What Does It Mean: Submit?

 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of 

man for the Lord's sake: whether it be 

to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, 

or unto them that are sent by him for 

the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise 

of them that do well. For so is the will of God, 

that with well doing ye may put to silence 

the ignorance of foolish men: as free, 

and not using your liberty for a cloke of 

maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. 

Fear God. Honor the king.

1Peter 2:13-16

     To be ethical is to do the right thing even if no one is watching. Peter tells us that we are to submit. The Greek word translated "submit" originally was a Greek military term that meant to arrange or divide the soldiers and to have them under command of a leader. In its non-military use, it was a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden (Strong's Dictionary #5293). Unless there is a direct and contrary law, or command against the law of God, WE ARE TO OBEY!. An Authentic or Ethical Christian will OBEY! You, and I, are to OBEY, to be ethical even if there is not a policemen watching leaving you the ability to drive as fast as you can even over the speed limit. There is nothing against this law from God. We live in a country that allow us to vote, to change law, to enforce law, to be civilized towards all: SO WHY DOES THIS NOT HAPPEN AS IT SHOULD FROM MANY WHO CALL THEMSELVES "CHRISTIAN?" Abortion is against God's law, therefore no man's law can override God's law with impunity: it must be addressed and this is not contrary to the word of God as it says that we are to love all people, to ensure their safety, protect them and serve them. When it comes to that which is within Christianity whereby men or women speak and teach that which is not the faith given by the Lord Jesus Christ, and His disciples this must be addressed as it has little of nothing to do with man's law. 

     Christianity has been under attack from its founding, therefore men rose up against this attack. This attack was addressed by the Church expressing its self-consciousness and this by new literary output, writings or men: i.e., Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, other others. Some were Apologists, others were Polemicists, but all were confronting this attack upon Authentic Christian Faith. The Apologists had a negative and a positive aim in their writings. Negatively, they sought to refute the false charges of atheism, cannibalism, incest, indolence, and anti-social actions that were leveled against them. Positively, they developed a constructive approach by showing that, in contrast with Christianity, Judaism, pagan religions and state worship were foolish and sinful. 

     These writers sought and made a rational appeal to the pagan leaders attempting to create an intelligent understanding of Christianity and to remove legal obstacles from it. They were addressing the false charges that could not be substantiated and were entitled to civil tolerance under the laws. This earliest writer of the Church, Clement of Rome wrote: "Ye therefore, who laid the foundation of this sedition, submit yourselves to the presbyters, and receive correction so as to repent, bending the knees of your hearts. Learn to be subject, laying aside the proud and arrogant self-confidence of your tongue. For it is better for you that ye should occupy (Literally, “to be found small and esteemed.”) a humble but honourable place in the flock of Christ, than that, being highly exalted, ye should be cast out from the hope of His people. (Literally, “His hope.”) [It has been conjectured that ἔλπιδος should be ἔπαύλιδος, and the reading, “out of the fold of his people.” See Chevallier.] For thus speaketh all-virtuous Wisdom: (Prov. i. 23–31.) [Often cited by this name in primitive writers.] “Behold, I will bring forth to you the words of My Spirit, and I will teach you My speech. Since I called, and ye did not hear; I held forth My words, and ye regarded not, but set at naught My counsels, and yielded not at My reproofs; therefore I too will laugh at your destruction; yea, I will rejoice when ruin cometh upon you, and when sudden confusion overtakes you, when overturning presents itself like a tempest, or when tribulation and oppression fall upon you. For it shall come to pass, that when ye call upon Me, I will not hear you; the wicked shall seek Me, and they shall not find Me. For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; nor would they listen to My counsels, but despised My reproofs. Wherefore they shall eat the fruits of their own way, and they shall be filled with their own ungodliness.” … (Junius (Pat. Young), who examined the ms. before it was bound into its present form, stated that a whole leaf was here lost. The next letters that occur are ιπον, which have been supposed to indicate εἶπον or ἔλιπον. Doubtless some passages quoted by the ancients from the Epistle of Clement, and not now found in it, occurred in the portion which has thus been lost.)"

     Authentic Christians do not wage a war, rather they seek to have relief from those who would suppress them and all the while will remain ethical, respectful, and be in submission to moral laws that do not contradict God's moral laws. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God;

     and renew a right spirit within me. 

Caste me not away from Thy presence;

    and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

 Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;

    and uphold me with Thy free Spirit. 

Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways;

    and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.

                        Psalms 51:10-13

Authentic Christianity is ethical.

Richard L. Crumb