For God’s Sake, Submit
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by Jon Buck
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution…” ~ 1 Peter 2:13
Christianity is a profoundly submissive religion. As Christians seeking to obey God’s word, we must submit to a host of authorities all around us.
We are to submit to governing authorities (Rom 13:1-5)
We are called to submit to church leaders (Heb. 13:17)
Children are called to submit to parents (Eph. 6:4)
Wives are called to submit to husbands (1 Peter 3:1-6)
Employees must submit to their employers (Eph. 6:5)
We are called to submit to every human institution! (1 Peter 2:13)
What is so fascinating about these many calls to submission is that they rarely deal with the character of the authority. There simply are no caveats or ‘escape clauses’ to these calls for submission.
Paul doesn’t tell wives to submit to only perfect husbands.
He doesn’t call children to submit to only the ‘good’ decisions parents make.
He doesn’t call employees to submit to only Christian employers.
He doesn’t tell us to submit only to Christian kings, or righteous governors.
Of course, when an authority calls us to sin, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29), but we must have a chapter and verse to rest on. A violation of our first amendment rights does not meet that standard.
So then why is submission so widespread in the Bible?
The answer is found in nearly every text on submission, but you have to look carefully for it. Every time we are called to submit, the call is based on the reputation of God.
Peter tells us we should submit ‘for the Lord’s sake’.
Paul tells Titus that submission is so that the word of God would not be ‘dishonored’.
Paul calls employees to submit ‘as to Christ’.