Submission and Obedience
Submission and obedience are not the same thing! Peter told believers to submit themselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake (1 Peter 2:13); even though these people were living under corrupt Roman rule. However, Peter himself told the religious leaders that he must obey God, not man (Acts 4:19-20). How do we reconcile these verses in which it appears that Peter acted differently to how he taught others?
The key here is that submission is an attitude whereas obedience is an action. The attitude of submission influences actions, but you can disobey a person in authority and still be submitted to them. When Peter disobeyed the rulers’ command to not teach in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18), he didn’t rebel at their authority. He didn’t go back to the believers and instigate a revolt or criticise their actions. Instead, the believers prayed for boldness regardless of what the rulers did (Acts 4:23-30).
We should never disobey God’s laws because of men’s laws. However, in the process of doing what is right, we need to stay submitted to whatever authority we are under. Any form of government is superior to no government – which is anarchy. Furthermore, as far as possible without disobeying God, we should not only submit but also obey man’s laws.
Governmental authority is ordained by God to punish evildoers and reward the godly (Romans 13:1-7). In 1 Peter 2:12-13 we are instructed to live honestly before the unsaved. Failure to do this is not a good witness. Sadly, many Christians today don’t care about their witness to the unsaved but just want what is best for themselves. This reveals the heart of a big problem.
It is popular today to try to effect change through criticism of others. This is the exact opposite of what was being advocated by Peter of being respectful, humble and submissive. A modern-day example of what Peter was advocating was Mahatma Gandhi’s passive resistance, which led to India’s independence. Gandhi, although not a Christian, said he gained his inspiration from the life of Jesus and the way he led people.
The popular perception of submission is not based on God’s Word!
In most churches, when you say the word submission, people think of Pauls’ teaching on wives submitting to their husbands:
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Ephesians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
The popular perception is that to submit to your husband is to accept an inferior status. Some believe that when a wife submits, she is declaring that she is lower than her husband, somehow less intelligent and not as capable as he is. The popular perception of a husband’s authority as head of the home is absolute dictatorship, without intelligent reason or compassion attached to it.
To understand the role of the husband and wife, we must see the comparison presented in Ephesians 5:23 between Jesus and the Church. One of the reasons believers freely and gratefully submit to Jesus as their personal Lord is because He has counted us as His equals, as joint heirs (Romans 8:17). We are seated with Him in equality by His choice, not by our merit (Ephesians 2:6).
Although the husband is the head of the wife, he is not superior to her in any way. Although the wife submits to his final word, she is not at all inferior. They are equals.
Submission without equality is slavery.
The principle of submission and authority only works when equality is understood and practiced.
Whether this principle is applied in the home, the business or the local church, submission is no problem when equality is observed. A sense of equality produces care, concern, love and a desire to the treat the wife, employee or congregational member no differently to those in leadership. Submission then is a willing response to love and respect.
In the same way that submission is a response to love, obedience is also a response to love.
If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15 (NKJV)
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone love Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
John 14:23-23 (NKJV)
Keeping the commandments does not result in love for God, but loving God will certainly lead to a keeping of His commandments. When we truly know the love of God, submission and obedience naturally follow. Love, therefore is the key to both our attitude of submission and our actions of obedience!