Biblical Submission (The Essence of Complementarianism)

Why does ‘submission’ sound so bad?

‘Loss of freedom’, ‘lack of human rights’, ‘gender inequality’, or ‘gender discrimination’ may be commonly associated with the Biblical concept of submission – especially regarding submission of the wife to the husband in the Christian marriage. Thus, any connotations related with submission is often challenged and denounced. However, is Biblical submission truly associated with such negative implications?

To begin with, our current society has an increasing distaste, discomfort, and revulsion against the notion of submission because of the increasing degree of sin. The Word of God has foretold that ungodliness will continue to surge, firstly because the Devil is the prince of the world (John 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4), and the world is being shaped more into his likeness. Secondly, because those who are evil will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13).

Satan, the ‘god’ of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4), is constantly infiltrating the world with his characteristics. The underlying attribute of our one and only true enemy is rebellion, that is, the opposite of submission. Thus, submission will naturally sound bad unless one has a clear conscience and is filled with the Holy Spirit, for man’s nature (the flesh) is aligned with the world, and the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). Submission is a characteristic of the Spirit (Christ, through the power of The Holy Spirit, submitted to the Will of The Father [John 5:20, 6:38]), yet, under the increasing trend of post-modernism, most of the world adheres to the secular worldviews, and they are usually a proponent of rebellion towards God’s preset agenda of good and evil – which lies within the infallible and inerrant Word of God – the Truth (John 17:17; Psalm 19:33).

Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4) and our current society is encouraging subjective morality and relativism, which rebels against any sayings that suggest a standard of good and evil. Thus, sin is rebellion and transgression against God’s standard of good and evil (1 John 3:4; Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18). Hence, through acknowledging our nature and the current culture we’re engulfed in, Christian values are out of the norm, for those in Christ are on a narrow path (Matthew 7:14), while that of the world is on a broad highway. Nonetheless, all types of Biblical submission: submission to parents (Ephesians 6:1), submission to masters (Ephesians 6:5-6), submission to church leaders (Hebrews 13:17), submission to governing authorities (Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1), submission to one another (Ephesians 5:21), and submission of wives to husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24) sounds bad, and will only sound even worse because the world encourages rebellion.  

The Essence of Biblical Submission

The essence of Biblical submission, is ultimately not towards any of the subjects mentioned above, but to Christ. One who does not firstly submit oneself to Christ, will not understand the beauty of submission, and how all types of worldly associations – ‘Loss of freedom’, ‘lack of human rights’, ‘gender inequality’, and ‘gender discrimination’ – are biblically inapplicable. (I did not use the word ‘unbiblical’, because if we were living back in the days of the Old Testament, such concepts may be applicable. There is commencing difference between ‘Biblical’ and ‘Biblical applicability’.)

For example, while Apostle Paul mentioned about submitting to governing authorities (Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1) – which sounds utterly horrendous to some – he was submitting to Christ in the first place. This is evidenced as he was not submitting to governing authorities while writing the Pauline epistles, including the prison epistles. If he had not submitted to Christ in the first place, but only submitted to the authorities, he wouldn’t have written a large chunk of the New Testament. Furthermore, when Apostle Paul mentioned about submission to one another (Ephesians 5:21), it is written that it should be done out of reverence for Christ – once again reaffirming how the essence of submission is based on submission to Christ, putting on Christ (Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27), and putting Christ as the center of our lives.

To understand the Biblical essence of submission, one must firstly understand that Christianity is dogmatic, ethical, and experiential. Since man’s nature is sinful (John 8:34), and has an inner urge to usurp against God’s decrees, one cannot understand the Biblical essence of submission if one only acknowledges – in the mind – about the Word of God (Dogmatism and ethicality). Without experiences of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit and perhaps, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God is nothing but an integrated version of the Mosaic Law.

However, with the integration and the continual sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit, The Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, able to pierce the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). James 4:7 says: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.” Without submitting yourselves to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, how can one resist the devil and all notions of rebellion and lawlessness?

How can I apply Biblical Submission in my life?

Being a Christian is about being Christ-like, or, putting on Christ (Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27) and integrating His life with ours. Since Christ Said “Not My Will, but Yours be done (Luke 22:42)” – signifying His Submission to the Will of the Father, we are to do so coherently. Yet, how can I submit to The Father’s Will?

Faith is the key to Biblical Submission. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as ‘the assurance of things unseen’, and if one fails to submit to Christ and His Kingdom, it could reflect the lack of faith in him/her, or how his/her faith is not complete. Faith can only be completed by works and actions (James 2:22), and this does not epitomize how salvation is anyhow related to works, but how faith does not integrate into the heart without actions and produced fruit. The Biblically given example lies with the Father of Faith – Abraham (Romans 4:16) – and his faith was perfected when he submitted to El Shaddai’s Calling to go out into a place where he did not know where he was going (Hebrews 11:8); thus, faith was credited to him as righteousness (James 2:23).

One cannot submit to Christ if one’s faith in Christ has yet to be complete. Therefore, the essence to Biblical submission is firstly about submission to Christ, with faith as the key. For some, submission to Christ may not necessarily be like that of Abraham, which is to go out into the land of the unknown, but of the circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:29). Physical circumcision was a sign that distinguished one as a Jew from a gentile – one submitted to God’s Law – yet, since the law has been fulfilled (Matthew 5:17), circumcision of the heart is a spiritual sign performed by the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:29) which distinguishes one from the rest of those of the world.

One who has circumcised his/her heart, symbolizing his/her submission to God, is noticeable. Matthew 15:11 states: “it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”, and what comes out of the mouth is of the heart (Matthew 15:17). Therefore, the circumcision of the heart is not an ‘unseen’ thing where only God and oneself knows about, but something that can be vividly seen and heard of. Matthew 7:21 states “Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord’, ‘Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the Will of My Father.” Thus, one who has circumcised his/her heart will do the Will of The Father – like Christ Himself. And one who does the Will of The Father, has completed one’s faith.

Thus, Biblical Submission can be applied when one, through faith, adheres to The Will of God – reflecting one’s circumcision of the heart.

The Beauty of Biblical Submission

Biblical Submission, unlike the negative connotations the world has towards it, is beautiful. 

In 2 Corinthians 3:17, Apostle Paul says “Now the Lord is in the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Apart from rebellion, freedom may be conceived as the opposite of submission; yet, what does “freedom” mean in The Word? Life is in the Spirit (Romans 8), and one who has submitted to Christ will be spiritually alive (Ephesians 2:1-10). One who is spiritually alive has freedom.

“Freedom” of the world is, in fact, plowing deeper into rebellion and the bondage of sin. Presently, most connotations of freedom are liberations from God’s preset agenda – God’s decrees – therefore, the freedom of the world is actually rebellion and bondage to sin. However, when one submits to Christ, the Spirit of the Lord will be upon him/her, and the person will be freed from the sin and it’s deadly consequences – becoming spiritually alive, and compatible with God’s Wisdom, Love, Grace, Mercy, Lovingkindness, Peace, and ultimately, Adonai Yahweh Himself. Being Biblically ‘free’ is the greatest gift one could ever have. Therefore, as mentioned above, being spiritually alive is not of the head, but of the heart. One who has become spiritually alive undergoes a 180-degree transition regarding his/her life.

Nonetheless, one will not understand the beauty of Biblical submission in marriage unless he/she has experienced and submitted to Christ. Christian marriage is about a man and woman joined together by God (Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:9), the result of the couple seeking Christ together. The wife submits to the husband ultimately because of her submission to Christ, yet, Ephesians 5 alludes it to Christ and the church – how Christ gave Himself up for her; signifying love as the essence of biblical submission in marriage. “For God so loved the world He gave His only Son…” (John 3:16). In the same way, we submit to Christ out of love, for He first loved us (1 John 4:19) and submission in marriage has nothing to do with loss of freedom, lack of rights, gender inequality, or gender discrimination, for it is written in Ephesians 5:25 that husbands should “love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her”, and to “love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself” (Ephesians 5:28). All negative connotations about Biblical submission in marriage are unbiblical, for they emerge from worldviews. Biblical submission - in its essence - is nothing but beautiful.

Psalm 34:8 states: “Come taste and see that The Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” The verse evokes how The Lord’s goodness is acknowledged – not only based on knowledge – through experiences, juxtaposing faith with works, so that it is complete. One with faith but no works will only know The Lord’s goodness and lovingkindness; but one with works will truly see how scripture is alive and active – for one has tasted and seen His Faithfulness, Grace, Mercy, and Love. Thus, one cannot comprehend the love of Christ and the blessings of taking refuge in the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) without submitting to Him. Moreover, there is no way one can understand the beauty of Biblical Submission, when one has yet to submit to Him as His bride – for the Word of God is not only to be read but applied in life. 

"If you abide (submit) in My Word, you are truly My Disciples, and you will know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free" (John 8:31-32)

One who truly submits to Christ and His Kingdom will understand – through the completion of faith – the beauty of Biblical submission.

-Barnabas