Isaiah - Verse By Verse

Walking through Ephesians - Day 119

versebyverse | March 19, 2008 18:04

Thought:  To me, until a person has learned how to submit to Christ, he will never make an effective or competent leader.

Question:  Do I demonstrate a respect for Christ in how I relate to others?

Scripture:  Ephesians 5:21 (NIV):  "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Paul has been instructing Christians in unity and holy living.  The latest verses have focused on spirit-filled behaviors; singing and thanking.  Now we see also that a spirit-filled Christian is a submissive Christian.

If you are constantly thankful, constantly singing inside, you have become aware of God's abiding presence.  If God is always present then He also "comes" to us via others who cross our path.  We ought to treat every meeting with another human being, and especially other Christians, as an encounter with God; and thus it becomes easier to "submit to one another."

Paul also says we should submit (which means become subject to) "out of reverence for Christ."  To me, this means that if Jesus died for someone, then they are worth being subject to.  Now, Jesus died for the worst sinners among us.  Am I saying we should give in to all evil peoples' wishes?  Of course not.  I think we ought to, however, value anyone as able to both be redeemed by God out of evil, and be used by God in evil, in connection with me, and therefore as someone to be potentially subject to.  We need to be ready and willing to submit to them as God may indicate in a given instance while being consciously led by the Holy Spirit.

Christ subjected Himself to Roman soldiers unto death.  He did so because He clearly understood it to be His Father's will.  He is our Example, then, as well as our Teacher in these matters.  We reverence Him when we see His example and honor it in our own life.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to remember the reason I should submit to others:  it is because I revere Jesus Christ and His examples of submission.  Father, I want to be like Jesus!  Amen.

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