Our world has a strange relationship with authority. We saw him in the Occupy movement a few years ago. Formally, everyone had the same role, but inevitably, leadership voices appeared and ensured that all countercultural voices sang in the same tone. a great irony when everyone ends up following the main dissident.
Modern Christians have had their own struggle to understand authority. One of the most frequently misunderstood passages of Scripture, for example, is Ephesians 5:21, where Paul says, “Submit to one another to the fear of Christ. ” Some commentators have understood that this verse calls “mutual subjection,” so that husbands and wives place themselves under each other’s authority.
- Ephesians 5.
- 21 truly calls believers to respectfully recognize and follow God-ordained authorities.
- Wherever you find legitimate authority.
- Paul says.
- Follow her.
- This vision illuminates the passage that follows.
- Ephesians 5:22-33 teaches that God calls the woman to submit to her husband and man to love her wife.
- Women are the image of the Church.
- Who honors Christ as her authority (v.
- 22-24); man is the image of Christ.
- Who guides and provides his wife for his own sacrifice (v.
- 25-28).
Much more than heartfelt needs, a language of love, or personal preferences, these are the most important words in the universe to build a marriage that glorifies God. Husband, like Christ, is his wife’s head. His wife recognizes this leadership and responds kindly by following him, as well as the church, nor directs or guides Jesus, but follows him to glory.
We know that this interpretation makes sense because the first verses in chapter 6 describe a second relationship based on the dynamics of authority and submission. Should children obey their parents? (Ephesians 6. 1). This non-negotiable role depends on recognition and response to God’s authority. Ephesians 5. 22-33 and 6. 1-4 are connected; reveal the principle of Ephesians 5:21, showing how believers can act accordingly.
We’re on a safe biblical basis here. Without exception, the Greek word for “submission”, hupotass, always denotes obedience to god-given authority. Jesus subject to the authority of his parents (Luke 2. 51), demons subject to his disciples (Luke 10. 17), citizens are subject to government authorities (Romans 13. 1, 5), the universe is subject to Christ (1 Corinthians 15. 25); Ephesians 1:22)), Christ is subject to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:28), so we could move on.
As we can see, believers appreciate the opportunity to submit to legitimate leaders. Biblical submission never means robotic obedience without thinking. It means, in fact, quite the opposite: a joyful and unreserved commitment to following a dignified figure. Submission also does not depend on as church members called to submit to church leaders, for example, we will realize sin in the lives of our leaders (1 Corinthians 16. 15-16; 1 Peter 5. 5).
Submission to God’s authority does not come and go. This is the very essence of Christian faith and discipleship. When we repent and believe, we are only confessing to a holy God: “You are right and I am wrong, I submit to you. “A believer’s fundamental position towards God is submission (Hebrews 12. 9; James 4. 7).
The house and the church are God-created fields in which submission can flourish. At home, men should lead and women should naturally encourage and welcome this leadership. Submission begins not only when a decision is made, but much earlier. In the church, members must submit to their elders, voluntarily embracing this leadership.
In both contexts, submission is not a simple agreement at the end of a decision-making process, nor is it an asset that husbands and elders can play whenever they wish, it is a reality for life, a posture, a rapprochement and a fantastic If Jesus himself happily submitted to his Father, even when submission forced him to die for the Church , how can we not be glad to follow suit?How can we not submit to God and honor the dynamics of authority and submission of His Word throughout our lives?
We know that modern ears seem like death, but for those who have received the gift of hearing, the opportunity to submit to God is the word of life.
1 Movements of occupation and protest against economic and social inequalities that began on Wall Street, New York, and declared that they had no constituted leaders (NT).
By: Owen Strachan. © 2016 Ligonier Original: Submit to each other
This article is part of the March 2016 edition of Tabletalk magazine.
Translation: Joel Paulo Aragono da Guia Oliveira. Critic: Yago Martins. © 2016 Faithful Ministérium. All rights reserved. Website: MinisterioFiel. com. br. Original: be subject to each other
Authorizations: You are authorized and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format, provided that the author, his ministry and translator are no longer no longer modified and not used for commercial purposes.