Marsha's Musings: Oh, THAT Word (1 Peter 2:13-14 KJV)

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. (1 Peter 2:13-14 KJV)

What word raises the hackles of lots of people?  The word is submit. People don't want to submit because they feel it is demeaning.  In a world where everyone scratches a claws their way to the top nobody wants to submit. That means you lose!

And then we have this command to submit to governmental authorities.  Really?  What about corrupt leaders like we have now?  I will answer that later.

The word submit means to arrange under. It's a military term.  The soldiers arrange themselves under the command of their commanding officer.  So in the place of employment the employee works under the direction of the employer, carrying out his orders.  In marriage, the wife arranges herself under the authority of her husband. That's not to say she is a doormat and has no say in the decisions of the household. She just defers to his wishes.  In the place of government, we are to obey the laws that our government has set up.  We submit to the law.

Is there ever a time when not submitting is appropriate?  Yes.  If the leader in authority is asking people to do things that are contrary to Scripture and are morally wrong then we are to appeal to that authority in an effort to get things changed. If there is no change then it is time to resist in that area.  

Good government is set up to maintain order, punish evil doers and encourage those who do well.

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