An email I received this week, cautioned that women must be in submission to men when worshiping the LORD, stating implicitly that women must be silent when the BODY is assembled, i.e. no participation in a worship service with the exceptions of singing and eating the LORD'S Supper. When I read this I felt compelled to ask myself these questions:
1. Should the women be in submission to the men during worship, including the LORD’S Supper?
( I still have no answer on that one.)
2. How should this “submission” look in the twenty-first century?
(still mulling over a complete answer)
3. Further how is “passing” the meal left and right: being in submission, but “serving” the LORD’S Supper up and down aisles not?
4. AND what does “submission” mean anyway?
The Microsoft © Dictionary defines submission as:
yielding, or readiness to yield: a willingness to yield or surrender to somebody, or the act of doing so
demanded nothing less than total submission to his authority
This dictionary paints a picture of the act of submission:
WRESTLING withdrawal from wrestling bout: an acknowledgment by a wrestler that he or she cannot continue a bout because of pain
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Then I was reminded of the following Scripture:
The WORD of the LORD
From Acts 5
New International Version (NIV)
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey GOD rather than men!
The Message (MSG)
29-32 Peter and the apostles answered, "It's necessary to obey GOD rather than men. The GOD of our ancestors raised up JESUS, the ONE you killed by hanging HIM on a cross. GOD set HIM on high at HIS side, PRINCE and SAVIOR, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The HOLY SPIRIT, whom GOD gives to those who obey HIM, corroborates every detail."
Amplified Bible (AMP)
29 Then Peter and the apostles replied, We must obey GOD rather than men.
New Living Translation (NLT)
29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey GOD rather than any human authority.
New King James Version (NKJV)
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey GOD rather than men.
American Standard Version (ASV)
29 But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey GOD rather than men.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
29 And Peter and the apostles answering, said, `To obey GOD it behoveth, rather than men;
30 and the GOD of our fathers did raise up JESUS, whom ye slew, having hanged upon a tree;
31 this one GOD, a PRINCE and a SAVIOR, hath exalted with HIS right hand, to give reformation to Israel, and forgiveness of sins;
32 and we are HIS witnesses of these sayings, and the HOLY SPIRIT also, whom GOD gave to those obeying HIM.'
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
29 Peter and the other apostles replied, "We must obey GOD instead of people.
While not entirely sure this Scripture applies, after reading that, I asked myself:
I. What men am I submitting to during worship at Hope?
My Response and Thoughts:
1. John Deere [my Dad]
2. The Commissioned Elders at Hope: Daniel, Foy, K.B., & Steve
II. Do these men work hard to obey GOD?
My Response and Thoughts:
I am continually amazed by my Father’s and my Elder’s hearts’ desire to seek the LORD and be obedient to HIS Call and HIS Direction.
III. Am I seeking to be “in true submission” [a.k.a. obedient] to the LORD, rather than just men?
My Response and Thoughts:
1. Well, isn’t being in submission to my earthly father’s will part of being obedient to GOD, since I am not married, living in his household? And if it is, am I doing this?
I know that on the issue of serving the LORD’S Supper, I am in compliance to my earthly father’s will, because he has encouraged me in serving all the people of GOD. When I serve him Holy Communion, he glows with parental pride. He also acknowledges that he sees that I am concentrated on emulating CHRIST and focused on remembering the Gift of HIS Death on the Cross, just as JESUS asked us to when HE implemented it at HIS Last Passover. My Dad has also asked me theological questions in the manner of a brother to a sister in the Family of GOD, with particular emphasis on the role of women in the first century church, an issue he knows I have studied for quite a while. He has also asked if I thought the Church was continuing to pursue the goal to match those first century Christians’ example of how a church should function. My father and I have had many discussions on faith and living it in our everyday lives. I believe I know my father’s will, AND I hope that I pursue obedience to it daily.
2. I believe the head of the “household” I attend among the Family of GOD are the elders at Hope [my home congregation]. Isn’t part of being submissive to the LORD, being in submission to them? And if it is, do I obey them?
Knowing that I am not perfect, I know I want to be [no, not perfect] and am trying to be [again, not perfection] in submission to them. I know that it is their will that every Christian who feels called serve communion: male or female, member or visitor, a CHRIST-follower or a seeker. By serving communion, am I not submitting to their will as I meet those requirements as they pertain to me [called, female, member, CHRIST-follower? Do I know my elders’ will as they have stated it while the Body of CHRIST has met when setting forth statutes to follow concerning womanly participation in worship services? Yes, I understand their will, not only from their announcements before the entire congregation, but also from quiet conversations I have had with them and their wives. Am I respectful, a.k.a. in submission to, these men? To the best of my efforts, I am trying. On serving communion, I know I am obedient because several have told me that I am acting with their commission in all modesty, grace and faith.
Because I am also trying to be in obedience to the LORD and HIS leadership to the place I am being called to, I have sought my elders’ counsel on where I should attend to the Body of CHRIST with true service in San Francisco for the three months I will be there. Is that not meeting the command in Hebrews 13:17 to obey the leaders of your church? Am I endeavoring to be obedient here as well? Yes, they have encouraged me to pray for the LORD’S Will in this matter. I strive to pray for just that daily, again admitting that I am not made perfect in CHRIST yet, and will not be until I am welcomed into my Loving FATHER'S arms.
3. Is the LORD’S Will revealed anywhere else? Is the Bible not the revelation of GOD’S Will?
If I have read HIS Will and am making every effort to understand it and be obedient to the conforming of the HOLY SPIRIT, am I not in a position of submission to the will of my Heavenly FATHER? When the FATHER looks at me, does HE not see me covered in the Blood of the CHRIST? Is that also not in submission to HIS Will?
I ENCOURAGE MY READERS TO COMMENT ON HOW & WHAT I AM DOING TO BE REVERENT TO THE HEAVENLY FATHER OF ALL CREATION.
