Scripture: Eph 5:21

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. ---Eph 5:21

Thrust: Every Spirit-filled believer is to submit to one another.

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 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. ---Ephesians 5:18-21

Meaning of submission:- the action of accepting or yielding to a superior force or to the will or authority of another person.

 “Anyone who has served in the armed forces knows that ‘rank’ has to do with order and authority, not with value or ability.” ---Warren Wiersbe

I. What Submission Is Not

A. Submission does not mean there is no authority in the Home or at Church.

Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement. ---Romans 13:2

1. Submit to God

Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. ---James 4:7

2. Submit to God's Word

But be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. ---James 1:22, 25

3. Submit to the Leadership of the Church

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. ---Hebrews 13:17

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive stricter judgement. ---James 3:1

B. Submission does not mean being a doormat or compromising on matters of truth and biblical issues

When Cephas(Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? ---Galatians 2:11-14

II. What Submission Is

A. Someone who wants to serve God and others

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you do as I have done to you. ---John 13:14-15

B. Someone who is at peace

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” ---Romans 12:18

C. Someone who wants to grow in Godly character

With all lowliness and gentleness with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love. ---Ephesians 4:2