Submission: The Missing Virtue in a Self-Directed World

“Submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of God.” — Ephesians 5:21

In today’s world, the idea of submission is often misunderstood and maligned. It is labeled as oppressive, outdated, and even dangerous. Whether it’s within the home, the church, or society at large, submission is rarely viewed as a virtue. Yet the Bible presents it as a foundational principle for the Christian life—modeled perfectly by Jesus Himself.

The True Meaning of Submission

To submit is to yield—to voluntarily place oneself under the authority, judgment, or direction of another. As Vine’s Expository Dictionary notes, it involves not only action but attitude. You can obey without submitting, but you cannot submit without a heart aligned in humility and trust.

Submission is not weakness. It is a strength under control. It is not silence—it is surrendering pride for the sake of peace, unity, and faithfulness to God.

Why the World Rejects Submission

Modern culture glorifies independence and self-rule. “No one can tell me what to do” is a common mantra. But that mindset leads to rebellion, chaos, and the breakdown of relationships—just as it did for Satan and the fallen angels who refused to stay in their God-given place (Jude 6).

Even in the church, some resist biblical teachings on submission because they perceive them as restrictive. Yet when God calls us to submit—whether to parents, elders, husbands, or government—it is for our good and His glory.

The Biblical Pattern of Submission

Scripture outlines multiple relationships where submission is commanded:

• To God: The ultimate submission is to His will (James 4:7).

• To Civil Authority: Christians are to obey laws unless they contradict God’s commands (Romans 13:1; Acts 5:29).

• Wives to Husbands: Not as inferiors, but as partners following God’s design (1 Peter 3:1).

• Children to Parents: For their own protection and training (Ephesians 6:1).

• Servants to Masters (or Employees to Employers): With integrity and diligence, even under poor treatment (1 Peter 2:18).

• Church Members to Elders: Trusting godly leadership for the health of the congregation (Hebrews 13:17).

  
  

Each of these roles reflects God’s divine order—not inequality, but unity and purpose.

Christ: The Supreme Example

Philippians 2:5–11 presents Jesus as the ultimate model of submission. Though equal with God, He humbled Himself, took on human flesh, and became obedient unto death—all for our salvation.

“He made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant…” — Philippians 2:7

If the sinless Son of God could submit to the will of the Father—even unto death—what excuse do we have to resist submission in our own lives?

Final Thought

Submission doesn’t mean inferiority. It means choosing God’s way over our own. It is the pathway to peace, the mark of maturity, and the heartbeat of Christian unity.

May we learn to submit—not because culture demands it, but because Christ modeled it.