Musings on Spiritual Matters

I believe much of the conflict in the church is not from hardhearted people, but from people who have good intentions, but struggle with being a person of submission.  Of course there are times that one should not submit, but in church hopefully these are rare cases.  Often in church there are always numerous ideas and methods to accomplish a plan.  Of course one plan of action might be better than the other, but mostly there are just not that much of a difference.  It is a like getting to a destination, you might save 3 minutes by one route, but really does it make that big of a difference to press the point.  Often in a church context it is best to submit.  It is best to submit in most cases.  It is best to submit to elders, these are men that are typically just trying to do the best job possible in difficult situations.  Mostly elders are not dealing with doctrinal issues, but are dealing with opinion problems.  These are the areas in which there are various routes of travel, and through prayer and discernment, they are trying to find the best way.  It is best to submit to those in charge of certain areas, like deacons in charge of ministries, and members doing various works.  Having the principle of submission, helps a church function in a better way.  There is a healthier dynamic in a church full of submissive people.  Here are some verses to live by:

Phil. 2:3-4 ” Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

2 Cor. 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

Heb. 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

I hope these verses help in maintain an attitude of submission.  Often this is a mindset and a style of life.  And in the long run, is a better and more enjoyable to live.

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This entry was posted by Matthew on Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 at 11:38 am and is filed under Church News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.