There are many words in Scripture which generally result in a positive response; words such as grace, mercy, faith and salvation. These and many other words can bring a smile to our faces and possibly an “amen” during a church service (particularly in the South!). However, there are many other words or teachings in the Bible that often elicit the opposite affect and we come across one of those today in our reading.
In 1 Peter 1-3, three times we come across the idea of submitting or subjecting oneself to another. I think we all basically have an idea what the word submit means but an official definition from Oxford is to “accept or yield to the superior force or authority of another”. In other words, it’s simply the idea of recognizing who is the real authority figure in a given situation and oneself to that person or institution. In other passages of Scripture we see general commands relating to submitting the Lord or even to each other but in these chapters we see 3 specific persons or institutions that the command to submit specifically applies to.
In 2:13-14 we read, ” 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.” Here we read of the command to submit to governing authorities. There is a lot that could be written on this topic and I think it is one that we as freedom-loving Americans need to be reminded of. I certainly understand the “Don’t tread on me!” mantra and recognize that our constitution does set specific boundaries on the scope of our government; however, we also need to counter that with the reminder that in the end we are commanded to submit to duly appointed government officials, even when we may not agree with their policies .
Next we read in 2:18, “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.” Here we have the command that employees, or even in Bible times servants, are to submit themselves to the authority figures in an employment situation. I believe a good application is that Christians should be known as those that have respect for our employers/bosses and not be one that acts differently towards them in person verses when talking about them with other employees.
And finally in 3:1 we read, “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives.” Here we are reminded of how God ordained the home to operate with the man/husband having the final place of authority in that home. As a reminder, for a wife to submit to her husband does not indicate inferiority or that she is of any less value, but simply that the final responsibility of the direction that homes takes is up to the husband.
All of us as we read these passages find ourselves in at least one of these categories. So the question today to consider is how submissive are you to those authority figures in your life.