Godly Leadership and Submission
This study deals with the characteristics of a godly leader and the necessity of submission to spiritual authority. Too often we find that leaders tend to be overbearing and they tend to lord their authority over people. (On the other extreme they are not enough of a leader to even be called a leader.) Other people who are not in a position of leadership in the church often have a difficult time submitting to their spiritual authorities or they do not submit in the full sense of Biblical submission. Furthermore, children are instructed to obey their parents. This study aims to give clear, Biblical direction to both leaders and those who need to submit. Remember that we need to "Submit to one another in the fear of God' (Eph. 5:21).
Gal. 5:13-15 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
The opposite of serving one another in love is to indulge the flesh. Whether you are in a position of leadership or not, the question to ask yourself is: am I serving others? If not, you are indulging your flesh.
I. How do leaders treat those under their authority/How do husbands treat their wives
Love your neighbor as yourself--are you treating your wife or those under your authority how YOU would want to be treated?
God's commands are not grievous or burdensome to us because we know that he is fair, just and loving. He has treated us far better than our sins deserve. Although he is our Lord, he made himself our servant (Phil. 2). We can have full confidence in Christ's character and guidance. Does your wife have that confidence in you? If not, does the reason lie with you or elsewhere?
A. HUSBAND AND WIFE VERSES
Eph. 5:25 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
1 Cor. 7:33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife--and his interests are divided.
1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers
Prov. 31:28--husband praises her publicly
B. SERVANT LEADERSHIP/NOT LORDING IT OVER PEOPLE
Matt. 20:25-26 Leaders of the Gentiles lord it over them...but not so among you (also Mark 10:42)
1 Peter 5:2-4 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Phil. 2:7 Jesus made himself nothing....a servant.
Matthew 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Phil. 1:23-26 Paul's purpose for living was to help others get close to God.
1 Cor. 9:19-23 -- servant of all...like the Jews to win the Jews...etc.
2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
Galatians 5:13 ¶ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Ephesians 6:4 --And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in th enurture and admonition of the Lord.
C. HUMILITY
Proverbs 13:10 ¶ Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
Luke 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Mark 10:44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
D. LOOKING TO THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS (Do you look out chiefly for your own interests or the interests of others--to pleas your neighbor. For leaders, it is especially necessary to please others and not yourself.
Phil. 2:3-4 Consider others better than yourselves...look out for the interests of others.
Phil. 2:20-21 Timothy did not look out for his own interests.
1 Corinthians 10:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
1 Corinthians 10:33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Romans 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
1 Corinthians 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
E. CONDEMNATION FOR SEEKING YOUR OWN GOOD INSTEAD OF THE GOOD OF OTHERS
Isaiah 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Ezekiel 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds ; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Jeremiah 23:4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
3 John 1:9 ¶ I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
II. Those under authority have wisdom to offer just as a wife has wisdom to offer her husband
:Genesis 2:18 helper suitable for him
There is a tendency to think that a wife's help comes from the kitchen and any other cleaning that can be done around the house. If this is where a wife's help stops, it falls short of God's intent for her.
Proverbs 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness
Judges 13:23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
1 Samuel 25:24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.
2 Samuel 20:16-22 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. (17) And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
Acts 18:26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Genesis 21:10-13 and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac." (11) The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. (12) But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. (13) I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring."
III. Submit to those in authority over you/Wives submit to your husbands
1. Leader/Husband: are you willing to listen to what those under your authority have to say?
Are you easy to be intreated or approached? Are you humble and meek?
2. Wives/Those under authority: there is a proper way in which you should approach those in authority over you.
B. BOTTOM LINE: SUBMIT IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES (Wives/those under authority need to submit if their own preference is not the final decision even after they have appealed.)
Genesis 2:18 says that a wife is supposed to be a helper suitable for him. Any one under authority is supposed to be helping the one in authority.
Eph. 5:21-24 (21) Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (22) Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. (23) For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. (24) Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Submit even if your husband is unjust; Gen. 16:7-10-- (7) The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. (8) And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?" "I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered. (9) Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." (10) The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."
1 Peter 3:1,5-6 1Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
1 Cor. 7:34 An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband.
Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour your father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority
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