“All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weighs the spirits.”- Proverbs 16:2 (MKJV)
If there was one thing that stuck out during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns was the issue of submission. For some, it wasn’t a problem to just stay put and follow all protocols as they were mandated. For others, every little detail was to be challenged, then debated, and eventually disobeyed. But in the middle of it all Christians were having a different discussion…where’s God in all this? Well, once that question got asked it wasn’t too long after when 1 Peter 2:13-14, Romans 13:1-7, and Revelation 6:7-8 got quoted by some evangelical superpowers and the message from them was pretty clear. Submit to the authority that’s been placed over you, this might be the end of the world, you probably deserve the chastisement anyway, and ya’ll need Jesus before you leave this existence. Did anybody remember to bring a potluck dish to celebrate?
However, on the secular flip side of things, it was terribly amusing to watch and listen to how some people wanted to control other people for the greater good of all people and yet there were those people who didn’t want anything to do these people who wanted to control other people for the greater good of all people. Now Secularland came very close on using the word “submit” but its message was still pretty clear, submit to us or else. My question here is this, how many potluck “or else’s” were dished out? The world may never really know. Anyway…
When it comes to the matter of submission Secularland may find it a useful tool to keep people in line but when it comes to God, El Elyon Himself, He would rather us think things through than just merely comply to His will through blind obedience. I believe Jesus was quite clear on the matter.
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” — John 8:31-32
Now, for those ‘Muricans who say they have the liberty to choose the way they wanna be and don’t feel the government should interfere with their chosen lifestyle, I say, you still have guidelines that you chose to live by and you still submit to them, deal with it. Granted, you may think you have won your political freedom with that thinking but no one is ever truly free to just do whatever they want. The Jews of Jesus’ time on the earth went straight to political freedom as well, they never realized how deeply submitted to Roman rule they were but they would still argue with Jesus that, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be made free’?” (John 8:33) They were missing the message that Jesus was conveying at that time and still does to this today.
It’s a simple implication…you shall be free if you submit to the truth. You can know it all you want but knowing it and submitting to it is what really defines our walk with Jesus. In John 8:31 He’ll say, “If you continue in My Word, then are you My disciples indeed”. Notice He doesn’t make it a commandment. How so? “IF YOU CONTINUE” kinda implies that we can chose. If you walk to the edge of a cliff and stand there two choices appear. Common sense tells you, if you continue to walk, the law of gravity will take over and down you go but if you continue to listen to the truth that is in the law of gravity then you’re safely planted right where you are.
Think this through in terms of Pilate standing before Jesus, wrestling with truth. Pilate was standing on the edge of a cliff. Common sense was telling him that Jesus did nothing wrong according to Roman law but these Jews…and their customs…geez, what’s a corrupt official to do? “I’ll give Him a choice” and then we’ll see if this rattles His cage. “Do you not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” (John 19:10b) Jesus will answer but what He does for Pilate is incredible. Jesus will swap sides with Pilate and He’ll stand at the edge of the cliff, take that step, be submitted to truth, and shed His blood for you and I.
Whether you wanna agree with me or not, truth is gonna be truth and there is gonna liberty in submission IF YOU CONTINUE in His Word. I guess one of the best ways to end something like this is to go to the 12th chapter of the Book of Romans itself and see just how the apostle Paul summarizes an aspect of truth and it goes a little something like this… “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Now go stand on the edge of a cliff and see how this truth tastes. MMMM…potluck dinners are so cool. Amen?
Written by Chris Hughes: Chris is a child of El Elyon, a son, a husband, a father, who has an education in Biblical Doctrine and is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy 2003. He also has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008. You can e-mail him at cphughes515@verizon.net
