How Can I Submit to Him?

Ephesians 5:22-24 New King James Version

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Ephesians 5:24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Submission is not only for wives (Ephesians 5:21).

Ephesians 5:21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Everyonehas someone to whom he or she must submit:

1. Government(1 Peter 2:13-14)

a. 1 Peter 2:13Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,

b. 1 Peter 2:14or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.

2. Employer(1 Peter 2:18)

a. 1 Peter 2:18Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.

3. Spouse(1 Peter 3:1)

a. 1 Peter 3:1Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,

4. God(James 4:7)

a. James 4:7Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The word “submit” means different things to each of us.

What is submission?

1. Submission is not value (1 Peter 2:13-3:7)

a. You are not lesser if you submit.

i. Government (1 Peter 2:13-14)

ii. Employer (1 Peter 2:18)

iii. Spouse (1 Peter 3:1)

b. Genesis 2:21 And the LordGod caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

c. Genesis 2:22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

i. Woman was not taken from man’s head to rule overhim.

ii. She was not taken from man’s foot to be walked uponby him.

iii. She was taken from man’s side to be equal with him, from under his arm to be protected by him and close to his heart to be lovedby him.

2. Submission is not obedience (Ephesians 5:22; 6:1).

a. Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

b. Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

3. Submission is respect (Ephesians 5:22, 25, 33).

a. Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

b. Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

c. Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

What do I do if I do not agree with those in authority?

1. Prayfor those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

a. 1 Timothy 2:1Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

b. 1 Timothy 2:2for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

c. Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

d. Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.

2. Respectfullydisagree (Acts 5:29).

a. Acts 5:29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.

b. Genesis 2:18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

c. John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

d. John 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

3. Trust God (1 Peter 3:5-6)

a. 1 Peter 3:5For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,

b. 1 Peter 3:5 (New Living Translation)

i. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands.

c. 1 Peter 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

i. Genesis 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

1. Genesis 20:1 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.

2. Genesis 20:2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

3. Genesis 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

1 Peter 2:22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

1 Peter 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;

1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.