After hearing Matthew’s sermon on liberty and how we often abuse it, I thought of writing a bulletin on being submissive. Submission is something that most of us do struggle with. The blessing of freewill, for many, gets in the way of really calling Jesus Christ Lord. We are seemingly submissive as long as our Lord's will coincide with our own. However, at the point that our will and our Lord's will conflict, we have the tendency to follow our own will and disregard the Lord's. This type of submission is not submission at all, and these tendencies are destructive to the salvation of mankind. Jesus tells us, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21-23) Submission to God means that we are obedient to God's commands regardless of our desire. Even if I don't understand the significance or importance of the command, it is my duty to be obedient if I'm truly submissive.

An illustration of this point is in the following story. A man who was sickly and needed to escape the crowded dirty life of the city, made plans to move his family to Kentucky. So he sent his oldest son to go to a newly purchased piece of land and prepare a homestead for the family. He instructed him to build a cabin, a barn, and dig a well. The man drew up some plans showing were on the land he wanted the cabin, barn, and well situated. The son took the plans and headed for Kentucky. Once he arrived, he took out his plans and examined it and said, “Yes, my father is exactly right with reference to the cabin, that is where it ought to be built,” and he built the cabin exactly according to the plan. Again, he examined his plans and said, “Yes, my father is exactly right with reference to the barn, that is exactly where it ought to be built,” and so he built the barn exactly according to the plan. But when he came to digging the well, he said, “My father is entirely wrong about this. The well would be much better dug here in another spot.” So, he dug the well at the place that he thought it ought to be. In which part of the plan was the son submissive to his father? Most would say he was submissive to his father's will in two instances and point out the cabin and barn. But in actuality, the son was not submissive in any part of the plan. It just so happened that the plans of his father met the approval of the son. He didn't do it because his father instructed him to do so. As soon as his father's plans conflicted with his desires, he followed his desires.

This is what many that claims Jesus as their Lord and King do. They are obedient to Jesus' commands up to the point that it conflicts with their viewpoint or desire. Let us be careful to steer clear from such rebellious actions. It is very easy for us to get caught up with all the commands that we do keep, that we try to justify those that we do not keep. In the text above, the people say, “Did we not prophesy, did we not cast out demons, and did we not do all these mighty works.” Do you see the folly of their thinking? They tried to justify their rebellious acts by their “obedience.” This will not work with God! Jesus denounced such rebellious acts as being lawlessness. If you call Jesus your Lord, then be submissive. That means that you are obedient to His commands in every instance, even when they disagree with your personal tradition, viewpoint, understanding, or desire. He requires no less than absolute love, dedication, and submission.

Eric