JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q1. Submission - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q1. (Ephesians 5:21-24) What does "submission" mean in regards to the Church's relationship to Christ? What does your own submission to Christ mean in practical experience? What would a congregation look like that actually took seriously submitting its corporate life to Christ? We talk about Christ being the Head of the Church. What does this mean in actual practice, if anything? Exposition

Q1. (Ephesians 5:21-24) What does "submission" mean in regards to the Church's relationship to Christ? What does your own submission to Christ mean in practical experience? What would a congregation look like that actually took seriously submitting its corporate life to Christ? We talk about Christ being the Head of the Church. What does this mean in actual practice, if anything?

I being the Temple, the church being the Body; submission is to be of Service... willingly and obedient to the Lord, with a loving responsiveness. Submit ourselves to one another as if we are serving the Lord whether they be born again or not. My submission is not letting go of my will, for my will chooses. My will is based upon my understanding " the Will of My Lord"... my Master. My willingness to submit is due to Discerning of the Spirit to which I may or may not choose to submit to. I can be of Service to the Body; in submission to the Lord, without submission to the things of the Flesh.

Submitting it's corporate life to Christ; the Head of the Body (church). Oh wouldn't this be a joyous site to see!!!? To actually see each one of us practicing every area of our lives to Glorifying Him. From the one who Rules us (Jesus; chosen King) down to the toes. Since He sees us No Respector of Persons... how wonderful for each one of us ... no matter what position we held them to; who would be of loving service to each other... Humbly. I can see this happening, but we must be willing.

I would not be able to stop Rejoicing!!!

Pastor Ralph, you're asking a lot of questions here! hahaha!! OK, here goes...Submission, in regards to the church, and Christ; Jesus is the Head, we've already established that, in the other lessons...The Church (body of believers) are to submit to Christ in all things! This is where I feel many miss it....they go about their own agenda's, leaving Jesus out of the picture! We know from God's Word, that Jesus has established office's, and positions, in His Body; Many today, try to place themselves in authority, which leads to deception.."Without God-Given authority you will, and must usurp authourity through deception" (A recent quote I read.) This begins by refusing to submite to those God has placed over us. As we have studied in this lesson...God has given gifts to His people...for the building up of the Body; But when a gift is not submitted to the Lord-ship of Jesus and to His governing authority, the gift will be submitted to the "will of self"!! We must submit ALL things to Christ, or we will end up in error! You ask "How would a congregation look, if they all were submitted to Christ"? PERFECT! haha!! They would operate as a well oiled machine! Allow me to end with this; If you find yourself in a church and under leadership, that you cannot....and I mean cannot because of false teaching, un-scriptural life-styles being played out etc., be in submission to, then get out!!! Pray, let God lead you to one that you can submit to. The church today, in a lot of case's, is in a mess, but Jesus will never give up on His "Church...His Bride"! Paul warns us of these day's in 2Tim.3....so we should not be surprised that it is here. love, jaunita

(Ephesians 5:21-24) What does "submission" mean in regards to the Church's relationship to Christ?

Submission means to 'consult,ask, bring forth, submit, display,' an idea or thought to a higher or equal partner before taking action on this idea or thought.

What does your own submission to Christ mean in practical experience?

The same 'definition' applies for an individual as well as a group. My own submission means to stay in constant communication with Christ. To consult Him for direction and growth.

What would a congregation look like that actually took seriously submitting its corporate life to Christ?

I believe that a congregation that took submitting to Christ seriously, would be quite fruitful and prosperous. I believe this church would be operating in all the gifts and would be like a magnet, drawing in many Christians and secular alike.

We talk about Christ being the Head of the Church. What does this mean in actual practice, if anything?

It means that Christ comes first .. before any idea .. thought .. sermon .. program .. etc. Anything we do in Christ's name we will be held accountable for.

Q1. (Ephesians 5:21-24) What does "submission" mean in regards to the Church's relationship to Christ? What does your own submission to Christ mean in practical experience? What would a congregation look like that actually took seriously submitting its corporate life to Christ? We talk about Christ being the Head of the Church. What does this mean in actual practice, if anything

We must submit our will for the sake of others, not my will but theres first if we would be more concerned about others well being as Christ was for us, how wonderful that would be.

It means that I will go to visit someone that is sick even if it means dening my own pleasure, the same with the church if the church needs me even if I have other plans I must submit to the church body.

If we all submit as we should there would be more shoulders then we would need.

What does 'submission' mean in regards to the Church's relationship to Christ?
That the Church voluntarily allows itself to be used by Christ because the Church recognises that Christ is the originator and chief of the Church; and that it is Christ who keeps the Church going and growing.
What does your own submission to Christ mean in practical experience?
That I can't automatically do and say anything I want, without constantly referring and deferring to Christ's will for me.
What would a seriously submitting congregation look like?
Prayerful, harmonious, outward looking, growing.
What does it mean in practice to say that Christ is the Head of the Church?
My experience is that very often our churches forget to include / consult Christ in making decisions.

Submission in regards to the church's relatioship to Christ mean the church is willing to be under and follow Christ. He is the head and our pattern to follow. He showed us the way. This word submission scares us because we like to always feel in control. We don't own ourselves because we were bought with a price.

In a practical sense we need to walk daily after Chrsit, and let him order our steps. A church submitting to Christ is bearing fruit of love, unity ministering to others, faithful teaching the gospel, and living it daily. Not so much in this order. Christ is the head of the church and the body is in agreement.

Paul seems to consider submitting as a verb meaning to become subject or subordinate but on a voluntary basis. It is a way of surrendering one's own rights and will. In our personal relationship with Christ we are to allow our Chrisitian beliefs to be the deciding factor in what we say and do. A congregation truly submitted would have none of the problems of disagreement between members if they were all submitted to the Lord. If Christ is head of the church all of us should be striving to follow His guidance and walk in His steps.

Submit-yield to others, the church which is us, should yield to others, we should submit, consider, surrender to others, an attitude that it is not just us that Christ is also with us and due to our love for Christ we need to respect others.

My own submission is of leaving my old self behind, the independent, proudful person I was to a person of dependence, (instead of depending on myself only as I used to) to depending on the Lord, instead of being proud, and thinking all good is of myself to knowing that all good is from the Lord to being humble instead of proud.

The united congregation should be one of prayer, Joy, Loving.

Christ head of the church we all know that the church is the body of Jesus, and if this is so then He is also the head of His body, and the head of us and all things done in church should be done to glorify Him.

Pastor Ralph, on May 29 2003, 06:21 PM, said:

As each member of the body is submitted to each other and to Christ as the ultimate authority, we will have a church who is fully submitted to Christ. In personal practical experience, being submitted to Christ first means being saved, then it means submitting to His commands and teachings in the Bible such as baptism and others. It also means letting the Holy Spirit fill you and being submitted to His will. If each member of the congergation took seriously submitting their lives to Christ, we would have a lot less problems in churches than we currently have today. Christ is the head of the church in that He is the direction and the lead of the church. As the pastors and other members of the church are actively being submitted to His will and actively listening to His voice we will be doing His will on the earth.

Christ-at whose name "every knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth*Philppians 2:10-submitted his will to the Father,and we honor Christ by following his example.When we submit to God,we become more willing to obey his command to submit to others,that is to subordinate our rights to theirs.Christ is the head of the church so the Church submits to Christ.We love Christ,we obey Christ.Christ is our Savior.Every thing we do in our Church is to seek what Jesus wants us to do.Not what we want but what Christ wants in leading us to become a careing Church,a loveing Church where people can see that we are christians with the love of Christ in our hearts reaching out to Gods people.

Q5aIt is a picture of the Future. But we should start being a reflection of the church in its glory so that othets will be drawn to the light. Out lives are hid in Christ with God. The Church then is glorious in Godhead now. We need to let the glory of the Lord shine through and the church will be glorious now.

5bAs for as Christ is concern Paul is speaking of now. We have already been called, justified and glorified (Romans 8:30)

5cI determined this by Christ's finish work. What he came to do he has done.

Q1aVoluntarily placing oneself under another. To release or surrender one's one right and will.

q1bLordship - have him not as saviour only but Lord of my life - submit as a reverence to Him.

q1cA congregation that seriously submits its orporate life to Christ would look like Christ, would have Christ's likeness look as part of the family of the living God. It entails our corporate focus on Christ and out of our reverence to Him we submit one to another.

Q1dChrist being Head of the Church in actual pracyi ce mans showing unity of the Body with one another. As we submit to His Headship as our Savior and Lord, as our ruler, our sustainer we will grow up in Him.

"Submission" in regards to the Church's relationship to Christ is subjecting the Church to what Christ would have wanted it be like - holy, victorious and radiant Church. It is obeying His voice and doing His will rather than ours in the Church wherein He is the Head of the Body.

My own submission to Christ means that I have to put myself under His authority. While it is true that sometimes things are easier said than done, I still pray that God will help me do His will in my life. I have to put Him first among my priorities knowing that He has the uttermost importance in my life as a believer in Him and using all the gifts and talents given me for His glory.

A congregation would be the most progressive and anointed one, having matured believers in which the Holy Spirit of God can freely move mightily in their midst - if they take seriously in submitting its corporate life to Christ. Surely, signs and wonders will follow their ministry. Hallelujah!

Christ being the Head of the Church means that we are to submit to Him so that there will be order in the Church. We ought to love one another and care for one another, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

A church that submits to Christ is one that seeks out what Christ wants. A church that submits to Christ is one that is faithful to believe and follow the teachings of Christ no matter what. A church submitted to Christ is one committed to the great commission.
My own submission to Christ means being obedient to His will for me. It means being faithful to the ministry of intercession He has called me to. I have to confess that I'm not always submissive in this area. There are times I would rather be doing something else then spending time in prayer. Or sometimes I want to pray when I feel like it not when the Spirit urges me to.
As a prayer warrior I need to learn to be submissive to His will.
A congregation that was actually submitted to Christ would be one without division.

Q1. Ephesians 5:21-24) What does "submission" mean in regards to the Church's relationship to Christ?

In regards to the Church's relationship to Christ, submissiom means to willing place ourselves under the Lordship (authority) of Christ.

What does your own submission to Christ mean in practical experience?

In practical terms this means I no longer have mastery over my own life but have placed my life under his authority. Therefore, I have to willingly obey His word and look up to Him for guidance, help and nourishment.


What would a congregation look like that actually took seriously submitting its corporate life to Christ?

A picture of a Church that took submission seriously would be shown by its committment to pleasing the Lord. Thus efforts would be put into listening and seeking what Christ wants; they will be willingness to do what Christ wants do be done; undivided attention will also be shown in remaining faithful to Him.

We talk about Christ being the Head of the Church. What does this mean in actual practice, if anything?

By Christ being the head means Christ is the one who leads the Church. Christ gives us life, cleanses and also heals and sustains all things.

To submit something is to offer it, freely.
We offer our gifts to the church, the body of Christ - each according to his talents. The church offers iself - all members of the body of Christ - to spread the light of the world to all peoples - to all the earth. Petty differences would work their way out because all would truly be working for the good of mankind, fulfilling the will of the Lord. He is in control. All we have to do is pray and listen.

I must offer myself - all my abilities - freely given to the Lord and the work of the church - teaching, singing, praying, calling on shut-ins, working in the kitchen, and offering service to those who need help - praising our Lord.

If everyone did these things, we would have a church that was awesome, all members of the body of Christ, working for the kingdom of the Lord, being made able to serve by the supreme sacrifice of the blood of Jesus, to make us worthy to serve. The poor would be taken care of- not just by hand outs but given job opportunities. The sick and discouraged would be lifted up. There would be no monetary problems because all would share and work for the common good. Eeveryone would be nurtured according his/her need. We would celebrate Chrst's kingdom on earth, now.

Christ is the Head of the Church - the foundation or cornerstone. We submit or offer ourselves to Him. We would be offering our service to the world that all may see and believe.

What does "submission" mean in regards to the Church's relationship to Christ?

Submission means that we are to submit or subject ourselves to the movement of the Spirit of God. In other words, when we come together to worship the Lord, we need to submit our whole heart, soul and body to the Lord in order to have a relationship with Christ. We are the church and without the spirit of God flowing in us and working through us, we will be lost.

In practical experience our own submission should be to obey the Lord and worship him in spirit and in truth.

A congregation would look like an "angelic choir" seriously submitting its corporate life to Christ because we would ask Him to empty our minds and our hearts of all worldly lusts and let God clean us up. By doing this we would be singing praises to the Lord and worshipping him, giving him thanks for what He has done for us.

With Christ being the "head" of the church, we will show reverence unto His name and serve him with fear and trembling. We will respect him and give him all the glory and honor because He want to present us to his Father as a radiant church without spot or wrinkle, blameless and holy from all sins.

Submission in regards to the Church's relationship to Christ, means that as Christ is the Head of the Body the Church is reliant upon Him for guidance, strength and leadership generally. My own submission to Christ in practical terms has meant that I trusted Him although sometimes I could not see just where He was leading me. As Head of the Church Christ is the source of all our being, providing for the needs of the Body in every way.

If you love, you submit. Easy as that.

God,Jesus and the Holy Spirit know what is best for us. We should submit out of love,not fear or because we are told to. Indeed the Bible does tell us to submit, but we adhere to those words because we love God not because we fear Him.

Maybe if there were more submission and less stubborness the church as a whole would thrive. There needs to be more love and mercy in the church with each other and also submitting under the leadership of the elders,deacons and pastors. They are placed there by God, and respecting them we are respecting God himself. Where the head goes, so does the body.

Love and submitt.......it's as easy as that. Or is it?