Thursday, October 1, 2015

The Beauty of Submission

I can hardly wait 'til I meet with John, because I know he's going to confront me on my gambling problem, which I don't think is a problem.  In fact, I'm really looking forward to hear his side of the debate on whether it's a sin or not to spend hundreds of dollars on these sites, which is just another form of entertainment, really! 

Does this quote look familiar?  Probably not.  If we're involved in something that may or may not be wrong, yet enjoy it and justify it's existence, the last thing we invite is someone's opinion that it's an outright SIN.  I mean, how rude of them, right!  When is it right, if ever, to confront someone with questionable behavior?

Allow me to give you another sports analogy.  A professional baseball player is going through a hitting slump (all of them do, by the way).  At the same time, the hitting coach notices that he is reverting back to some old habits that are contributing to the slump.  What is the coach's responsibility, at this point?  Some would say that it depends on who the batter is and on what kind of instruction this coach has provided in the past for this batter.  Some would say that, since he's the hitting coach, he has the right and obligation to approach the batter and explain what he sees.  Somehow, someway, he does need to let it be known what is clear to him even if these things are undetected by the batter or even others.  One main reason is because THAT IS WHAT HE'S THERE FOR!

Now, the batter has a choice as to what he does with this information.  The beautiful, attractive part of him deciding to listen and put into action what the hitting coach says is that he is willingly saying, "I don't have all the answers and I need others to help me." As a result, the other players see his example of humility (always beneficial), the team benefits from his increased production, and the hitting coach is affirmed in his role, giving him more confidence and courage to address other things that his hitters are doing wrong.

A church, in the true, biblical definition of the word, is a gathering of people who are like-minded about who Jesus is and what He accomplished on the cross and in his resurrection.  It's a group of people who all recognize their need for Jesus' death to cover the consequences of their sin (eternal death and punishment in hell) and their need for Him to give them power over the daily struggle with sin.  This is why the Bible gives over 40 direct commands relating to "one another."  A church that gathers without submitting to each other or supporting leadership that can wisely address sin is not, technically, a God-honoring church.  Rather, it become a club where each person has their own interests in mind or a service organization where they provide physical help without offering any spiritual help.

Again, the beauty of a group of people submitting to one another and it's affirmed leadership can be equated to the beauty of a team where each person practices hard, knows their role, and corrects their issues so that the whole team is seen as a "well-oiled machine" by the end of the season.  It's beautiful because it's a WHOLE, not just a bunch of individuals.  It's beautiful because people learn to look out for each other.  It's beautiful because THAT IS WHAT THE CHURCH IS THERE FOR! 

As a conclusion, let it be noted that when submission is ugly, it's because, in our first example, the player wants to do it himself and refuses (either passively or actively) or the coach demands change or simply does not seek input from others or the player.  In both cases, there is no submission, only rebellion or heavy-handedness.

So, first submit yourself to Jesus Christ, acknowledging your sin and need for Him as Savior.  Next, submit yourself to a God-fearing, Bible-driven, Jesus-honoring group of believers by committing to a local church.  The beauty that is produced will be truly amazing!


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