Submit

We humans are not born knowing how to get along with one another. It just doesn't come natural.

We seem to know how to look out for number one, but we don't know, we're not born knowing how to relate to others. Of course, children reflect to that perfectly in the way they disagree, argue, and fight, and do not relate well to one another. I'm talking about your children, my children, anybody's children. We see that they don't really know how to get along with each other, and they have to be trained and taught and guided in that direction.

We actually need instruction, then, on how to relate to one another. Today, I'd like for us to consider a very vital ingredient in our relationships with each other. And I think we've come to understand that more deeply. It's not that we have not had this down through the years and the decades in the Church of God, but we have come to understand this more deeply, I think, in the last decade or so. We're going to be making a study into the word submission.

And submission is actually a very important doctrine in the Bible. And we're going to see that our relationships with each other, and actually with God, which is most important, depend upon submission, this attribute of submission. We need to grow in this attribute if we are to succeed in our relationships, of course, with God, number one, with one another.

Our relationships will suffer if we do not have this element. Our marriages, our families, our communities, and our relationship as members of God's Church will suffer unless we have this quality. The Greek word for submit or submission is hupotasso. H-U-P-O-T-A-S-S-O. Hupo means beneath.

This is a word that has the Greek roots go back in two directions. H-U-P-O-Hupo means below or beneath. Tasso means arrange. This word hupotasso, which is translated submit or submission in the Bible, means to arrange beneath, submit, to arrange beneath. Let's keep this in mind as we see this word show up time and again in the scriptures, that it means that we are striving to arrange it beneath. Not above. Maybe this sermon ties in with the sermonette quite well. Not above, but arranging it beneath. Let's begin by going over to James chapter 4 and verse 7. The first place where we arrange ourselves beneath, of course, is to word God. And that's what it says here in James chapter 4 and verse 7. We arrange ourselves below God. We submit to God's rule over us. James chapter 4 and verse 7 simply says in the first half of the verse, first part of the verse, therefore submit to God. Arrange yourself beneath God. He's over you. He's over me. He has authority then over us. Of course, the word before has to do with the opposite of submission and it says he gives more grace. Therefore, he says God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. And because God then does resist the proud and gives grace to the humble, verse 7, therefore submit. Arrange yourself beneath or below God. He rules over us.

Now, we also are then in other verses shown that we are to submit to arrange ourselves beneath certain humans as well. For example, over in, we'll take several areas of our human relationships where we arrange ourselves beneath other humans. In 1 Peter 2 and verse 13, therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme or to governors who are sent by him and so forth. So, we are to submit ourselves to human government. You'll also read the same thing in Romans chapter 13 and verse 1 to be subject to civil authorities that are over us. We believe then, as I just read in the announcements, we are to register for the Selective Service System. It's the law. That doesn't mean that we're, that we have to submit to the draft if that is started up again. But it does mean that we should register as required. And at the same time, it would be, it would be, if you are a conscientious objector, that would be the time to register that you are a conscientious objector. By the way, you cannot register as a conscientious objector online. You'll have to do that by sending in something that is written, but our information will help you on that. But we submit to man's rule then over us, civil government, civil authority. We submit to income taxes and we submit to the laws, traffic laws, and other laws of the land. As long as there is not a conflict with the higher laws of God, then we submit to civil authority, civil government. So did Jesus, and so did the early church. Now, another area of submission is right here in verse 18 of this same chapter, 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 18. Servants be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. So employees then are to submit to their boss on their jobs. They are to arrange themselves beneath their boss. The boss is boss. He has a rule, you might say, an authority over them or over us. So employees are to arrange themselves beneath their bosses and have an attitude that is submissive. We are to submit then on the job, the same word, hupotasso. We are to arrange ourselves beneath our masters, even if the master is hard, harsh, and hard to get along with. And sometimes that is the case. There are certain things we learn even in situations like that. Also, right here in this same passage of Scripture, when we come on down to chapter 3 and verse 1, we find that there is again another submission here, and this one is in the family. In verse 3, likewise, you wives be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they without a word may be won by the conduct of the wives. So wives are instructed that they are to hupotasso. They are to arrange themselves beneath the authority of their husband, who is in other places called the head of the family.

So a wife is to hupotasso, arrange herself beneath her husband, and be subject to his leadership in the family. But guess what? You say, well, that leaves the man, then nobody is over him. Yes, the man is also included in the same passage of Scripture, the husband, in verse 7. And notice the word likewise. Sometimes each word is important. What do you mean likewise? You also find the same thing in 1 Peter, the same passage about the wives, verse 1, chapter 3, verse 1. Likewise, you wives. Well, the likewise refers back up to being subject to an employee, being subject to his boss, and then being subject to civil government, kings and rulers. So the likewise refers to what we just read up in chapter 2. And verse 7, by the time we get to the husbands, that likewise includes everything that's been brought out that we've just covered about being submissive to government, civil government being submissive on the job, and the wife being submissive to the husband. Likewise, you husbands dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. You know, the husband then is to submit to his wife and his family. And in fact, I would like to go ahead and jump ahead of the story a little bit to say that the husband, I believe, is to be the greatest submitter in the family. He is to consider, be so considerate of his wife and his children that he is the one that hoopotassos the most. He arranges himself beneath the needs of his wife and his children and his family. He arranges himself beneath. No, he's not that big, all-powerful one after all, is he? He becomes the greatest servant, the greatest submitter in the family. Brethren, this is quite different than in the world and quite different than our human nature might lead us to do things, to become the greatest submitter, the greatest giver. I think we're going to see that that follows another pattern that is over us all as we move along. Let's turn over to Colossians chapter 3. We keep expanding a little bit on this submission in our human relationships, and we find then that in all of our human relationships there is this matter of submission. If it is to work, it is not going to work unless it is there, unless there is the approach of arranging ourselves beneath, it will not work. Our human relationships will fail unless we learn to submit, to submit to one another, in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 18. Colossians chapter 3 and verse 18, wives submit, hupotasso, arrange yourself beneath to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Then servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. So this passage here summarizes many of the areas of submission that we have covered up to this point, but it adds a couple, and that is that children are instructed to hupotasso, arrange themselves beneath their parents. They are to submit to their parents and to obey their parents.

So you children that are here will do well if you will do that. If you will be obedient to your parents and respect them and honor them as God instructs you to do, if you arrange yourself, if you choose to put yourself under their authority and do what is pleasing to your parents, then you will be blessed in doing that. And it's well pleasing to God. But I'd like to go one step further in the family. What about the parents? It does cover the fathers here. Fathers do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. But don't you think that would also expand to the mother? Mothers should not discourage their children either. Mothers and fathers.

Parents then ought to guide and direct in the family in such a way that the children are not discouraged. They're not put down. They're not told. Sometimes children are discouraged. They're told, you'll never amount to anything. I've heard children say that. One lady I was counseling with recently was told that by her parents, and she broke down in the counseling. She was told that she would never amount to anything. And you know what a sad situation that is? The parents did not go according to verse 21 of encouraging the children and bringing them up in the nurture and the admonition. You know, children need to be told, well, you're good.

All children, everyone, has this gift. And they need to be told, you're good at that. None of us is good at everything. But we all have strong points. And children need to be encouraged to recognize their strong points and build on them. Build a life that is good for themselves. And you know, when you think about it, the greatest submitters in the family then turn out to be the parents. The children do submit to the parents. The children are instructed to submit to the parents. But guess who the greatest submitters are? The parents. The parents are always thinking, what can I do that will help my child to succeed?

What can I do that will help my child to have a successful life, both spiritually and physically? And the parents are the greatest givers and the greatest sacrifices and the greatest submitters. They put themselves then at the disposal, you might say, of their children and the interests of their children. They're not looking out for number one. They're looking out for themselves. I'm very thankful that I had parents that were that way.

My dad and mom were very family-oriented. And they really did put the children and the best interest of the children always at the forefront. They were still in control. They were still in authority. But they did a good job. My parents were not in the church, but not being converted parents. I think they did a good job looking back at it. They both are dead now many years, but I certainly appreciate that very much. So in the family, then, we see that in the family relationship there is submission all the way around.

I think that when we come right down to it, there is not anywhere in our human relationships that we're not going to need hupotasso. We're going to need to be able to arrange ourselves beneath. We're going to need that element, that quality, that ingredient, if we are to succeed in our human relationships. Now we could turn over just a little bit back, I guess, to Ephesians chapter 5, and we kind of say that here. Paul says it before getting into some of the family instructions that we do need to submit to everyone, to always be considering the other person, not our own desires or needs, or thinking about number one, but thinking about others first instead of ourselves.

That's not a natural thing, to think of others first before we think of ourselves. That's really going quite against the grain of our human nature. Well, in Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 20 says, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. That's what we're talking about today, submitting to one another in the fear of God. You know, we could...what about here in the church?

Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 6. Do we submit to each other in the church? Yes, we do. And there's leadership. The church has leadership. God has appointed some to be pastors, teachers, elders. And so, you know, God is the one that places every member in the body as it pleases him.

But you know the ones who minister become the greatest submitters. They are to be the ones who put themselves under the needs and desires and wishes of all. They're the ones who do listen, listen to the suggestions and the needs and make due consideration. And you know, we have that in the church and we've grown in that a lot. I've been around the Church of God since the late 1950s. That goes back a long time. And we've had submission there all along, but I've never seen so much submission as we have right now. And that is good. That's not to say we can't have a lot more and should not have a lot more submission, but there's a lot in the Church of God, a lot of submitting by the leadership. The Council of Elders and our President and those at the home office are constantly looking for ways to preach the gospel and get the work done and to take and make sure that all the needs of the brethren are being met. First and foremost, even, that the needs of the brethren are being met. Let's read here in 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13. Watch, Paul says, watch. Stand fast in the faith. Be brave. I'm reading from the new King James translation. The regular King James translation says what? Quit like men, right? Quit like men. So stand fast in the faith. Quit like men. That is, be brave. Be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. And brethren, that's what we're talking about today. When we do everything in love, we will be doing it from the perspective of hupotasso in our relationships. We will be putting ourselves or arranging ourselves beneath. We'll not be trying to exalt the self or try to in some way make number one look big or important, be recognized. Not at all. It will be done in love and humility and meekness. Verse 15 says, I urge you, brethren. Paul was pleading and urging. I urge you, brethren, you know the household of Stephanus, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, first ones in that region, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints, looking out for God's people. And verse 16 goes on to say what?

That you also submit to such, that you arrange yourselves beneath such, and to everyone who works and labors with us. So, yes, it comes on forward into the church. Verse 13 says, we are to be strong, not doubt or waver.

And verse 14 says, to do everything with love. And verse 15 and 16 says, to submit to the leadership of certain ones in the church who do help in ministering to the needs of the church. Now, there is leadership then. We see that clearly in the New Testament church.

There are ones who have been placed in that responsibility. Let's turn over to Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13. And the apostle Paul here writes in verse 17. Hebrews 13 and verse 17, obey those who have the rule over you. Now, you know, that applies here in the local congregation. There's a pastor that is assigned to our congregations. There's someone responsible to guide and make sure that things are done decently and in order. Someone that can take questions. And if he cannot answer them, then take them higher than he, because he submits to authority over him. That's how it worked in the New Testament church. When they had a question they could not find the answer to, like circumcision, they went to Jerusalem. And there was a discussion as to what should be done. We have that same system here in the church of God.

So obey them that have the rule over you. There is rulership in the church. And be submissive. Arrange yourself beneath. Now, I obey those who have the rule over me. There are those. I have a regional pastor, Mr. Succling, and I relate to him by arranging myself beneath him. And then also, I relate directly to the home office on a good number of matters. In working out the budget, for example, my ministerial budget, I worked in collaboration with Mr. Succling on establishing the needs of my ministerial budget. My ministerial budget includes mileage, not just for me, but for the elders who give sermons, and for postage, and office supplies, and different things that come up in the work of the ministry. And there's a lot of things involved in the running of four congregations, more than you might realize. A lot of things funneled down through the pastor's office, from the regional pastor, from the home office. And I worked directly, though, with the home office on the congregational budget, and establishing how much money we need to pay the rent here each week, for example. We need to have money to do that. But my position is a hoopotasso. I submit to those over me and arrange myself beneath. That's my job to do that. That's my scriptural admonition. Obey them who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. And you know, I'll just say that we have, I believe, the very best people to work with. I do as a pastor that I've ever had. We have people that have been tried and tested. Eleven years ago, we were severely tried and tested. I mean, if you wanted to not pay tithe and just keep that, if you wanted to not set aside time for Holy Days and Sabbath, if that was what was in your heart, then that was encouraged that people would do that. And many went that way. Many went that route, forsaking basic fundamental teachings. But we have people that have been tried and tested, and will continue to be tried and tested in many ways. But we do have, I believe all of us, do have a lot of this ingredient in our character already of hupotasso, the element of submitting in our relationships. But I'm saying that we should take it further and make sure that we do submit to one another in all matters, full heart, mind, and spirit. Well, let's develop this idea and thought further. We are to submit then to those over us, whether it's civil government, or whether it's like a wife toward her husband, or a husband toward his wife and family, or children toward parents, or parents toward children, and in the church. When you get right down to it, there's a lot of submission that we have to think about, a lot of arranging ourselves beneath. And it comes down to an attitude then of being willing to submit and have those over to respect and honor those who are over us.

You know, it goes even further. We have here young people and we have here old people. Let's turn back to 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 5. The submission really goes into all of our relationships, actually. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 5. Likewise, you younger people. Well, we have younger people here today, ones in their teens, ones in their early 20s. This is an instruction for you. Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, submit to the hoary head. Have a respect and esteem and honor toward the white hair. The hoary head just means the one with white hair. That means he's been around a while and he has experience and wisdom. And you're instructed then to submit, to kind of arrange yourself beneath him and say, well, this person has a lot more wisdom and knowledge and understanding than I have and learned from him. Submit yourself to your elders. And it goes on to say in verse 5, yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility.

And that's where it says again that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

So we all are to be submissive to one another in all of our relationships. So the Bible teaches this very important ingredient in our relationships of submission.

I think we can see already then that, hey, this is a key component. We're not going to be able to succeed in our relationships without it. We simply cannot. We cannot have proper relationships in any of our relationships without submission. It has to be there.

In Genesis chapter 13, we have an excellent example. Genesis 13 and verse 5.

Genesis 13 and verse 5. Abraham, the father of the faithful. Let's read this passage. Excellent example of submission. Arranging yourself beneath. Didn't have to, but he did. Genesis 13 and verse 5. Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. Now the land was not able to support them that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the parasites also dwelt in the land. So Abram said to Lot, Abram did take the lead. Now, Abram was uncle and Lot was nephew. Well, he said to Lot, please let there be no strife between you and me and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brethren. Abraham was submitting.

Hupotassa, who was arranging himself beneath Lot. There doesn't need to be strife between our herdsmen.

At all. It's not the land, the whole land before you. Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right. If you go to the right, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zohar.

Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan. He saw the one that he thought was better, a bit selfish here on Lot's part. And he journeyed toward the east, and they separated from each other. They went their separate ways. And Abraham, or Abram, dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent, even as far as Sodom. So Abraham submitted to his nephew Lot, the elder in this case submitted to the younger. And I was going to add that note back in our scripture in Peter that said the younger ones to submit to the elder. I believe the elder ones also do submit to the younger. When an older person goes up and becomes acquainted with the young person and says, how's school going? You know, how have things been for you? Shows an interest in the children. Isn't he submitting to the younger? The elder submitting to the younger. It works that way. As I've mentioned, it works across the board in all directions in our human relationships. And when we do use it, then it works, and it draws us closer to one another.

In Genesis chapter 50 is another good example of submission. Here's one that was very high up in government. Joseph, very high up in government. He was about the second in command in the whole nation of Egypt at this time. His brothers had come down to get grain, and finally Joseph had revealed himself, and he had his family to move to Egypt and stay. And then, what was it, about 17 years later, after coming down to Egypt, Jacob died. The father died, and the brothers said, the father is dead. Now Joseph is going to get revenge on us, now that our father is dead. Look how Joseph submitted to his brothers and healed the breach. Genesis 50 in verse 19, Joseph said to them, well, verse 17. What we should go back to verse 15. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him. So they sent messengers to Joseph saying, before your father died, he commanded saying, thus you shall say to Joseph. So, you know, Jacob already had anticipated the need for further healing in the breach, and so he had told the brothers to do this.

Thus you shall say to Joseph in verse 17, I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin, for they did evil to you. Now please forgive... And so that is what Jacob had told the brothers to tell Joseph after his death. Well, now please forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father. And you know, it broke Joseph up. He just started bawling. Joseph wept when they spoke to him. I don't think Joseph understood the guilt that they still felt. It was all passed for him, and he said, well, God did it for good when he revealed himself. God knew what he was doing. He worked good out of all of this, and it was in the past as far as Joseph, but the guilt was still in the heart of the brothers. And when Joseph saw that, he wept.

Verse 18, his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, Behold, we are your servants. And Joseph said to them, Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. And so that that breach between Joseph and his brothers on the brothers' part that was finally healed, but Joseph took the low road, you might say. He put himself beneath his brothers and said, you know, you meant evil, yes, but don't be afraid. You know, God worked it all out for good. I'll take care of you. He submitted to where they were, and they were able to live together in peace the rest of their life. You know, we find that, and I believe that the United Church of God has this in its governance. And this was there before Mr. Armstrong was not just a one-man show.

He had a council of advisors, and he did get a lot of input from those who were there at headquarters in Pasadena. Mr. Armstrong submitted a lot to those who were helping him. And our very form of government in United, let's say, carries it even further as far as submission in our government, I believe. And it's good. In Acts chapter 15, in fact, our setup, and there have been different approaches or, let's say, different structure in government of God's people down through the ages. But it's always from the top down. You know, God is the supreme boss. Jesus Christ is our high priest at His right hand. And there's always been human beings that God has put, let's say, with the responsibility of heading things up. In the New Testament Church, it seems more like we have now that there were 12 apostles who went to the tribes of Israel. We don't have any one of them that is just clearly the head apostle, not a single one of them. Peter is not. He may have been more the head toward the circumcision. But then there was the apostle Paul who headed up the work toward the Gentiles. But they all worked together in a collaborative manner, and there was a submitting to one another, as we find here in Acts chapter 15. Let's just read a little bit of it. There was this question concerning circumcision. Whether or not a person was... Well, verse 5, Some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, it is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses. So some of the Pharisees required circumcision of the Gentiles for them to be a part of the church, to be saved at this time. Well, verse 6, So the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. So they came together to talk it over. There was a conference. And when there had been much dispute... So there was much talking back and forth, much dispute. Peter rose up and said to them, Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. So God who knows the heart acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did us and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? They would have circumcision and some of the other works of the law. The Pharisees would. Peter says this even the fathers were not able to do all of that. Well, verse 11, Now we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they. Then all the multitude kept silent. So you see they were submitting to one another's input. They were hoopotasso in this conference.

They kept silence or silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul, declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. They heard Peter, they heard Paul and Barnabas. And in verse 13, after that they became silent. After they had become silent, James answered and said, James is the one who was the pastor of the Jerusalem headquarters church. He was not the head apostle. We don't say that, but he was the pastor of the Jerusalem church. He said, Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, after this I will return and rebuild the tabernacle of David that has fallen down. I will rebuild its ruins and I will set it up. So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord. Even all the Gentiles who are called by His name says the Lord who does all these things. So he quotes then from Amos chapter 9. Verse 18, James goes on to say, known to God from eternity are all His works. Therefore I judge, James says, that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted to idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. And so come on down to verse 22. And there was then consensus.

There was 100% consensus. There's no indication of any disagreement at this point. Verse 22, then it pleased the apostles and elders with the whole church, the whole church there at Jerusalem, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas, who was also named Barsebus and Silas, leading men among the brethren. And they wrote this letter explaining everything to the brethren in Antioch. That's where the question to come up, Antioch. So they sent the decision of the home office, you might say, at Jerusalem to the brethren in Antioch. And so they had submitted to one another, and they had come to this consensus. Now the letter then, it's not like today you would send an email and it's there instantly, they had to then take it and get on their horse and buggies and wagons and go on up from Jerusalem to Antioch. That took a few days of time. And maybe by the next Sabbath, after they left, they were able to read that letter. And when they came, they read the letter. Let's read that also. And that is in verse, well verse 30. When they were sent off, they came to Antioch, and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. The brethren submitted. They arranged themselves beneath the decision that was made at the home office. They accepted it. So I think we have a good example here of collaborative government, of spiritual consensus, a lot of listening to one another, submitting to viewpoints and experiences, and most of all, submitting to the leadership of God's Holy Spirit. And they listened carefully to one another. And then the church submitted to the decision. But we see submission all along the line. I'd like to read just an outstanding example of the Apostle Paul, as far as submission, Hupotasso, arranging himself beneath 1 Corinthians 9.

I mean, this is just an outstanding example for us to emulate ourselves. It's just what we ought to be doing. This is putting this sermon into action, being able to do what Paul was able to do. 1 Corinthians 9 and verse 19. Paul says, For though I am free from all men. Nobody had any claim on Paul. He says, Even though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all.

He had submitted himself or put himself beneath everybody.

I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win the Jews. Look at Hupotasso, arranging beneath at work. To those who are under the law as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law. To those who are without law as without law, but not being without law to word God himself, but under law to word Christ, that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do this for the Gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. So the Apostle Paul seems to have been able to submit to everyone and everything to arrange himself beneath everyone and everything, every situation. It's an ideal example, just a very ideal example. We see more of it in 2 Corinthians 12.

2 Corinthians chapter 12. I'll tell you, there's something in this that is very vital for us then. Hupotasso, arranging ourselves beneath everything and everyone for the sake of service and doing good. In 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 11, Paul says, I have become a fool in boasting.

These Corinthians were not responsive to Paul. They just weren't warming up to him.

They just weren't really accepting toward him. He had put himself all out for them, and yet there was not the response. It'd be like your children. You serve them and serve them and serve them, and you don't get the respect and the honor that you really expect and actually deserve. It's just not coming. That's what was happening here in Corinth, verse 11. I have become a fool. You've compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance and signs and wonders and mighty deeds. For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? He did not require any financial assistance or help. Forgive me this wrong. He held back in explaining about tithing even because others had come in, other false apostles, to try to take advantage of them. So Paul didn't even go as far as explaining about tithing to them.

He was not burdensome. But he does say, notice, forgive me this wrong. He says maybe that wasn't the best thing to do. Verse 14, he says, now for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I do not seek yours but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. It's the parents again, hupotasso. The parents lead the way in this, arranging themselves beneath. They lay up for the children. And verse 15, and I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls. That's a, you know, Paul was willing to spend himself. I will very gladly spend and be spent for your spiritual benefit, for your souls. Though the more abundantly I love you, he says, the less I am loved. But there's a lot of, there's a lot of feeling and emotion in what the apostle Paul is saying here. Though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. You did become members of God's church by the approach I took, the apostle Paul says.

And we see Paul's very submissive approach, hupotasso, arranging himself beneath for the furtherance of the gospel, and maybe that more might believe and be a part of God's church.

You know, there are many other examples in the Bible of arranging ourselves beneath others in all of our human relationships. But let's skip on over to, what about God's level? I believe we can show beyond the doubt that God is the one who arranges himself beneath in the greatest way of anyone in the universe, God the Father and then Jesus Christ, that God is the greatest submitter of all. He submits to our prayers. I mean, there is not a time of the day or the week or the year that you or I can't drop on our knees and say, Father, help me. Father, show me the way. Father, forgive me. I've messed up again. There is not a time of the... will never be a time in your lifetime that He won't submit to your prayers, your heartfelt prayers when you fall on your knees before Him. He will hear those prayers and He... if it comes from a heart that is sincere, a heart that is seeking to be after God's own heart and do the mind and the will of God, He's there. He listens.

And Jesus Christ is the same way. He's described in Hebrews as our high priest, submitting to our cries continually. Day and night He is there. There's not a time of the day or the week, month or year that we can't receive special help. We cannot come with boldness. The book of Hebrews has a lot to say about Jesus Christ as our high priest.

So our Father and Jesus Christ set the overall example of Hupotasso.

They exemplify what we're talking about in their relationship toward us. Even though our Father and Jesus Christ are over us in all things and we do submit to God, we place ourselves under His rulership. He truly is the greatest submitter of all.

Brethren, we must, in the same way, learn the way of submission in all of our relationships. I was going to read John 3 and verse 16. This verse alone would be the proof that God is the greatest submitter. You could read, of course, many other passages, but this one sums it up maybe as powerfully as more powerfully than any other could in John 3 and verse 16.

God so loved the world, God the Father, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

That's a much-used verse, maybe the most-used verse in the world, perhaps. God so loved the world, but it fits into this context of hupotasso, that God has arranged Himself to be the greatest submitter, the greatest giver of all. When we too must learn the way of submission in our relationships, we must not be quite so strong-willed and so selfish and opinionated that we can't listen and consider the opinions of others. Thus husbands toward wives, as parents toward children, as children toward parents, as church members with each other, as pastor toward His congregation, we must not be so opinionated we can't listen and consider the opinions of others. We must not want our own way so badly that we can't give in to the needs and desires of others.

If the wife wants to go a different way than you, you've got to consider.

And in many cases, a husband will want to submit to his wife's desires, and just as God does to ours. It takes a pretty strong person to do that. It takes a strong person to be submissive in our relationships with others. The attitudes of a blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those that mourn, blessed are those who, when they're persecuted for righteousness' sake, rejoice. And it goes on in that same chapter to say that we should pray for those who despitefully use us, Matthew chapter 5. This all reflects the attitude of arranging ourselves beneath the submissive spirit, turning of the other cheek, given to those who ask.

Might read those verses in Matthew 5, 38 to 48, Matthew chapter 5. And it shows the attitude of arranging ourselves beneath in our relationships.

In Matthew chapter 5 and verse 38, you've heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. You step on my toe, I'll step on yours. But I tell you, not to resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. That takes hoopotasso, doesn't it? If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him too. Give to him the ask you, and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away. You've heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. I say, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you. That you may be the sons of your Father in heaven, for he makes his son rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. God even places himself underneath to help the wicked. He sends his rain upon them, the sun comes upon them. Someday they'll look back on the goodness of God and benefit from that. So, verse 48, Therefore you shall be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect. You know, submission in our relationships is actually just love and action. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to love God with all of our heart and mind. It's just love and action. We submit to the true needs of others. We truly do care for them. We listen. We're attentive. We want their well-being and their good. We would never want to hurt or do harm. Submission, then, is the way of love. It is away from the self, and it is toward others. It is the golden rule that says in Matthew 7 and verse 12, this too on the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7 and verse 12, Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the prophets.

And so it is that way of the golden rule, submitting to the needs of others.

Submission is based on a very humble and meek attitude. It considers others better than self. That's not a natural thing to do, is it? Yet the Bible tells us to do that. Turn to Philippians chapter 2 and verse 3.

How do we view ourselves and others?

Well, we are to consider others actually better than ourselves.

Philippians chapter 2 and verse 3.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself.

That's not a natural way of doing it, to esteem others better than ourselves.

But we are to have that type of humility and meekness to do that. Consider others better than ourselves. And verse 4 goes on to say, Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

And again, that's hupotasso. That's considering them the interest of other people, not just our own. What is the opposite of a submissive spirit? It's looking out for number one.

It's taking care of ourselves. It is selfish, and it might be also pride and fighting, even striving. It might lead into being critical or contentious, opinionated, strong-willed.

It might even get into devouring one another, as Paul said in Galatians 5. The people there were warned not to devour one another. That certainly is the opposite of hupotasso. You are devouring somebody.

The opposite of submission just boils down to looking out for number one instead of others.

Is there a time to stand up and not be submissive?

Good question. Is there a time to stand up and not be submissive?

Is there a time to stand up? Let's go that far. Because Jesus chased away the money changers, right? He stood up.

The apostle Paul said, I appealed to Caesar, and he did go to Rome. He said, I have my legal right. So he stood up.

Jesus at times resisted the Pharisees and put them to shame, and they could not answer him.

There's a time to stand up. The Church of God stood up to a legal lawsuit in 1979, the state of California. A wife certainly does not have to submit to a husband that's beating her, abusing her.

We don't have to stand up for doctrinal error when somebody comes along with some kind of false idea that's way out of teaching that is not true.

We all stood up in early 1995. There's a time to stand up.

In a sense, we stand up daily to the way the world is going. We don't submit to the way the world is going. We don't arrange ourselves beneath that. We stand up daily. But it's not with a hostile wrong attitude.

When we stood up in 1995, it was not in rebellion.

It was in disagreement with doctrinal change.

One person said, well, if you leave this organization, which had gone into doctrinal error, it is rebellion, and anyone that leaves will rebel again.

If we left in 1995 with a rebellious heart, that would be true.

If we left it because of sincere doctrinal disagreement based upon the Scriptures with a proper attitude, then that is not true. We did not leave because of rebellion in our heart. We left it because of disagreement with doctrinal error.

So the attitude in which we left is important, very important.

If we left in rebellion with hostility, yes, there probably will be rebellion.

But I think we're proving that we're well put in God's Church. We're very happy because the United Church of God is teaching the doctrines and the teachings that were departed from. But, you know, when we do have to stand up like we did in 1995, we feel bad about it.

We regret that it had to go that way.

We'd much rather have sat down and reasoned together, and the leadership did strive to do that, to no avail. We'd rather agree and reach spiritual consensus. So you see, there is that hupotasso even when you have to stand up. The element of hupotasso is there, arranging ourselves beneath, even when we have to stand up.

So that's important to see that in those situations where we do have to make a stand for it, that there is not a wrong approach or spirit or attitude. It is still under the overall spirit of hupotasso. There's a time to stand up, yes, but never in hostility, but in love and submission in our hearts. But determination to not compromise and be true to God and to the truth. Well, let's wrap it up, brethren. Let's learn to live by the way of hupotasso. Let's arrange ourselves beneath. Husbands toward your wives, wives toward your husbands, children toward your parents, and parents toward your children, and church members toward your children. And church members toward one another, and pastor toward the congregation, and congregation toward the pastor.

This congregation toward the home office, just as the home office is certainly submitting to our needs.

It's voluntary, this way of hupotasso.

It has to be chosen. No one can impose it upon us. No one. It's entirely voluntary. No one can make you do it. No one can make me do it. We have to choose it.

It comes by choice.

Submission, hupotasso is not by compliance.

And your children try to distinguish that. Are they being brought into hupotasso, willingly submitting, or are they complying?

If they are complying, one day when they get grown, they'll go their own way.

What we do must be by submission, then, which is voluntary and willing, not by compliance, which is by force.

Well, let's learn to defer to one another.

Let's love others so much that we do hear them, and we do submit to their needs and their desires. And we do want to sit down and reason together.

Let's be so considerate that in situations that arise, that anyone has to kind of bite his tongue. If anyone has to come up a little bit short, let it be us, not the other person.

A hupotasso. If anyone comes up short in a business deal, wouldn't you hate to do a business deal with a brother, and for him to go away and feel like he got the short end of this one?

You know, we don't want anybody to think that way. If anybody comes up short, let it be us.

Let's work at being collaborative. Let's work at spiritual consensus. Let's work at submitting to one another, encouraging and supporting and helping.

God's way, after all, is submission. Submission to God and submission to fellow man.

Let's grow in the way of submission.