We are to Submit to One Another (Am I My Brother’s Keeper?) Lesson #13

Brief Review We are to love one another. We are to be at peace with one another. We are to give preference to one another in honor. We are to not judge one another. We are to edify one another. We are to receive one another. We are to admonish one another. We are to show the same care for one another. We are to serve one another. We are to not bite and devour one another. We are to bear one another’s burdens. We are to forgive one another.

We are to Submit to One Another The Context of Submitting to One Another The Consideration of Submitting to One Another The Character Needed to Practice Submitting to One Another A Case in Point of Submitting to One Another The Conclusion of Submitting to One Another

The Context Our text for today is Ephesians (5:21): “…submitting to one another in the fear of God.” The context (or full meaning of the passage) is found in Ephesians (5:15-6:9). It is here that Paul discusses how we should “walk circumspectly,” “redeem the time,” and “understand what the will of the Lord is.”

The Context Paul tells us these three things (walking circumspectly, redeeming the time, and understanding what the will of the Lord is) can be achieved if we would all learn to submit to one another. He then provides examples of three types of submission that should be practiced: –Wives to husbands (5:22,24) –Children to parents (6:1-3) –Bondservants to Masters (6:5-9)

The Context Even though Paul provides these three examples of how we as Christians ought to submit to one another, we should not limit ourselves to these examples! There is a sense in which we all ought to submit to one another. That is, there are times in which we ought to defer to the ideas of another or yield to the desires of others.

Consideration Before we get too far, we need to understand exactly what the word “submit” means. The word “submit” as used in our text comes from the Greek word “huppotasso.” “Hupo” means “under” and “tasso” means “arrange.” It is a military term that speaks to the idea of arranging oneself under the authority or direction of another.

Character Needed Human nature teaches us that we should consider our needs first. It also teaches us that yielding to others is weakness. Because this is so, a change of character is needed on our part in order for submission to take place. Jesus is the one who can change our character from selfish, worldly thinking to selfless consideration of others.

Character Needed He can, by His own example, provide us with the three character traits that are necessary for submission to others to take place: –Humility –Obedience –Fear of God

Case in Point A beautiful Bible example of learning to submit to one another is found in the ministry of Paul in Acts (21:15-25). Paul was in a powerful position as an apostle, and he could have refused to yield to the direction of the elders of the church at Jerusalem, but he did not because he was humble, obedient, and had a fear of God!

Conclusion In order to make this principle worthy of our putting into practice, let us consider the benefits associated with the idea of submitting to one another: –Peace –Promotion of Good Will –Progress –Personal Growth –Problems Being Solved –Protection from the Attacks of the Devil