Tag: submission

submission · Uncategorized

Submission is the Prescribed Model.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

philippians2

Jesus, being fully God and fully man, submitted to the will of the Father, and was crucified.  Crucifixion is not a noble death.  It is a debased, torturous, languishing death of guilty criminals.  In His crucifixion Jesus made a way for us to be justified from our sins.  He took a lowly human inhumanity and turned it for His glory and the Godhead is glorified in it.  Every sinner miraculously brought to new life in Christ, brings glory to God.  The greatest demonstration of sacrificial submission has brought the most glory to God.  We need to submit to God’s authoritative word.  In His word we know to submit to governmental authority.  We learn that work is to be done for the glory of God.  All vocations are equally glorifying to God when done for His glory.  Work was intended for us from the beginning.  The fall brought the factor of toil to work.  Adam did not submit to the word of God.  Husbands, submit to Christ.  Wives, submit to your Husbands.  Children, submit to your parents, slaves (employees) submit to your masters. (employers)  I think the pattern is obvious.  We are not to be a rebellious people, but rather a people sanctified for submission to a Holy God, and all the authorities He has ordained over us.  May God keep and bless you, in all that He has in His sovereign will for you, to His glory, in the name of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, amen.

Philippians 2:1-18

1Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, andbeing made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

14Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 17But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 18You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
 

cultural · marriage · Uncategorized

Mutual Submission or Christlike Submission, Marriage, and Culture.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

I know that culture has convinced some of us to conform God’s word to what it says instead of the other way around, but realize that is not how it is supposed to be.  Culture is supposed to be informed by God’s word.  Culture is determined by the predominate cult.  Since secular relative moralists have deemed feminism a good thing, many have reinterpreted the Bible to do away with the plain meaning of the following verses.  I would exhort you to conform your thinking, and behavior to the word of God instead.  If submission to God is not good, why did Christ model it for us?  Why are we told to submit and be Christ like in sanctification?  Women should not be against submitting to their husbands, and husbands should not be against submitting to Christ.  It is not the modern model of mutual submission to each other.  That denies the authority of God over man, and is a perversion of His word.  In submission to Christ we humbly serve our wives in many ways.  There is nothing shameful in this.  Submission to our wives is not Biblical in the mutual submission model.  It requires equal authority of husband and wife over each other.

This is not how God has explained it in His word.  Marriage is a demonstration of the gospel.  It is a picture of the Bridegroom Jesus, and His bride the Church.  The reunification of sinner to God.  It is a covenant between the Husband, Wife, and God.  It is for the life of those in the covenant, and we are only released from it upon death.  The covenant of marriage has become defiled in modern culture as well.  To be salt and light means to stand up and proclaim what God has judged good and evil in His sight, through His word.  There is a shame that is good for man to experience.  Many Christian brothers and sisters have been sinned against by an ungodly spouse who may or may not be false converts.  The truth may not be in them.  When your spouse is adulterous, and ultimately leaves you, they have injured you to be sure, but do not be bitter.  They have sinned against God, and if they are not found crucified with Christ, then they will have their deeds judged by a just and holy God.  Pray for them if you can.  If you can’t, pray for yourself, that God may soften your heart and grant you the ability.  For those of you who are married still, but are going through difficulties, ask for prayer from your brothers, and elders.  Seek help from God’s word, and get wise counsel.  Appreciate that you are with the person God has given you for your own growth and sanctification.  It is for your good and theirs.  The things that they  do that make you crazy are for your growth and maturing.  Don’t let resentment grow.  I pray that God be glorified in our marriages and that we are sanctified through them in accord with His will, amen.

1 Timothy 2:9-15

9Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, 10but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 11A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

Ephesians 5:1-2,  22-24

1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

22Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.  (Men are to submit to Christ, as Christ submitted to the Father and death on the cross.  If we are to be Christ like, then sanctification includes submission according to the structure of authority God has ordained.)

Colossians 3:1-4, 18-21

1Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory

18Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.  (notice the man is not told to submit to his wife.)

1 Peter 3:1-7

1In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. 3Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 5For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; 6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.

7You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Titus 2

1But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. 2Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

3Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

6Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; 7in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, 8sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

9Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

15These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

 

Church · cultural · God · love · marriage · Repentance · Theology · Uncategorized · under God

Men, Submit to God. Women, submit to God. He says, submit to your Husbands.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Untitled

So, you are a modern woman, and you have heard, perhaps even said, “I can do what I want!  You don’t own me!  I don’t need a man!”  Well, if you are Christian woman, you should eschew such ignorant, godless, rhetoric.  It is prideful and selfish.  Very unbecoming of a Christian man or woman.  I am so sick of how the world has been portraying husbands and wives.  Let’s not allow the culture to define us.  Let’s be defined by God’s word.

Imagine a man who claims to be Christian, and won’t submit to God’s word.  Instead of doing what God has commanded, he does what he wants.  Is that a man who is at war with his sinful flesh, or is that a man who is giving into his flesh?

Imagine a man who claims that nobody has ownership of him.  We know that is wrong.   God tells us in His word that our bodies do not belong to us.  A husband’s body belongs to his wife.  A wife’s body belongs also to her husband, but God owns them both.  They are His creatures.  The ones who die in rebellion, will burn forever in Hell.  He will pour out His righteous wrath on them for eternity.

Imagine now, an arrogant, prideful, man exclaiming that he doesn’t need a woman.  That man is calling God a liar.  Why, the very first book in God’s word explains why He made Eve.  It was because it was not good for man to be alone.  God made for him a helpmate.  Everyone knows that men need women.  If we are to be fruitful and multiply it is obvious.  So, to subdue the Earth, we must have wives and they must have husbands.

Modern notions of gender are so diabolically satanic.  They defile, degrade, and mock what God has made for our good and His glory.  The enemy loves it every time a feminist howls in rebellion, every time a man becomes a selfish boy.  We need to embrace our roles as God has defined and ordained them to be.  We should reject what culture says.  The cultural hermeneutic says, “The verses in the Bible that tell a woman to submit to her husband, the verses that say a woman should not teach or have authority over a man, the verses that tell men to support their families, to be the spiritual leaders of their homes and Churches, the word of God that tells us how to live as godly men and women should not be applied as God intended because modern culture’s consensus is superior.”  Well, last time I checked, we don’t ask culture to explain God to us, we read His words and hear straight from God Himself in the reading of it.  I don’t have to consult the latest social pundits.  God has spoken, and He has done so with the ultimate authority that entails.

Want to know why your marriage doesn’t work?  Want to know why you are miserable in your Church?  Want to know why your children run your home?  Simple, you have forsaken God’s will as expressed in His word.  Rebels and scoundrels, each and every one of us!  Repent and believe the word of God and live to please the Savior who has bled and suffered for you on the cross of His crucifixion.  Christ submitted to the will of the Father to cleanse for Himself a bride.  That bride is the Church.  It submits to Christ.  Submit yourselves to His headship as Lord and master of your lives.  This means even unto death.  We must love our wives as Christ loved the Church.  Christ died for us while we were yet sinners.  We did not deserve His love or sacrifice.  We were, by nature His enemies, and He died to save us.  Men, love your wives when they don’t deserve it.  Women love your husbands when they don’t deserve it.  Men, submit to Christ.  Women, submit to your husbands, not because he says to, but because the one, true, living God, almighty says to!

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
[Ephesians 5:22-33 KJV]

Husband, head, protector, provider.  Not what T.V. says, not what the movies show.

marriage

Marriage, mutual submission or something else?

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

washing-feetMarriage, mutual submission or something else? I think it is something else. I think to say that, “you mutually submit to one another” misses the bigger picture. I think it is as the Bible says. The wife should submit to her husband, like the church submits to Christ’s authority. The husband should submit to God. Even if it means dying. This is like the submission of Jesus to the Father’s will. If we remember from scripture, Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. Jesus, who is God incarnate, left the majesty of His estate to dwell among us in mortal flesh. He bore the punishment of the sins of those who would be saved. He submitted to death on a cross. Wouldn’t you rather have a husband love you like that, than one that simply, mutually submits to your imperfect human will?