UpDaTe

For those wondering, yes, I should have a couple of more posts for the series on submission that I started. I just need to get around to writing them. Then, while I’m still on the topic of controversial issues I may start another series.

A great Quote

A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her

Maya Angelou

Submission Part 3

Today I walked down the street and no one started throwing rocks at me. I guess that is a good sign that hardly any one actually reads my blog. Oh well. I guess that gives me the freedom to think through writing without criticism. Or perhaps none of my friends who are feminist,s fighting for human rights, reads my blog, because, as of yet, my posts look rather bleak, putting women in a place under that of men. But it really isn't my intentions to say that. Although the Bible does give clear instructions for a model family and church the command to submit isn't truly to women so much as it is to all Christians.

Ephesians 5:21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

The first part “be subject to one another” paints a confusing picture of the members of the church or members of an individual family constantly saying to one another “What would you like me to say?” “What do you think we should do?” “What direction do you think the church/family should go in?” but then the following verses go on to explain how this command can be manifested in an orderly fashion.

Wives are to be under the headship, that is authority, of their husbands v 5:22
Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church v 5:25
Children are to obey their parents v 6:1
Parents by not provoking their children v 6:4
Slaves are to obey their masters v 6:5
Masters are not to threaten v 6:9

The second part of the verse “in the fear of Christ.” is the motivation for all of these things. That word could also be “reverence”. We do these things to honor Christ. It isn't because Paul, the author of Ephesians, decided to make a bunch of rules; it isn't because certain people are privileged more than others; or the church decided to make random declarations. No, it is because it is in reverence of Christ that we follow this model given. Now, it should be taken note that the manifestation of this model will look different in different stages in life and in different families. For example provoking may be one thing to one child while another child would be provoked by something completely different.

A note should also be made that the command of headship and authority is not given to the husbands. The verses do not command husbands to be the authority or head over their wives. No, husbands are apparently passive in this part. It is the wife who is to put herself under his leadership and the command to husbands is to love.

Submission Part 2

A few days ago at work some friends and I were discussing submission and obedience. It stemmed from a comment that I had heard from an older man (not a co-worker) in reference to his wife, “she's a mean old woman, she should do what I tell her!” I was shocked to hear him say such a thing. This brought up the whole topic of the difference between submission and obedience. We didn't specify what the difference is but that there was a difference between the command to a child to obey their parents and to a wife to submit to her husband. The difference between one command and another is the difference, not really so much of definition of the word submission versus obedience, but of the difference between a child and an adult. Children have very little understanding and therefore very little opinion on the way things should be done. However an adult may be under authority but will not be mindlessly obeying and likely not obeying out of fear but out of love. Therefore, the command is somewhat different, will be manifested differently, and has a different reasoning.
Children are to obey their parents for their own personal blessing

Ephesians 6:1-3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother..that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.
Wives wives are to submit to husbands to set an example

1 Peter 3:1
In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives.
The secular definition of these words is also different. While the definition of obedience conjures up images of action the definition of submission brings to mind an attitude more than an action.

obey
To follow the commands or guidance of
to conform to or comply with

submission
The condition of being submissive, humble, or compliant
an act of submitting to the authority of control of another

While it is quite possible to obey with a bad attitude (although some would differer that that is not true obedience) the whole concept of submission is in the attitude. It is humbling one's self to be under the authority of another.

Submission Part 1

When I think of the word submission, I think of a conversation I had on a plane trip with a friendly, middle aged woman almost three years ago. This wasn't just any woman. This was a pastor and a feminist. She was quite concerned about me, because I shared with her some things about how I follow the leadership of my father and of my (male) pastor. She told me that she did not believe that the Bible commanded women to submit to men. I said. “Good, me either.” her face lit up momentarily. But then fell again when I went on to explain that I do believe that the Bible commands a woman to submit to her husband and a daughter (still under her parents roof) to obey her father. She asked what I would do if the Lord called me to be a pastor and I told her bluntly that I did not believe that the Lord calls women to be pastors. She asked me if I believed that she was not a Christian because she was a pastor, saying that many people had told her this. I told her that I didn't know because I couldn't see her heart, only God could. It may sound to you that our conversation was rather confrontational and would be an unpleasant way to pass the time between Seattle and San Fransisco. However the opposite is quite true. Her company and debate were most welcome and prepared me for several conversations that, unbeknown to me, I would hold in the all too near future. But that is a completely different story and I am getting quite off track.

The point is: The first thing I think of when I here the word submission is feminism against a woman submitting to a man. However I strongly believe that this feeling that many women hold is because of several misconceptions of what Biblical submission is and how it should be played out in ones life. Some common misconception that I have seen that, if one believed about the word submit would rightfully make one angry are: Submission of a wife to a husband is the same as obedience of a child to a parent, submitting to someone is becoming a “door mat”, only women are called to submit, it is acceptable for husbands to “teach” their wives to submit, and submitting to an individual makes the one submitting below that of the one being submitted to. With each of these I could tell you a story about when a misconception of Biblical submission was abusively misused by an authority or when an individual under the authority of another felt hurt or angry because of one of these misconceptions, but I won't wast your time with such things for now. Instead I will tell you some truths that I have found Biblical about the word submission that people frequently forget: submission is to be given to a LOVING authority, being in submission to someone means being under their authority and therefore also their protection, submission is something that every one on the face of the earth is called to and, Christians are all called to defer to one another in submission.

Note: Please feel free to make any comments you want. If you feel like criticizing you may but please take in mind that some things may be clarified in a later post.