ON THE VANGUARD

SUBMISSION

“As for husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community, indeed, gave himself up on its behalf, in order to set it apart for God, making it clean through immersion in the mikveh, so to speak, in order to present the Messianic Community to himself us a bride to be proud of, without a spot, wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without defect.”
Ephesians 5:25-27 CJB

Before I begin today, as I know this can be a touchy subject, I want to remind you that our topic for July has been the question of “What Would Jesus Do?” When I started writing these devotionals it was because I was reading Charles Sheldon’s book in which the characters were asking the same question. Each character in their own respective field found themselves beginning to make decisions for the course of their life based on seeking God’s answers as opposed to doing what they felt. Yet while I was reading this book, and now since as I have finished it, I find myself still wondering as the characters did what Jesus would do in many of my situations. In the parts of Ephesians 5 we have looked at, I think it is safe to say we have begun to answer this question to some degree. But today I want to move forward in Ephesians 5 to the verses maybe more so quoted at weddings and in marriage counseling. I want us to consider what Jesus would do as we look at the subject of submission.
Now before we go further, let us define from the Greek the word ‘submission’. The Greek word for submit here is HUPOTASSO, which means to obey, to be subject to, or to yield to the advice of. I think in many circles this word has become negative. Wives tend to feel controlled by their husbands when they submit, just as men tend to feel less in command when they submit. But think of this, the same Greek word used here in Ephesians 5 is the same word found in James 4:7 where we are encouraged to submit to God in order to resist the devil. Submission is not a bad thing by any means. If the true meaning has to do with obedience and receiving help, then who doesn’t need these things? While I am not saying at all that wives are weak and cannot think for themselves, I am saying that God has given you a husband to join up with and find a right and joint mindset with. And husbands, while I am not saying that you are unable to think for yourself, I am saying that leading the family is not always easy, and God is willing to give you some pointers.
With ‘submission’ defined, let us look now at our scripture. Again, we know that Jesus did only as He saw His Father doing. It is with this understanding that we see His order. Jesus saw His Father love the world, regardless of its state. So then, Jesus mirrored His Father’s love for the body. As Jesus is married to the church, so the man is to love his bride. As Jesus gave Himself up for His bride, so the man is to forsake himself for his bride. In this act, Jesus set us apart, washing us in His blood for purity. In the Jewish culture, there is a term known as ‘mikveh’. A mikveh is a pool or bath of clear water. If a ritually clean person had contact with an unclean person, dead person, or any defiling object, including menstrual cycles, the person would bathe in these waters for cleanliness. Notice in Ephesians 5:26 that this is the water, or the flow, that we have been washed in. Notice also that this is the idea that we are to follow. The husband is to mirror the washing of his bride in the waters of the Word as we have been washed in the waters of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Within marriage, should we not also do what Jesus would do? Husbands, should we not love our wives as Jesus loved His bride. Wives, should submission be forsaken when we see that Jesus also submitted to the ways of His Father? If we want to do what Jesus would do then we have to do it in every area, not just in the areas we want to surrender in. It isn’t always easy to surrender to Him our relationships, our wallets, or our habits, but to be His bride, free of spot and wrinkle, we have to come under His submission. The word ‘submission’ shouldn’t be feared, but rather should be full of freedom.


*I thank you for reading these devotionals. It is my desire that through my words and thoughts, God speaks masses to you. Over the next few weeks I would like to give you a small gift, a token, for taking the time to read these devotionals. If you would please, I ask that in an email response back to me, you provide for me your physical address so that I can mail you a gift of gratitude.
Dan