Mutual Submission
(week 14/03)
Olubi Johnson
Mutual submission is an intrinsic ingredient of God’s nature and character.
For us to be like God we must recognize, appreciate, practice and perfect this great virtue.
Firstly, we need to remember that God is three persons but one God. See our article on “Understanding the Trinity”.
So being 3 persons God intrinsically has always existed with mutual submission: as persons of the Godhead have always existed together in perfect love and harmony.
When God made the creation and later on man, even though the persons of the Godhead were equal (Philippians 2. 6), by mutual consensus the Father took a headship position with respect to the Son (1 Corinthians. 15.28) and the Son with respect to the Holy Ghost (John. 16.13, 14).
Furthermore, all 3 persons of the Godhead are submitted to the authority of the written Word which is the “constitution” of the Kingdom of God.
This is why the scripture says “God has magnified His Word above all His name” (Psalms 138. ) and “His Word is settled forever in heaven” (Psalms. 119.89).
This is why “God watches over His Word to perform it” (Jeremiah. 1. 12).
No human relationship can succeed or achieve its greatest potential without mutual submission. This is true of any relationship be it a marriage, a church, a business or a government.
This is because men are made in the image and likeness of God and when the intrinsic God attribute of mutual submission is missing, any relationship or enterprise involving more than one person will fail.
Furthermore, no man is an island to himself, to truly succeed and excel in anything you must work with others: you cannot be a success in isolation.
This is the major reason why totalitarian and dictatorial governments or relationships will always fail. Where there is no forum for communication and mutual submission to self evident and intrinsic truths, and consideration for the views and differences of others, all such relationships are doomed to ultimate destruction.
This is why the current conflict in Iraq will simply be a catalyst for the eradication of totalitarian and dictatorial regimes not only in the Middle East but all over the world.
This eradication of totalitarian and dictatorial regimes on the earth in this hour will create a conducive atmosphere for the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ to every tribe, tongue and kindred, which must happen before the end of this age comes (Matthew. 24.14, Revelation. 7. 9).
So, in this hour, for the church to rise to its full potential: the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, we must recognize, appreciate and practice the virtue of mutual submission by the power of the Holy Spirit and the acceptance of the final authority of the written Word of God: the Holy Scriptures.
