Bible Message/Preaching : Godliness through Submission
Look at the universe, everything has its own laws to exist - as we look into the skies,we observe the perfect functioning of what God has fashioned. - imagine the universe without order.! This order also was created by the Lord. And the creation submits to the laws God established for its existence. Our wise Creator also established order and peace for mankind through authority and submission to authority. We live in the day of individualism, of existential self-discovery and of fighting for liberation, where authority is seen as a servant appointed by “free men” to serve them. If authorities fail, they are replaced by a vote.
What happens when there is rebellion against the authority?
Examples of dissorder:
Submission to authority is a thread that runs throughout every aspect of our lives. Look at your body, your hands, legs, eyes—each member must submit to the other parts of your body.
When that order is violated on a cellular level, you have cancer—self-destruction.
if we disobey law: trying to enter a train/bus with out ticket/ chaos when people disobey traffic rules
If there were no laws, no governments, no police, no submission to authorities of any kind, what would our world be like?
7but (Christ Jesus) made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Phil 2:7-8
1 Pet 2:23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
To some, submission to authority always sounds negative, like somebody robbing them of their freedom.
Do you know why?
God gave Adam a commandment and when he disobeyed to eat of the fruit of the tree of good & evil, he resisted authority and we all received the “sinful-nature of Adam” - which is essentially disobedience imparted on us by the devil.
How do a child learn to rebel?
After the fall, we are all born with a desire to resist authority and to assume that submission is our worst enemy. How quickly do toddlers just learning to speak latch onto the word “no”? Then they start using the word to defy authority. A child doesn’t have to be taught to rebel! It comes quite naturally. The problem is that we are all independent and rebellious by our very nature.
Rom 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What was the origin of devil?
This nature of Christ is one of absolute submission and satan's is that of rebellion – that’s his origin (Isaiah 14:12–15)! To have God’s best, we must unconditionally surrender our lives to Him, which includes submission to our delegated authorities. This choice, however, will not come without suffering in the flesh. The old habits we have grown up with as rebellious children of Adam don’t die easily. Rebellion is the seed of Satan because it was through rebellion against authority that he became Satan. So sin entered the scene as a result of his insubordination and rebellion. Thus the seed of sin is rebellion. Through the sin of Adam, our lives all begin with this spirit of rebellion. But in Christ we are called out of rebellion into obedience by submitting to the authority of God.
Why should we submit?
We already seen for unity in the body of Christ.
Rom 9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
Jeremiah 18:2–6 like clay in potters hands!
18:2 "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words." 3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the LORD. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
We may say “Oh, I submit to God!” but what about His delegated authorities?
Delegated authority:
- Demons leave in Jesus' name – not bec. we're special holy people, but the authority that is represented by us when we speak in Christ’s name.
- Sign a letter – it get its value
- Traffic-police
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
hupotasso - "to arrange under in an orderly fashion." military term
Why do we rebel?
Cause of rebellion (fighting/arguments) is due to unforgiveness & bitterness! Pride is another reason. The traumas we encountered in the past can make us rebellious if we do not handle it carefully and delivered.
Why is rebellion dealt with very seriously by God?
Rebellion is dangerous
Angel -> lucifer! And this is why rebellion is taken so seriously throughout the Old Testament—so much so that rebellious children were taken out of the camp and stoned to death.
Moses went to Pharaoh for the release of the children of Israel
Exo 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.' " 5:2 And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go."
Rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16.
Rebellion of Miriam in Numbers 12:1-12
Why does people have problem in submitting?
The historical meaning of the word meekness is "strength under control." often people link submission with weakness, which is entirely wrong. We don’t give up the strength and ability God gave us. Instead, we allow Him to channel all this strength and ability in His way instead of our own way.
Meditation:
- Do I submit to God in everything?
- Do I submit to his delegated authorities?
- What is preventing me from total submission?
 |
 |