Cheryl Schatz

Mark,
Read through my comment #2 to see that the Greek term for “submit” in its original sense did not have to relate to authority when it was used in non-military use. Thus submission becomes voluntary and is given freely instead of by constraint. To say that submission always implies an authority goes against the non-military use of the Greek term.

So Christian submission is not something under compulsion to an authority that can make us submit. Rather it is to those who either have a need and we are submitting to supply their need rather than our own or they have something to give us that cannot be given without our willing submission to receive. This is a beautiful thing and as Christians practice submitting to those who have no power or authority over them, it shows the beauty of the Lord who lives within us.

More to come…