephesians is actually a lot longer than we think. The idea spawns from being "filled with the Spirit" (Eph 5:18) which produces other behaviors, one of which is "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Eph 5:21). It's that next verse that causes the most discomfort (or outrage) for many. "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord" (Eph 5:22-24). But that's not the end of the topic. It can't be. Why? Because the principle is "submitting to one another." "Wives, submit" isn't "one another" if it stands alone. In truth, then, if "Wives, submit" is one, "Husbands, love your wives" (Eph 5:25-32) is the other. If that is the case (and I can't seem to get around it), then both are submission of some sort, and the point is 1) mutual submission that is 2) not always the same in appearance. Thus, wives submit to their husbands "as the church submits to Christ" and a husband submits to his wife by loving her "as Christ loved the church." A wife submits her role as leader and a husband submits his role as dominator. Both submit, but not necessarily in the same way.

If that was all, it might be enough, but it isn't. Paul is not satisfied with one example of "submit to one another." The idea goes into the next chapter. He tells children to obey their parents and fathers to not provoke children, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:1-4). He tells servants to obey their earthly masters "rendering service with good will as to the Lord and not to man" (Eph 6:5-8) and, interestingly enough, tells masters "Do the same to them" (Eph 6:9). These are all examples of "submit to one another" that are, on one hand, unexpected and, on the other, not the same in appearance. The common thread is submission ... for everyone.

Our world thinks that submission is demeaning. That's a cool trick of the devil. Our best example of submission is our Lord and Savior who submitted to the Father and submitted Himself to the cross. None of that diminished His value. Instead He is highly exalted for it. If "Christian" is the process of becoming "like Christ" (Rom 8:29), then submission ought to mark the life of the Christian as it marked the life of Christ. I suspect that the negative reaction one has to the concept of "submit" is a potential measure of our own "pride of life" (1 John 2:16), a gift from the world that just keeps on taking. I think it defies human nature, but I think it is biblically commanded and, therefore, a good aim for each of us as God has directed. First and foremost, submission to the Lord.