Couple serving one another

Biblical Submission

By guest author
KAYLA WRIGHT
Licensed Christian Counselor
Specialist in Child & Adolescent Therapy
Life Training Christian Counseling

In 2023, the word “submission” leaves a very bitter taste in a lot of mouths. Our broken world has warped the idea of “submission” and “authority,” connecting them to abuse of power and weakness. Don’t get me wrong, in these contexts, I don’t like the words either. Yet, there are many times we are called to submit in the Bible.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

James 4:7

A major factor in submission is humility. Lysa Terkeurst says, “Humility is never bought at a cheap price. It will always cost us something but will be worth the price we pay.” When I am submitting to God, as James 4 encourages us to do, I am choosing to acknowledge that His ways are higher than mine (Isaiah 55:9). I have to let go of whatever I think is best (the cost) to accept what He knows is best (what makes it worth it). This can be hard, because sometimes this means letting go of relationships, opportunities, dreams, etc. The process of humble submission to the Lord means dying to our flesh so that we may live in Him. Once we have made the choice to submit to God in accepting Him as our Lord and Savior, He calls us to further submission.

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Ephesians 5:21

This is God’s desire for our households. Paul goes on in Ephesians 5 and 6 to address each member of the household to describe how we can submit to one another. Wives, just as we submit to God, are called to submit to our husbands. We are instructed to let them lead our house and trust them with the decisions for our family. Husbands are called to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Husbands are to sacrifice themselves for their wives, thinking of their well-being first over themselves. When these verses are put together, we see God’s intention for husband and wife to love one another humbly and intentionally, creating beautiful and functioning unity.

Couple serving one another

He also calls children to obey their parents, as well as fathers to not “exasperate” their children (Ephesians 6:4). This encourages a relationship of mutual respect between children and parents, leading to a healthy upbringing of children who glorify God. Additionally, while this is thankfully no longer a part of the household, Paul instructs masters and slaves to serve one another well, slaves being respectful to their masters, and masters taking good care of their slaves. God’s design for our household is that all should walk in humility and submit to one another so that we may have harmony in our homes.

“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right.”

1 Peter 2:13-14

Finally, we are called to submit to our leaders. This one is especially difficult when we have people in positions of authority who we strongly disagree with. Peter understands this struggle, as when he is writing this, he is living with a government who is persecuting Christians. Peter encourages his fellow Christians to walk in submission to their government with integrity in mind. He acknowledges that if we live a life that honors God in ALL situations, we give our enemies no fuel to use against us. He poses the question, “How is it to your credit if you receive punishment for your wrongdoing and endure it?” (1 Peter 2:20) Yet, he continues, saying, “If you  suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.” In humility, and with the God who we serve in mind, we are to submit to the authority of our government, and trust that God, in His sovereignty, will make all things right in His timing.

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.”

2 Thessalonians 3:16

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Kayla Wright joined the counseling team at Life Training Christian Counseling in May of this year. The passion of her counseling work is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of  MARRIAGE COUNSELING.

Kayla is nationally licensed as a Christian Counselor by the National Christian Counselors Association, with an advanced board certification in Child & Adolescent Therapy. Kayla gained extensive experience and credibility in providing counseling to teens and pre-teens during her tenure on the staff of Revive Christian Counseling in Owensboro and Madisonville, Kentucky.

Kayla Wright, as well as each of our other counselors, offers convenient sessions at our office in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as online counseling via Zoom or FaceTime. Please click on this link to learn much more about how our COUNSELING FOR TEENS & PRE-TEENin Louisville, Kentucky can help the child you love find the highly-effective, Christ-centered help they need. Contact us today at 502-717-5433, or by email at kayla@lifetrainingcounseling.org

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