What does it mean to be submissive?

[GracielaAlexandraa]

And why do I cringe at the sound of it?

 

[2 know him]

And why do I cringe at the sound of it?

You probably cringe at the sound of it, because of the way people have used those words to justify having others surrender to their rule. Jesus said to serve God and him alone.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
God made men and women to walk with equality here on earth and anyone who teaches otherwise justifies people not loving their neighbors as themselves.

 

[fhansen]

I think that the major battle of our lives is to learn that Adam was wrong-that man must submit to and be subjugated to God, for our own good, welfare, peace, integrity, justice, and happiness. Regardless of our professions of faith we still tend to rebel against any form of submission, no matter how rightful the authority. It's not an easy lesson. But the alternative, non-submission or submission to the wrong authority, is ultimately chaos. Mankind's "righteousness" leads to ISIS, broken relationships, war, torture, selfishness in all manner of expressions. We're here to learn just Who deserves to be submitted to, and why.

 

[Locum7]

Cringing is likely a cultural response to the idea. Being submissive is an act of humility and respect to others, being submissive means you know when to stop arguing, it means being prepared to listen, it means to be selfless, it means doing things you dont always feel like doing for the sake of loving others, it means being prepared to let go of personal agendas, and likely much more. But then, all these attitudes are counter cultural, so we are surrounded with different attitudes putting self first, plus the association of that word with the famous 'wived submit to your husbands' passage. Which is quote just after we are all told to submit to each other.

 

[2 know him]

Cringing is likely a cultural response to the idea. Being submissive is an act of humility and respect to others, being submissive means you know when to stop arguing, it means being prepared to listen, it means to be selfless, it means doing things you dont always feel like doing for the sake of loving others, it means being prepared to let go of personal agendas, and likely much more. But then, all these attitudes are counter cultural, so we are surrounded with different attitudes putting self first, plus the association of that word with the famous 'wived submit to your husbands' passage. Which is quote just after we are all told to submit to each other.

It is one thing to control others by force and another to voluntarily subject yourself to others for a purpose. Husbands should submit to their wives, using the ideas you have nicely presented, but that is not the message Paul presents. On the other hand I would love to see a place where Christ condones the use of control save and accept to use the idea to point to our need to obey God.

 

[GracielaAlexandraa]

Cringing is likely a cultural response to the idea. Being submissive is an act of humility and respect to others, being submissive means you know when to stop arguing, it means being prepared to listen, it means to be selfless, it means doing things you dont always feel like doing for the sake of loving others, it means being prepared to let go of personal agendas, and likely much more. But then, all these attitudes are counter cultural, so we are surrounded with different attitudes putting self first, plus the association of that word with the famous 'wived submit to your husbands' passage. Which is quote just after we are all told to submit to each other.

This is awesome. It's definitely and area that God has to work with me in...

 

[GracielaAlexandraa]

You probably cringe at the sound of it, because of the way people have used those words to justify having others surrender to their rule. Jesus said to serve God and him alone.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
God made men and women to walk with equality here on earth and anyone who teaches otherwise justifies people not loving their neighbors as themselves.

Most definitely. I think maybe the different things that I've been seeing and exposed to have developed an awful deal of being submissive

 

[Locum7]

Submissiom in the past has been misused as an excuse to oppress other, especially women, but submission is a choice, not something that can be forced, Christ submitted to the will of the Father in coming to die for us, his submission was an act of love for Father God, the Father did mot force Jesus to come

 

[2 know him]

Submissiom in the past has been misused as an excuse to oppress other, especially women, but submission is a choice, not something that can be forced, Christ submitted to the will of the Father in coming to die for us, his submission was an act of love for Father God, the Father did mot force Jesus to come

Submission surely can be considered to be forced, when punishment is threatened. The question is: are hierarchy systems right or wrong and if one refuses to obey other men, who are their equals, do those men have a God given, or should we say Satanic, Rite to enforce their rule.

 

[GracielaAlexandraa]

Submissiom in the past has been misused as an excuse to oppress other, especially women, but submission is a choice, not something that can be forced, Christ submitted to the will of the Father in coming to die for us, his submission was an act of love for Father God, the Father did mot force Jesus to come

Submission is definitely something I struggle with. I wonder if it reflects my relationship with the Lord..

 

[Dave-W]

Submission surely can be considered to be forced, when punishment is threatened.

I would submit that is actually OBEDIENCE rather than true submission.

Obedience deals with outward acts while submission is an attitude in the heart.

You can obey without submission; and you can submit without obedience.

An example of the first statement (obedience without submission) would be this: A young boy keeps standing up in church, being rather disruptive. His dad sits him down but he stands up again. Finally dad forcibly sits him down and threatens punishment if he stands up again. The boy replies: "I may be sitting down on the outside but I am standing up on the inside."

An example of the 2nd statement (submission without obedience) may go something like this: A husband asks his wife to under-report income from a home business on their tax return in order to get a bigger refund. She replies "You know I love you and usually do all you ask me to. But this is illegal, and we need to obey God and not lie, and to follow the laws of the land, so I have to put down the correct numbers."

 

[2 know him]

I would submit that is actually OBEDIENCE rather than true submission.

Obedience deals with outward acts while submission is an attitude in the heart.

You can obey without submission; and you can submit without obedience.

An example of the first statement (obedience without submission) would be this: A young boy keeps standing up in church, being rather disruptive. His dad sits him down but he stands up again. Finally dad forcibly sits him down and threatens punishment if he stands up again. The boy replies: "I may be sitting down on the outside but I am standing up on the inside."

An example of the 2nd statement (submission without obedience) may go something like this: A husband asks his wife to under-report income from a home business on their tax return in order to get a bigger refund. She replies "You know I love you and usually do all you ask me to. But this is illegal, and we need to obey God and not lie, and to follow the laws of the land, so I have to put down the correct numbers."

Let's not miss the point: if we are all equals then we are not to submit in the sense of be in subordination to one another's RULE. Christian's are to treat each other with equality and not have position over one another: according to Christ's teachings. The world Jesus wants to have us live in, is not the word we are creating through force: that is Satan's world of which he is its god and ruler.

 

[Dave-W]

Let's not miss the point: if we are all equals then we are not to submit in the sense of be in subordination to one another's RULE.

That is unbiblical.

Heb 13.17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

Gal 2.1 Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.
2 It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

1 Pet 2.13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,

 

[Brian45]

.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

"the action or fact of accepting or yielding to a superior force or to the will or authority of another person [God]."

Submission is essentially saying: Thy will be done, rather than my will be done.

 

[Locum7]

Submission is definitely something I struggle with. I wonder if it reflects my relationship with the Lord..

Gracie, there may be deeper issues, its something to work through as it could be a case of being independent and not trusting others as a form of self protection. Its worth looking at your walk with God, submitting to God comes from love. Read through john 13-16 again asking why Christ submitted to his fatgers will, and what it means for us to submit to him and to each other. Its all about love in brief but maybe spend some time going through those chapters afresh as Christ is our example, loving sacrificial submissice obedience.

 

[Sketcher]

Practice Philippians 2:1-8:

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.​

That is general submission that every Christian is to practice. That's single or married. Becoming a person who keeps to doing that has a side benefit of helping you to be a better spouse when you do marry. This goes for both men and women. The instructions Paul gave to wives and husbands in Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3 are actually expressions of this way of living.

 

[Emmy]

Dear GracielaAlexandraa. You had quite a few replies on being submissive, may I give you one more?
In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: love thy neighbour as thyself." Verse 40 tells us: On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters.
To be submissive is following God`s Commandments to the end, to Love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds.
Also to love our neighbour as we love ourselves, treat all we know and all we meet, as we would love to be treated.
In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told: "Ask and you shall receive," we ask for Love and Joy, then thank God and share all
love and joy with our neighbour. We keep asking and receiving, then thank God and share all love and joy with our neighbour. We might stumble and forget at times, but then ask God to forgive us and carry on loving and caring.
The Bible tells us: " Repent and be Born Again," we change our selfish wishes and wants to loving and caring, and being kind and considerate. God sees our loving efforts, and God will keep Blessing us.
A Christian`s weapon is Love and Compassion, and love will always be the victor. The Holy Spirit and Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us all the way: JESUS IS THE WAY. To be submissive is to always do the will of
God our Father in Heaven, to be loving and compassionate. I say this with love, GracielaAlexandraa.
Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Noxot]

being humble is one thing and being a slave is quite another.