Cheryl Schatz

Craig,
You said:

Are there better words for submit that would accurately convey its meaning?

I see Christian submission as meaning two things:

1. Submission for the benefit of another in order to lift them up in their need.
2. Submission to receive the good that someone is offering for your own benefit.

When we submit with #1 we are elevating the person’s need and well-being as greater than our own need thus serving them with true Christ-like service. It isn’t a submission to be used as a door mat. Nor is it a submission that is placing oneself as a conquered party to one who is commanding and controlling your actions. In fact submitting oneself to the self-centered control of another isn’t fulfilling the duty of love. It would be affirming a sinful lifestyle and it is not God-honoring. A sacrificial service would be providing what they need not supporting their sin.

In the submission of #2 above, we serve another by giving our will to allow them to serve us with their gifts. One who is a teacher cannot properly serve as a teacher if no one is willing to allow them to teach. They may have great gifts for us in helping us to understand the Scriptures, but if we refuse to submit ourselves to their care, they are unable to teach us. It is the same thing for those who have the responsibility to protect us. If we will not listen to their warnings of dangerous teaching and dangerous wolves, then we are not allowing them to work out their calling. It is a source of grief for those who are mature and have the ability to protect us as they are called to do, but when the flock is unwilling to be protected. We are told to submit to them so that they can do their job without grief. This is the second kind of submission that is based on our own good as well as the good of the other person. It is submission to receive.

Wives are called to submit in all ways to their husbands. Therefore they are to submit to meet his needs and lift him up and they are to submit to receive from him the things that he is to provide for them. Mutuality is men also submitting to meet their wives needs and submitting to receive from the hand of their wives the things that will benefit them. This kind of submission and this kind of mutuality is beautiful and finds its source in the Lord Jesus.