Submitting to One Another Ephesians 5:21

Paul the apostle instructed the Ephesian church members to “sing” and “make melody in” their “heart to the Lord” while they were “giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. In chapter five and verse twenty-one of his letter, Paul told the Ephesians to “submit one to another” where we read:

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

The verse begins, “Submitting yourselves one to another...” Paul began with the word, “Submitting” which means “arranging under, subordinate, put in subjection and obedience” “yourselves” which refers to the Ephesian church members “one to another” or “reciprocally and mutually and in reduplication to each other”. The church members were to “subject themselves” both “mutually and reciprocally” to “one another”.

The verse continues, “...in the fear of God.” Paul added, “in the fear” or “dread, terror and reverence” “of God” which refers to the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. The standard and overseeing motive for “submitting” to each other was “reverence” unto God Almighty.

When we consider these words of Paul, we realize how we are to be “under” other people like unto an “under-rower”. An “under-rower” was the oarsmen who were beneath the deck of a ship and brought about it's propulsion. Rather than “lord” over others without regard for them at all, we are to “esteem” others greater than ourselves. Jesus Christ “submitted” Himself to the ordinances of mankind in order for people to be saved, and in “reverence” to Him, we should subject ourselves to one another as well.

Next time Paul begins his instructions to “wives”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.