1 Timothy 2 Lesson

SUBMISSION

Submission is defined as:

“ The action or fact of accepting or yielding to a superior force or to the will or authority of another person.” (Source: Google Dictionary)

People have struggled with the idea of submission since the beginning of time.  And when it comes to submitting to God, people let their prideandgreed get in the way of what is best for their souls.

And that is a tragedy!

THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS

Jesus asserted His authority over man when He made the following two declarations:

1. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6, 
2. “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on Earth.” – Mathew 28:18.   

Clearly, Jesus has authority over us.  However, as we will see, Jesus also recognized the authority of His Father and submitted Himself to His Father’s will repeatedly, even when it was difficult.    

SUBMITTING TO GOD IS A CHOICE

We all must decide for ourselves if we are going to recognize the authority of God or insist on doing things the way that we want. 

The consequences of this decision could not be any higher. 

One choice leads to Heaven, the other to Hell. 

As always, Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow.

As you read the following scriptures, notice how Jesus recognized the authority of His Father and submitted Himself to it:

1. “When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.” - 1 Corinthians 15:28,
2. “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbledHimself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.” - Philippians 2:5-9,
3. And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” - Mathew 26:39,
4. “For I have come down from Heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” - John 6:38.

BEING SUBMISSIVE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WORTH OR VALUE

Understanding that submitting to authority does not have anything to do with the worth or value of an individual is fundamental to our ability to accept whatever role God assigns to us. 

In the above scriptures, we see how Jesus submitted Himself to the will of His Father. 

This certainly did not diminish Jesus’ value or worth, nor will it diminish ours. 

In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he wrote:

• “A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.  But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.” – 1 Timothy 2:11-12.

In public worship, the men have authority over the women.  This does not imply value, but rather sets up a system for orderly worship. 

God has established roles and authority for the household also, as seen in the following scripture:

• “Wives be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For 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.  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.” – Ephesians 5:22-24.

The idea of submitting to authority is not limited to man and woman, or husband and wife. 

There is also the idea that those who are younger are to be subject to their elders:

• “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:5.

WHAT ABOUT US?

How do we behave in roles where we need to be submissive? 

Do we accept or yield to the will or authority of another person only when it is convenient, or when it is what we want?  

That is not what the Bible says to do, and it is not the example that Jesus set for us.

True submission means accepting our role, even if we do not like it or understand why things are happening the way that they are. 

When Jesus was being crucified, He pleaded with His Father:

• “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” - Mathew 27:46.

 Jesus was exhausted, in pain, and alone on the cross, yet He never stopped recognizing that He was in submission to His Father and that His Father’s will had to be carried out.

Perhaps the greatest example of Jesus’ submission to His Father occurs in the following exchange. 

As Jesus prepared for the horrific death that awaited Him on the cross, He asked His Father if there were any other options.  And then He made it clear that He was not going to do what He wanted to do, but the will of His Father:

• “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” – Mathew 26:39.

CONCLUSION

In life, all of us take on roles of submission and roles of authority depending on the situation. 

The most important role for us to take is the role of being submissive to God and obedient to His commands. 

This means checking our ego at the door and committing to learn God’s commandments and following them.

We will end today’s lesson with the following scripture taken from the first epistle of John:

• “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” - 1 John 2:3-4.