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Submission |
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| To whom do we owe unqualified submission? |
| "Submit yourselves therefore to God." James 4:7. |
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| Why are we under obligation to submit to God? |
"Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and His Maker, ...I have made the earth, and created man upon it... There is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside Me. Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else." Isa. 45:11-22. |
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| What constitutes submission to God? |
"Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Cor. 10:5. |
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| What will be the condition of one who is thus submissive to God? |
| He will be "filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." Col. 1:9. |
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| What is the will of God? |
| "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification." 1 Thess. 4:3. "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God." 1 Peter 4:1, 2. |
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| What is fulfilled in us when we live not in the flesh? |
| "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:4. |
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| Then what is the course of one who is submissive to God? |
He walks after the Spirit, i.e., brings forth the "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22-24), or in other words, fulfills "the righteousness of the law," which constitutes the will of God. 1 Peter 4:2. |
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| What should we bring into subjection to God? |
"But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection." 1 Cor. 9:27. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Rom. 12:1. "Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Cor. 10:5. "Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. 6:20. |
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| Which member of the body requires the greatest exertion, together with the grace of God, to bring into submission? |
| "The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." James 3:8, 2. |
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| What is the prayer of one who is submissive to God? |
"Thy will be done." Matt. 6:10. |
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| How was submission exemplified in the life of Christ? |
| "He [Jesus] humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Phil. 2:8. "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth." Isa. 53:7. Read also Matt. 27:26-50. |
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| What is said about submission to worldly powers and authorities? |
| "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates." Titus 3:1. |
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| Why are we required to do this? |
| "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God." Rom. 11:1, 2. "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, ...for so is the will of God." 1 Peter 2:13-15. |
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| Does Peter mean that we should submit to the ordinances of men, even when these are contrary to the express command of God? |
| Let Peter himself answer. "We ought to obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29. "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." Acts 4:19. |
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| What noted example have we of obedience or submission to God rather than man? |
| The three worthies in the fiery furnace. Dan. 3. |
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| Then what is really meant by being subject to worldly rulers and ordinances of men? |
| "For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying; namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Rom. 13:9. |
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| How do we stand related to one another with regard to submission? |
| "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you, be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility." 1 Peter 5:5. |
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| What seems to be the reason for this requirement? |
| Submission cultivates humility, a Christian virtue of high value. It is the humble to whom God "giveth grace," and whom He will in due time exalt. 1 Peter 5:5, 6. |
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| What should be the attitude of a wife to her husband? |
| "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands." Col. 3:18. |
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| What is this submission? |
| "To be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands." Titus 2:4, 5. |
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| Does this submission permit domination on the part of the husband? |
| "Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them." Col. 3:19. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church." Eph. 5:25. |
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| How far should a wife submit to her husband? |
| "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord." Col. 3:18. |
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| In what should children be submissive to parents? |
| "Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." Col. 3:20. |
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| What is said about the submission of servants to masters? |
| "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God." Col. 3:22. |
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