We have started our series on How to Study the Bible with the emphasis on attitude toward Scripture. In our last installment we looked at belief in the word of God. In this posting, we will address the attitude of submission toward the word of God.
The attitude of submission toward the word of God is important because it recognizes my need to submit to the will of God. This attitude takes seriously what the word actually says. And, this attitude of submission toward God’s revelation is the bases for a life of obedience.
First, the attitude of submission in my study of the Bible begins with my simply recognizing how vital and important it is that I need to submit my will to God. The relenting of the human will to come under the authority of God’s will begins with the epic clash in the Garden of Eden. We know that Satan resisted the will of God and was cast out of heaven. Ever since that moment, Satan has been trying to capture human hearts to reject the will of God.
We find in the Garden of Eden that Satan was successful in seducing Even and Adam into rejecting the will of God for their own will. When we read the episode of where their wills rejected God’s will and directions for their pristine existence in Paradise, we may somewhat surprised as to what Satan appealed to so that he could be successful with the world’s first human couple.
In Genesis 3:6, we read, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” This seems to be the narrative reference behind 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” When Eve and Adam rejected the will of God for their own will, they sinned and broke that pristine covenant relationship they had with God. The power of Satan’s seduction was around three things: food (care about bodily sustenance), delight to the eyes (sensual appeal), and make one wise (desire to know and not being left out of anything). This tells us that our basic human desires, needs, and aspirations need to be brought under the power of God’s Spirit so that we will not be seduced ourselves to exchange God’s will for our own.
Second, the attitude of submission in my study of the Bible means that I am willing to actually take seriously what it says. This is allows me to submit to the authority of God’s word. Many times in his ministry, Jesus proclaimed that he was operating under the authority of God. Interestingly, the Bible only has authority if I allow it to function that way. Both in the church and in our culture, the “self” has replaced the central authority of God’s revelation for our lives. Personal likes, preferences, desires, and demands have not knelt down to the authority of Christ at the cross. I may not like what claims the Bible makes on my life, but I cannot and dare not dismiss it!
From our hymnal, we sing the song “’Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” I love the second phrase in the first verse: “Just to take him at his word.” This is the essence of the attitude of submission. This means that I trust that God knew what He was doing in providing spiritual guidance in the Scriptures for my life. And, it does raise the question, “Whose word do I take and trust?” Sometimes, we have that attitude of trusting ourselves more than we do God!
Jesus is indeed the supreme example of submitting to the word of God. When I approach Scripture, and I am studying it closely and devotionally, I need to often ask myself this question, “What is this biblical text asking me to submit in my life to God?” The willingness to ask this question means that I am open to change and growth in my Christian life. Acceptance of the Bible as this type of authority in my life is only possible if I allow it function like the mirror that James mentions in 1:22-25. When I open the pages of my Bible, or I access the Bible app on my iPhone, I desire that it functions like a mirror in my life. As such, two things happen simultaneously: I see what needs attention, and I see myself as God sees me.
Third, the attitude of submission in my study of the Bible means that I recognize it is a prerequisite to a life of obedience in my relationship with God. Obedience begins my spiritual journey. Obedience defines and guides my spiritual journey. Without the attitude and behavior of obedience, there is no spiritual journey. It becomes a self-journey.
I have noticed a trend in spiritual retreats and contemplative practices over that last twenty-five years. These opportunities of spiritual renewal tend to focus on on the inner self and the mystic self. So much of the New Age philosophy and practices have been interwoven into Christian practice that it is honestly almost impossible to tell if a Christian perspective is being represented at all.
Some of what is driving all of this is the “me generation,” and the shift of obedience to God to obedience with my own desires. It is abundantly clear that if I am the source of my own problems, I cannot be the ultimate answer. This is true when it relates to the problem of sin, sin’s consequences, and a narcissistic lifestyle.
In the gospel of John, we read this: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (3:36). Obedience is life-giving! It is the essence of freedom–spiritual freedom that opens the heart to a joyous way of living! But, we need to know that if we refuse to obey God, the wrath of God remains on us. The expressions of God’s anger and wrath as demonstrated throughout the Scriptures is toward the rebellious and those who stubbornly refuse to obey God.
As we continue exploring this vital topic of “How to Study the Bible,” we must begin with our attitude toward Scripture. Those three attitudes are: belief, submission, and reverence. Today’s topic focused on the attitude of submission. Our next installment will be on the attitude of reverence.