According to the Bible, to whom are we to be submissive, and why?

In the first place, if anyone is to be saved, he must submit himself to God receiving the Lord Jesus as his Saviour from the guilt of his sins. In the second place, after he is saved, he must make a practice of always submitting himself to God if he is to avoid the deceptions of Satan. Only in this spirit of submission to God will strength be found to resist the devil.

Therefore, our submission must be primarily, and above all, to the living God, the Creator of heaven and earth. There are many who would admit that this is true, yet at the same time may consider themselves in subjection to God while they are ignoring their responsibility to submit to His authority as established in the world in various spheres. Let us therefore consider these.

In this scene where it has become increasingly popular to submit to Satan's deceptions and to the selfish desires of the flesh it is wise for the Christian to desire to rightly submit to God, and every authority He has established. If Christ is the object of our hearts, we should delight to contemplate His perfect submission to His Father in this world, and seek to follow Him.

Lack of exercise contributes to the accumulation of fat, but the only safe exercise for Christians lies within the limit of the will of God. When the exercise is the doing of our own will, and insistence on our own way, it is the precursor of open departure and the portent of disaster. Hence "he forsook God that made him." There are different circles of authority which the Christian is called upon to recognise. He is set as a child under parents. He is as a subject before powers that be. He is, if a young believer, to be submissive to those whom Scripture would honour as elders in the faith, who are examples to the flock and teach the behaviour that is proper to the house of God. But above all, the highest privilege is to give GOD His place. The fear of God, the trembling at His word, is the most urgent of all forms of submission and subjection. Concentration upon self, or upon ourselves, is certain to be accompanied by increasing moral distance from God. There is claim to liberty — often under specious pleas — always a kind of liberty that permits of our choosing when and how we serve; less and less regard to the whole economy of God's will. In point of fact no-one has less liberty for the exercise of his own will or predilections, than the Lord's servant. He is the Lord's, body and soul.

(Vv. 13, 14). The following exhortations view the believer in relation to the institutions and authorities of this world. It would be wholly inconsistent for those who take the place of strangers in this world to attempt to form these institutions or appoint the authorities. We are, however, to be subject to them, and this with the highest motive, for the Lord's sake. We are to be subject to subordinate as well as to supreme authorities, and, again, for the reason that we view them all in relation to the Lord. Whether they exercise their authority in the fear of God or fail to do so, we are definitely to view them as sent by God for the maintenance of the government of the world.

The first thing recommended is submission, on the part of the Christian, to "the powers that be." The principle of the Christian's submission to the power is, that, in submitting to it, he is subject to God who has ordained it. "Let every soul be subject to the authorities that are above [it]; for there is no authority except from God, and those that be are ordained by God. So he that sets himself against the authority, withstands the ordinance of God, and they that withstand will get judgement for themselves. For the rulers are not a terror for the good work, but for the evil. And dost thou desire not to be afraid of the authority? Do what is good, and thou shalt have praise from it; for God's servant it is to thee for good. But if thou shouldst do what is evil, fear; for it bears not the sword in vain: for God's servant it is, an avenger for wrath to him that practises evil. Wherefore it is needful to be subject, not only on account of wrath, but also on account of conscience. For on this account pay tribute also; for they are God's officers ever attending on this very thing. Render to all their dues; tribute to him [that claims] tribute, custom to him [that claims] custom, fear to him [that claims] fear, honour to him [that claims] honour."

By the designation, "the powers that be," we must understand not merely force but authority. Now from the moment that power is there, it is enough to command our subjection, for the power that exists is of God. We have nothing else to do; we have not to occupy ourselves with judging it in what it is or in what it does. Our duty is to be subject. There can be no power save from God, for otherwise there would be several sources of power.

In each of the three cases those who have the place of subjection are addressed first. Subjection becomes the wife; obedience, the child. In the case of the servant there is to be not only obedience but heartiness and integrity. The most striking thing about the exhortations in each case is the way everything is to be done as in the sight of the Lord. This lifts the whole matter on to the loftiest plane. The wife is subject, but it is, "in the Lord." This implies that the prime reason for her subjection is that it is the Lord's appointment. She is subject to her husband as expressing her subjection to her Lord. It is to be hoped of course that her husband bears such a character that subjection to him is no hardship but a pleasure. But even were it otherwise she would still be subject, seeing it is to the Lord.

As individuals we own Christ as Lord, and the responsibilities of every relationship are to be carried out in the fear of the Lord. The wife is to be subject to her own husband “as to the Lord” (v. 22); children are to obey their parents “in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1); fathers are to train their children in the “admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4); servants are to do “service as to the Lord” (Ephesians 6:7); and masters are to remember that they have a Master in heaven.

All the relationships of life remain, and the Lord's name introduced to sanction them all. If it were wives, they were to submit themselves to their own husbands, if it were husbands, they were to love their wives; if it were children, they were to obey their parents - it was well pleasing to the Lord. If it were fathers, they were not to provoke their children; if it were servants, they were to obey, not looking to men for their approbation, but as fearing God. All these duties towards one another were seen and noticed by the Lord, and He would give the reward. There is no respect of persons with the Lord.

It is of course true that we have to be subject to human authority — to kings and rulers, to parents, masters, spiritual guides, elders, and to the Church (see Matt. 18:17, etc.), but never to the superseding of the Lord's authority. Whatever men may say, and however specious their arguments, if they ask us to do what is not agreeable to the Lord (as far as we can tell, for we are poor things), then we have only to reply, "We ought to obey God rather than men," and accept the consequences.