As we continue learning about submission, I thought it would help you to understand what the Bible means by what it says in those passages that command submission. For today’s blog, I am relying heavily on the teaching of my good friend and co-counselor at RGCM, Pastor Bruce Roeder. He did an excellent lesson for our counselor trainees on the role of the man in submission. The text below is by and large his. I have made a few changes where it fits.
The opposite of huputasso (submission) is rebellion. Rebellion is used in the NKJV, Insurrection in the KJV. Scripture indicates as early as Gen. 3 that woman have authority problems, but this does not mean, men do not.
In fact, it is often times worse for men because in their households the women often have more of spiritual understanding of these things than they do.
Bruce says he hears this sort of stuff coming from the men he counsels:
I don’t need to submit to pagans,
My boss is harsh; my boss is an idiot,
The church has abused its authority and so on and so on.
Many men will say anything, rather than put on humble hoop-ot-as-so. And as a result, they (or we) do not model what hoop-ot-as-so means. In addition to this problem, we must add that biblical masculinity is in short supply in many, many churches…
It has been replaced with psychologized, touchy-feely masculinity that is all about healing inner pain, getting in touch with your inner child blah, blah blah, psychobabble. And maybe that’s partially the fault of the churches that use lame, psychologized, effeminate materials in their men’s ministries and the men simply do not know any better. In other words, while the church goes down the slippery slope to post modernism and adopts a psychologized, feminized view of masculinity we must go back to the Bible and study our Savior to see what masculinity is really like.
We must deem Christ the perfect man to follow/emulate—Stuart Scott
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:3 (NASB)
Here’s one of those “tell it like is” passages much of the church seems to be rejecting. Nevertheless, Paul simply says matter of factly that the man is the leader or head. You will notice the man is the head whether he wants the job or not. God just says that’s the way it is and that’s that.
The passage also says something profound about “how to be the authority”- Paul writes, “A man is responsible to Christ.” “I want you to know men, that in your headship you are responsible to Christ.” Responsible means accountable as in “answering to.” The authority men have been given has been delegated and they answer to Christ for its use. This means, among other things, they are limited in their authority by the clear commands in God’s Word.
Men must understand there is a big difference between God’s commands and their personal preferences. Personal preferences may be negotiable, God’s commands are not.
The delegated influence and authority they’ve been given is limited. It is not absolute.
Some men and husbands seem to think they have the authority or the influence to say anything, do anything or require anything—not so. They are an undershepherd under the authority of the chief shepherd whom they represent. And the measure of authority they’ve been given is meant to carry out His revealed will.
Labels: Marriage, Submission