Submission, now there is a word that conjures up many ideas and opinions. All Christians would agree, in theory at least, that every Christian is to live in submission to Christ. Living that out is completely different story. The Bible also teaches that Christians are to submit to authority and to one another. The Bible also teaches that wives and husbands are to submit to each other. Many Christians become defensive and rationalize their disobedience in these areas. Submitting to God is often hard for our pride-infested hearts. It is nigh unto impossible for those same hearts to submit to human authority. Virtually all of us have the “you can’t tell me what to do” disease. This is a particularly vile and dangerous disease. I know; I have seen it first-hand, up close and personal in myself and others.
The book of First Peter presents a different and important look at submission. Surely submitting to God, being willing to do His will is a significant part of submitting to God. Pledging our desire to go where God sends, to do what God commands, to say what God tells us to say, are all part of Christian submission. First Peter teaches another and equally significant aspect of Christian submission. The goal of the Bible is to transform us, to conform us to the image of Christ. Doing the will of the Father is certainly a large part of that. Being willing “to do” is Christian submission, but so is being willing “to be done unto”. Peter was writing to people who were living through some of the most vicious religious persecution the world has ever known. The historical descriptions are virtually more than one can bear to read. The Holy Spirit, through Peter, wrote to these persecuted Christians, living through indescribable torture. The message: submit with a capital S.
First Peter chapter two told them (and us) to submit to kings, governors, and every human authority. It goes on to say that we are to fear God and love our fellow believers. It further says that we are to honor all people, specifically the king. There is more. Slaves are told to submit to their masters and not just to masters who are kind and gentle but also to masters who are harsh and unjust. I don’t know about you, but this goes against every fiber of my being. I want to scream, “No! I won’t do it!” However, I must stop and remember that the goal of the Christian life is to become like Jesus. I cannot become like Jesus without suffering unjustly. If I suffer because of my sin, that does not help me at all, except it may keep me from repeating the same sin, however it will not make me like Christ. 1 Peter 2:19-23 says, “For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” NASU
If this message applied to the original readers, who lived under the very real and constant threat of unspeakable torture, I suppose it applies to me. Christian submission is very much about submitting to “being done unto”. May God grace us with eyes to see the strength and courage He has already supplied for our obedience. May we keep entrusting ourselves to Him who judges righteously.