Submission...sweet surrender or suffocation

I was recently asked for my perspective regarding Biblical submission. So often the thought that initially comes to mind when pondering submission is that of the wife’s submitting to her husband. When that is our starting point, there seems to be some sort of visceral reaction. However, when our starting point becomes submitting and surrender to God first and a desire for His leading through His chosen means we can better accept God using His designed means of our earthly “provider and protector” for our good. If submission is commanded in scripture, God can and is willing to enable us to do it. Elisabeth Elliot often quotes Amy Carmichael..."God's command is God's enabling."

If we are truly dead to self, our supreme desire will be God’s will.

Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God (II Timothy 2:11)

I Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The examples of Bible characters who submissively served are many.

Noah------------------ Genesis 6:22

Elisha------------------ I Kings 19:20

Eli--------------------- I Samuel 3:18 “It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good.”

Job-------------------- Job 1:21 “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

David------------------ Psalm 40:8 When indwelt by the Holy Spirit and living in obedience to Him one can express as the psalmist, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy Spirit is good: lead me into the land of uprightness. (Isaiah 6:8)

Christ------------------ Facing the tremendous suffering of the cross Christ said in Mark 14: 36, “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt.“

John 18:11b “the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?“ (John 4:34)

Paul-------------------- Acts 9:6

Ephesians 6:6 Not with eye service, as men pleasers: but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Ephesians 5:22 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord.”
It truly seems that if we are already putting into practice a daily surrender to Christ, submission will already be our habit.

I Peter 3:1 infers that an unsaved husband may even be “won by the conversation (or lifestyle of submission) of the wife”

If we desire to be like Christ and conformed to His image we will seek to grow in our desire to be submissive and of service to others. It is Biblical. Read Philippians 2:5-13