Lesson 10: The Spiritual Disciplines of Action: Confession, Submission, Service

Note to class leader: Review the main points of Lesson 9. Ask students who are willing to share their personal prayers from Lesson 9.

By the end of this lesson, the student should:

(1) Understand the importance of confession, submission, and service.

(2) Gain practical wisdom for overcoming besetting sin.

(3) Put these disciplines into practice.

Testimony 1

"I was saved at the age of 17.[1] I had a wonderful conversion experience at the altar in our little country church. It was so wonderful that I just knew I would never fail God again – in any way whatsoever. Yet, several weeks later, I had failed in some way and a cloud was over my spirit. I felt as if I needed to go back to the altar. I went to my mother and asked her what I should do. She said, 'Son, just build an altar in your heart, confess it all to God and move on.' I did, and the sunshine of clear assurance returned. After 40 years of living for the Lord, lots of study and training – I have found out that few people have the ability to give such a simple, practical answer to the problem of sin!"

Testimony 2

"From an early age, I was skilled in the art of hypocrisy.[2] My parents were in music ministry; and as a young child I learned how to say the right things, sing the right songs, and raise my hands at just the right times. I made a profession of faith all through high school and all through college, including four years at a Bible college. However, there is a difference between profession of salvation and possession of salvation. Though most people, including good friends, thought I was a Christian, I knew that it was all a show. I lived a secret life of sin, hidden from my friends and family. I was even involved in ministry during this time. At times, I would seek out God’s forgiveness, but I would always tell him I was going to do better, be better and try to fix myself. Within days or weeks of praying that prayer, I would be right back to my sinful ways.

"In March of 1999, while driving to a revival at which I was to lead music, I hit rock bottom. On that 45-minute drive, God revealed to me the depths of my sin and I hated what I saw. I cried out to God and told him that I didn’t think I could be a Christian. I told him I was tired of trying to fix myself and failing. I still remember praying these words: 'God, either you’re going to save me or you’re not, but either way I’m done faking it!' In an instant, God did for me what I had tried to do for myself many times: he saved me! There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he had done the work. My life has never been the same since.

"Over the next few years after my conversion, God gave me ministry opportunities, graciously using me for his glory. However, I was afraid of letting people see the real me. I was afraid that if, somehow, they found out who I used to be, they wouldn’t listen to a word I said or would somehow discredit my ministry. While I had confessed vertically to God, the last thing I wanted to do was confess horizontally to someone else.

"As I knelt to pray one morning while having my personal devotional time in March of 2006, God clearly spoke to my heart and told me that I needed to confess my past. For over a week I wrestled with sharing my former life. Finally, one Tuesday morning, I called my former college president and shared my story, confessed my hypocrisy, and asked for forgiveness. While I don’t remember exactly what he said in response, what I do remember is the feeling of a burden being lifted. I was free!"

These two stories provide helpful insights for victorious living. Dr. Avery’s testimony teaches young Christians how to deal with failures as they are learning to walk with the Lord:

• Build an altar.
• Confess it all to God.
• Move on.

I appreciate the simplicity of this, don’t you? Too often we make the Christian life far too complicated.

But what about persistent struggles, besetting sins, or a sense of shame which binds us? Pastor Keith’s testimony of confession is an example of how the spiritual disciplines can set us free from more deeply rooted problems in our spiritual life.

[1] From Dr. Michael Avery

[2] From Pastor Keith Waggoner

The practice of the spiritual disciplines, along with the ministry of the Holy Spirit, will provide training for a victorious life. They are absolutely essential for moving beyond a nominal, lukewarm, often-defeated Christian life. Every faithful generation of Christians has proven this.

We’ve been learning the important place of the spiritual disciplines in the life of every believer. They were important in the life of Jesus; and if we would be formed into his image, they must become increasingly important in our lives as well.

We’ve also been learning that these spiritual disciplines militate against the world, the flesh, and the devil; that they are a means of grace, equipping us for the battle; that they provide greater enjoyment of God; and that they are means of grace to form ordinary disciples into the image of Christ.

In this lesson, we will briefly explore several more of the classic spiritual disciplines and seek practical ways to incorporate them into our walk with God.

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed….”[1]

According to Jesus, the practice of confessing to God in private prayer is a way to receive continual forgiveness.[2] But the Holy Spirit also teaches that confession to one another is a means of spiritual healing. James seems to teach that spiritual healing sometimes results in physical healing as well.

Discipline of Confession Defined

The discipline of confession is humbly admitting to another person specific spiritual failure(s) (sins) and areas of known un-Christlikeness as a means of spiritual healing.[3] Confession to another Christian is especially needed in areas of besetting sin and when a sense of guilt and shame for past failure just won’t go away. While forgiveness comes through confession to God, yet many have discovered that confession to a trusted member of the body of Christ is often a humbling step of deliverance.

► Read James 5:16 together. Notice the connection between confession and healing.

Disagreements about “Sin” and Confession

The biblical practice of confession makes some Christians uncomfortable because it seems to rule out the life of holiness and a victorious walk with God. How can one claim to live a holy life and yet have things to confess, some may wonder? One of the central areas of controversy has to do with how various Christian teachers define sin.

Some Christians tend to define sin very broadly as any “falling short” of God’s perfect righteousness. In this definition there are often no biblical distinctions made between premeditated, willful sins, sins which overtake a Christian suddenly (due to spiritual weakness), or unchristlike attitudes and affections. Other Christians define sin very narrowly as conscious, willful transgression against God’s law and nothing more. Both extremes tend to ignore real-life concerns sincere Christians have.[29]

On the one hand, if we believe that willful rebellion is equal with spiritual slip-ups or unchristlike attitudes, then we might take a light view of willful, habitual sin, which the Bible says true Christians “cannot” commit.[4] “We’re all sinners,” some say, without making distinctions. On the other hand, by narrowly defining sin as flagrant violations of God’s law, many Christians have become self-righteous. They have become insensitive to how grievous certain “sins” are to the Holy Spirit – impure thoughts, faultfinding, a complaining attitude, prayerlessness, deceitfulness, failure to be led by the Spirit, bigotry, arrogance, and so on. They excuse unchristlike attitudes and behavior because they see them only as human weaknesses or mistakes, rather than sins.[30]

We should not be as concerned about definitions of sin as about the real-life problems in our lives and character that are coming between us and God and hindering our relationship with other people. Remember, God’s purpose in redemption is to form us into the image of his Son.

We must allow the Word of God to form our understanding of wrong as well as the standard of what is right.

Some of the Ways the Bible Describes Sin[5]

Just as Eskimo people in North America have numerous words to describe snow, the Bible defines and describes sin in various ways.

► Look up each of the following footnoted Scriptures and discuss them.

• Sin as neglect[6] – Not doing all the good I know I should do.
• Sin as a choice[7] – A willful choice to do what I know is against God’s law.
• Sin as a violation of conscience[8] – Doing something we think is sin, even if it doesn’t directly violate God’s Word.
• Sin of ignorance[9] – An unintentional violation of God’s commandments which needs the covering of the blood of Jesus even if we never become aware of it.
• A single sin[10] – A single act which displeases the Lord.
• The practice of sin[11] – Sinning as a way of life, which no true child of God will do. This is the kind of sin Jesus commanded the lame man and the adulterous woman not to do any longer.
• Blindness to our own prejudice and hypocrisy[12] – This is the ignorant sin of Peter and other Christians with him.
• Grieving the Holy Spirit[13] – Any unchristlike thought, word, or deed which saddens the Holy Spirit.
• Worldly attitudes or desires[14] – Murmuring and complaining against God or craving wrong things.
• Unintended sins,[15] or sins of surprise[16] – A sin which overtakes a Christian in a moment of temptation and weakness.

The many descriptions of sin found in Scripture should make us humble and cause us to feel our constant need for the cleansing blood of Jesus. They should remind us that Jesus died and rose again ‒ not only to atone for willful sin, but every thought, word, and act which causes pain and falls short of his glory. They should remind us that no matter how far we have come in our walk with the Lord, we constantly need Jesus as our advocate: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”[17]

Practical and Pastoral Advice Regarding Sin[18]

1. Never minimize your sin – “Ah this doesn’t matter”!
2. Never maximize your sin – How? Conscientious believers can refuse to repent and move on – they can’t seem to forgive themselves and they let it haunt them.
3. Never justify your sin because of the circumstances.

How a person deals with their sin tells a great deal about them and their [maturity]. A sincere, mature Christian will not play with words; but will... quickly acknowledge their failure, repent of it, find grace, make restitution if necessary, and move forward. A Christian that is immature or carnal will wrestle with God, justify themselves, and perhaps even deny the sin. This is the height of religious pride. Remember God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Three possibilities:

1. We can cover sins and suffer the consequences. “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whosoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
2. We can confess sins and find healing. According to James 5:16, Confession brings healing. Confessors find a freedom that deniers do not have.
3. We can conquer sins by grace. We can live above all willful, known sin by grace-enabled and grace-dependent living in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Christians do not practice sin. However, there always remains the possibility of sin until we get to heaven. Furthermore, there is a clear probability that somewhere along the road, you will sin and need forgiveness. That is why 1 John 2:1-2 was penned.[19]

Richard Taylor says, “It would be holier to call our breakdowns in Christlikeness sins, in good old honest humility, make amends, and learn from our failures. We never learn from failures denied.”[20]

The Power of Confession

Confession to a trusted brother or sister is a powerful weapon against sin and temptation.

(1) Confession causes temptation to lose its power.

Secret battles are the most difficult to win, and temptation is strongest when we are isolated and alone. What sin is Satan enticing you toward? What sinful attitudes could grow in your heart if you don’t expose them the light? Confession brings the strength, comfort, and counsel of a spiritual friend into my battle and makes victory much more likely.[21] Many families place light poles outside their homes at night as a deterrent to intruders. Confession is a deterrent to sin because it puts our temptations where another can see them and help us defend against them.

(2) Confession deals a decisive blow to our greatest enemy – pride.

The tendency to protect our image is in all of us. We want people to think well of us and, therefore, are tempted to put on a mask and pretend we are someone we are not. The humbling act of confession will uproot hypocrisy and prepare the soil of our hearts for a harvest of righteousness.[22]

(3) Confession will often release a guilty conscience and result in the assurance of forgiveness.

We know that only God can forgive; but, as members of the body of Christ, indwelt by his Spirit, we have been appointed to represent him on earth. When, through the Holy Spirit, we forgive each other, the spiritually healing grace of God is released. When Spirit-filled brothers and sisters speak words of mercy to one another, it is as if Jesus himself is speaking those words. We set one another free. In this sense, we loose on earth what has been loosed in heaven.[23]

Under the Old Testament covenant, the Levitical priests were God’s human representatives, affirming to men on earth God’s forgiving and restoring grace. These priests not only offered sacrifices and prayers, but they were God’s human agents to pronounce his people ceremonially clean and forgiven.[24] When a leper, for instance, was cured of his leprosy – a disease which made him unfit for worship and fellowship – he had to present himself to the priests for a confirmation of this healing. God’s priests were God’s human representatives, empowered to restore a person to fellowship.

► After Jesus miraculously healed the ten lepers in Luke 17:14, what did he require them to do?[25] Why did he require this? This illustrates the truth that God rarely bypasses his church but pours his grace through the church.

The New Testament teaches the priesthood of believers. As priests, filled with the Holy Spirit, we not only offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God,[26] but we also represent God’s love to one another. When we extend forgiving love, it is as if God is extending his forgiving love. When, by the Spirit, we discern the true brokenness and repentance of another Christian and say to them, “God forgives you, and we forgive you,” there is healing grace poured into their hearts, washing them from feelings of guilt and shame. The same goes for us when we confess. Anyone who has experienced this will testify to the awesome authority God has given his church to administer healing grace.

Practical Tips for Practicing Confession

1. Seek a godly (not perfect) person to whom you can confess some besetting sin or secret struggle and come clean. Ask them to pray for you.
2. Be honest and be sure not to blame others. Do not confess unnecessary details. Seek wisdom.
3. If you feel you have nothing to confess, ask your spouse, roommate, or friend to give you some suggestions! Ask, “Do you see things in my life that are hurtful?”
4. Accept God’s word through your confessor. “This is the best understanding of the priesthood of all believers. Listen for God’s assurance that you are forgiven and believe it.”[27]
5. Do not broadcast your confessions. Some moral failures of a spiritual leader may require confession to the church, but most of our confessions require only a very small circle of one or two. Keith Drury says, “The circle of confession seldom needs to be larger than the circle of offense.”[28]

► Reflect on the discipline of confession with your group. What insights are helpful? Are there parts of this teaching that are confusing? Allow a few minutes for personal reflection as well.

[1] James 5:16

[2] Matthew 6:12

[3] Keith Drury, Soul Shaper (Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2013), 83

[4] 1 John 3:8-9

[5] From notes provided by Dr. Michael Avery

[6] James 4:17

[7] 1 John 3:4

[8] Romans 14:22-23

[9] Leviticus 4:2, 22

[10] 1 John 2:1-2

[11] 1 John 3:4-9

[12] Galatians 2:11-21

[13] Ephesians 4:30

[14] Numbers 11:1, 4

[15] A term used by Dr. John Oswalt

[16] Galatians 6:1

[17] 1 John 2:1

[18] This section was written by Dr. Michael Avery.

[19] This paragraph is taken from Dr. Michael Avery's notes on his spiritual formation series, Going Deep (Study Guide, Part 3). Retrieved from https://www.weisbachchurch.com/sermon-speaker/dr-michael-avery/ September 18, 2020.

[20] As quoted in the above listed series notes.

[21] Proverbs 11:14; 17:17; 27:17; Ecclesiastes 4:9

[22] Proverbs 28:13

[23] Matthew 16:19; 18:18; 20:23

[24] Leviticus 13:23

[25] Luke 17:14

[26] 1 Peter 2:5

[27] Keith Drury, Soul Shaper (Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2013), 93

[28] Ibid, 92

[29]“It would be healthier to give the term “sin” some flexibility without going to the extreme of forgetting 1 John 3:9 which rules out habitual sinning. A righteous person does not sin “in thought, word, and deed every day.” Yet he may occasionally fall short and need repentance and forgiveness.”
– Richard S. Taylor

[30]“Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off your relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself.”
– Susanna Wesley

"Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."[1]

No discipline is more important than the discipline of submission, though it presents some challenges and has often been misunderstood and abused. (We will briefly identify some of these challenges, misunderstandings, and abuses in this section.)

The Discipline of Submission Biblically Defined

Richard Foster defines the discipline of submission as “the ability to lay down the terrible burden of always having to get our own way.”[2] This discipline follows the example of Jesus, who emptied himself, took a servant’s form, and became obedient unto death.[3]

► Read the following verses carefully. Underline all words that have to do with submission.

• “I urge you, brethren – you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints – that you also submit to such and to everyone who works and labors with us.”[4]
• “Submitting to one another in the fear of God.”[5]
• “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and he is the Savior of the body.”[6]
• “Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”[7]
• “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.”[8]
• “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”[9]
• “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.”[10]
• “Therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme.”[11]
• “Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”[12]
• “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”[13]

These verses leave no one out! Submission is a discipline for everyone: “servants,” “brethren,” “one another,” “wives,” “children,” “yourselves,” “younger people,” “all of you.” The Scriptures call us to submit to God, to kings and rulers, to spiritual leaders, to husbands, to parents, to masters and to one another.

Submission is an act of obedience.

Paul says, “Therefore, whoever resists the (government) authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist incur judgment.”[14] Submission to authority is commanded by the Holy Spirit. Perhaps one of the greatest lessons we could ever learn is to submit just because God says it. This is submission to the Word of God.

Submission is an act, but also an attitude.

Submission involves more than just acts of submission, but an attitude of submission as well. We can do what people ask outwardly, while inwardly harboring resentment or anger toward them. I’m reminded of the story of the little boy who was misbehaving. His mother told him to sit down, which he did. But someone overheard him saying, “I’m sitting down on the outside, but standing up on the inside!” God want us to be people who “sit down” both on the inside and the outside!

Submission to God-ordained authority is an act of trust.

First of all, it is an act which testifies to our trust in God’s sovereign choices. Paul exhorts us to “be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”[15] If we believe that God is truly sovereign and that he is ultimately in charge of who gets elected, who my instructor or overseer is, who my parents are, who my husband is, or who gets the position, then submission becomes a testimony of faith in his wisdom.

Remember, Paul lived under cruel Roman dictators; and yet he did not justify rebellion. He knew that God is sovereign. Centuries before him, God had said to Nebuchadnezzar, through Daniel, “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he chooses.”[16] Trust that God is sovereign.

Second, submission is often an act of trust in God’s ability to change the heart of our leader. When we don’t like decisions being made, but there’s nothing we can do to change things, we pray the promise, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; he turns it wherever he wishes.”[17] I have heard wives testify that when they stopped fighting with their husbands and began praying for them and showing them respect, God began changing their husbands’ hearts!

Submission can become an act of worship.

Make Christ the focus of your submission that you will be set free from fear! This is how Paul admonishes the Ephesian church: “Wives submit... as to the Lord,” “Children obey... for this is well pleasing to the Lord,” “Servants obey... as to Christ.” It’s as if while Paul is writing he knows the difficulty of what he’s asking. He knows very well how flawed human leaders often are, so he says, “Look past the leader to the perfect one who is above them, and the one who appointed them! Do it for him! Do it out of reverence for him! Make submission to the flawed earthly leader an act of worship to the one who never fails or makes a mistake.”

► In the verses we read earlier, notice how most of the commands to submit are followed by, “The Lord is as hand,” “as unto Christ,” “in the fear of God,” “as unto the Lord,” etc. How do you think your attitude toward submission would change if you made the Lord the focus of your submission rather than your spouse, your boss, your teacher, or your pastor?

We will all have to serve leaders and work for people who are difficult at times. The key to freedom is to make submission an act of worship; to pray, “Jesus, this leader you have ordained in my life is flawed, but I’ll submit for your sake! I see their weaknesses, but I will not use their weaknesses as an excuse for open criticism or quiet revolt. I’ll look past the leader to you, God, and worship you for your wisdom in this choice you have made for us. You know what is best for me, my family, and my country. You know what your purposes are in the future. So I will not rebel against your will, but submit to your sovereign plan.”

This does not mean, of course, that we become passive; that we don’t pray or work for change; that we don’t do our part to bring about justice. But it does mean that all efforts are rooted in faith and in the confidence that God is in control of our lives and our world.

Peter writes these words to slaves: “Servants be submissive to your masters... not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh (unjust, ESV)... Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in his steps.”[18] These are not easy words to hear today, but we must hear them.

The Scriptures teach a mutual submission of Christians to one another.

The Bible clearly speaks of submission to God-ordained authorities but also of mutual submission to one another as Spirit-filled members of the body of Christ. Often, where submission is taught, it is only wives and children who are admonished. But the Scriptures also emphasize a mutual submission of each Christian to one another. “Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility.”[19] Submitting to one another means learning to yield our rights, responding to one another’s needs, listening to one another’s opinions, sacrificing for the sake of peace and harmony. This is one of the hardest disciplines for college students, children, spouses, and church members to learn. But, there is freedom in learning it!

God-ordained leaders in the home, church, and government are to exercise oversight but never to be “domineering over those in your charge.”[20] We must never use authority to hurt but help. The gospel elevates and dignifies every member of the body of Christ, and therefore there are ways in which we all submit to one another. Wives submit to their husbands, but husbands must also love their wives and serve them as Christ did. Church members must submit to church leaders, but these leaders are never to “lord it over those entrusted to you but being examples to the flock.”[21] When every Christian is clothed with humility, accepting their God-given place in the body and joyfully serving one another, submission will be a blessed experience. Submission remains healthy when Christians are filled with love and clothed with humility.

Submission to authority is critical to spiritual maturity.

No one will ever be formed into the image of Christ who cannot submit to authority or make his or her wants, desires, and opinions subordinate to another’s. We will never lead until we learn to follow. We will never be trusted to command until we learn to obey orders.

This lack of yielding to one another and laying down our rights is the root cause of so many conflicts in the home, the school, the workplace, society, and the local church. Submission to authority is God’s way of protecting us, prospering us, uniting us, and forming Christ in us.

I’ll never forget the disappointment and indignation I felt one Monday morning as a teacher in the Philippines. A few days before, I had given our soon-to-be-graduating ministerial students a simple, but important, final assignment. I had made it clear that the assignment was due on Monday morning, that every student must be present, and that this assignment was a requirement for graduation. To my shock, when I arrived for class, I learned that three of our graduating ministerial students chose to skip the class and the assignment. I realized that their absence was a protest against what they believed was a “stupid” assignment.

I left the class, marched over to the men’s dorm, and found these three students lounging in one of their rooms laughing and having a good time. They thought they were clever. They thought they could do what they wanted to do without consequence. They thought the assignment was unimportant, and that they shouldn’t have to do it. They learned otherwise! I was very hard on them because what I knew was that they would never qualify to lead God’s flock until they learned to follow a shepherd. All three young men submitted to my discipline, and years later they thanked me. Two of those young men are pastors today.

Limits of Submission – When Does Submission Become Destructive?

There are occasions when submission becomes destructive and may even need to be refused. Here are a few guidelines for discussion:

(1) Submission becomes destructive when it becomes demanding and abusive.

Wives should remove themselves from abusive husbands and get help. Christians should stay away from leaders who demand blind loyalty and mindless subordination. “Just do what I say and don’t ask questions!” is the language of abuse, especially when spoken to an adult. Many today have been wounded by this kind of abuse. Submission does not mean that we never voice our opinion, confront problems, or raise controversial issues. These can be done with a spirit of respectful submission.

Submission, like love, is a gift we give to one another out of reverence for Christ. It is a weak leader who has to demand submission. When our authority comes from God, we will not need to demand it. God will defend his leaders. God will fight their battles. God will grant them spiritual authority others will willingly follow.

Aaron and Miriam learned the hard way that God will defend the humble leader. They excused rebellion against Moses’ leadership because of the flaws they saw in his family.[22] Their insurrection began with a dislike for Moses’ wife and led to a questioning of Moses’ authority: “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” Moses handled this problem by keeping quiet and letting God handle it.[23]

(2) Submission becomes destructive when it becomes a covering for someone else’s sin.

In Acts 16:37, Paul refused to obey an order because it was designed to cover sin. If any authority demands that we cover their sin or participate in their sin, we have a right and obligation to refuse submission.

(3) Submission becomes destructive when submission to human law places us in violation of God’s Word.

When officials from the Sanhedrin demanded that Peter and John no longer teach or speak in the name of Jesus, they respectfully responded, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard.”[24]

(4) The limits of submission are not always easy to determine.

Teaching on this subject is always difficult because it involves human relationships, and relationships are complicated by sin. Human beings are flawed, including presidents, dictators, directors, husbands, managers, etc. Should a citizen submit to their government even when it is corrupt? Should an employee act respectfully to his boss when respect isn’t deserved? Richard Foster gives us a very wise word here:

"Sometimes the limits of submission are easy to determine. A wife is asked to punish a child unreasonably. A child is asked to aid an adult in an unlawful practice. A citizen is asked to violate the dictates of Scripture and conscience for the sake of the State (the government). In each case, the disciple refuses, not arrogantly, but in the spirit of meekness and submission.

"Often the limits of submission are extremely hard to define. What about the marriage partner who feels stifled and kept from personal fulfillment because of the spouse’s professional career? Is this a legitimate form of self-denial, or is it destructive? What about the teacher who unjustly grades a student? Does the student submit or resist? What about the employer who promotes his employees on the basis of favoritism...? What does the deprived employee do, especially if the raise is needed for the good of his or her family?

"These are complicated questions simply because human relationships are complicated. They are questions that do not yield to simplistic answers. There is no such thing as a law of submission that will cover every situation. We must be highly skeptical of all laws that purport to handle every circumstance....

"In defining the limits of submission, we are [placed in] a deep dependence upon the Holy Spirit."[25]

► Take a few moments to discuss these limits of submission. Perhaps there are limits you would add or testimonies you could share of the dangers of blind submission.

Practical Advice for Practicing Submission

• If you are a college student or work for a ministry or company, there are always institutional policies and rules to keep. Practice keeping them. Stop cutting corners.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to develop a more submissive attitude to authority.
• Learn to yield to those around you rather than demanding your rights.
• Train yourself to submit in little ordinances: “Keep off,” “Don’t litter,” etc.
• Review the Scriptures on submission in this lesson and ask the Lord to help you know how to apply them in your life.

[1] 1 Peter 5:5

[2] Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York: HarperCollins, 1998), 111

[3] Philippians 2:7-8

[4] 1 Corinthians 16:15-16

[5] Ephesians 5:21

[6] Ephesians 5:22-23

[7] Ephesians 5:24

[8] Ephesians 6:5-6

[9] Colossians 3:18

[10] Colossians 3:20

[11] 1 Peter 2:13

[12] 1 Peter 5:5

[13] Hebrews 13:17

[14] Romans 13:1-2

[15] Ibid.

[16] Daniel 4:25

[17] Proverbs 21:1

[18] 1 Peter 2:18, 21

[19] 1 Peter 5:5, emphasis added.

[20] 1 Peter 5:2-3

[21] Ibid.

[22] Numbers 12:1-2

[23] Ibid, 3

[24] Acts 4:19b-20

[25] Richard S. Taylor, The Disciplined Life (Bloomington: Bethany House, 2002), 121

"And he said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them.... But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.'”[1]

The discipline of service will train us in deeper, more Christ-like humility. Among pastors, teachers, musicians, and ordinary Christians in the global church, envy is one of the most poisonous sins rooted in the human heart. Many times we’re unaware of its deadly presence there. Do you ever feel hurt when you’re not recognized and honored as you think you deserve? Do you feel resentful when others get the credit for work you have done? Do you find it difficult to rejoice in the successes of others? Are you secretly glad when others fail? Do you feel insecure when others are praised? When others perform, do you harbor secret thoughts you could do better? The discipline of service will take us back to Jesus, the perfect model of a lowly-minded servant.[17]

All of us have been tempted in these ways, to some degree. We’ve been tempted to envy the better life we perceive others to have. We’ve been tempted to covet the positions, gifts, name recognition, clothing, spouse, congregation, and lifestyle of others. Our competitive drive for prominence can only be burned out of our nature by Pentecost, by the consuming fire of the Holy Spirit.[2] But even after the Pentecost, we must cultivate the lowly, humble mind of Christ – the mind of a servant.

Defining the Discipline of Service

The discipline of service is to cultivate the mind and deeds of a servant in every season of life. And Jesus defines what a servant is. He was greater than any other, gave up more than any other, and made himself lower than any other.

► Read Philippians 2:5-11 together.

Philippians teaches us that the life of a servant begins with the mind of a servant.

(1) A servant is characterized by humility, not self-promotion.[18]

Jesus existed in “the form of God” (6a). Jesus possessed the “essential attributes of deity.”[3] Hebrews says, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.”[4] Jesus claimed, “I and my Father are one,” and “If you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father…. Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me?”[5]

But Jesus did not count “equality with God a thing to be grasped” (6b).[6] All that God is, Jesus is; and yet he didn’t cling to it. In every sense, Jesus was equal with God. He even claimed this equality for himself, and for this the Jews hated him: “You being a man make yourself equal with God,”[7] and Thomas worshiped him: “My Lord and My God.”[8] The Hebrew writer described Jesus as the “exact imprint” of God’s nature, a word used for engraving in wood, etching on metal, branding on hide, impressing on clay, and stamping on a coin. Jesus is God made flesh!

Jesus “made himself of no reputation” (7a). The words “made himself” come from the Greek word “kenosis,” translated “emptied himself,” or “laid aside.” This means that though Jesus Christ never gave up his deity, yet for a time he did set aside the rights and privileges of his divine nature. Though Jesus Christ never gave up his deity, for a time he did choose to lay aside his royal garment and to put on the rags of humanity. John Wesley says, “Though he remained full,[9] yet he appeared as if he had been empty; for he veiled his fullness from the sight of men and angels.”

Jesus’ essence and identity would never change; but for redemptive purposes, he became willing to lay aside his distinction and honor and reputation to become weak and helpless and to appear common, ordinary, and under-privileged.[19] Herein is the heart of a servant and our example to follow.

As I contemplate what our Lord laid aside, I am forced to see the foolishness of the things that I have clung to and protected as my right. Are we not often more concerned about what people think of us – our reputation or feeling good – than in doing the right thing? Lord, let Jesus’ humble mind be in us! Jesus’ way of thinking is a strong rebuke to selfish ambition in every form.

(2) A true servant is characterized by complete devotion to the will of his master.

Jesus took “the form of a bondservant” (7b). To be a “bondservant” was to be in the lowliest condition of life. A bondservant lived only for the will of his master.

When Jesus entered the world, he surrendered his will to the will of his Father and chose to live a life of humble dependence. He did not think in terms of personal promotion or how much he would earn. The bondservant mindset is that of a steward whose success is found in caring for the things that please the Master.

Be careful about thinking the way our little seven-year-old son, Timothy, did some years ago. When I had to be gone from the house for a while, I said, “Son, Daddy will be back in a couple of hours, and when I return your bedroom must be cleaned.” “Okay, Daddy!” he said cheerfully. When I returned, he met me with a big smile and said, “Look, Daddy, I washed all the dishes in the sink!” “Oh, that’s really good,” I responded. “Did you also clean your room?” Now his head fell, and the smile vanished. “Uh... no Daddy.” “Then you know the consequence of disobedience,” I said sadly. And I corrected my son because he chose his own path of obedience, rendering his “sacrifice” nothing less than a selfish act of rebellion. Others may have applauded his industry, but I knew better. This story reminds us that even the most heroic perseverance in our own selfish pursuits is rebellion against God. A servant does the will of his master.

(3) A true servant is willing to share the weaknesses of those he is called to serve.

Paul teaches that Jesus came “in the likeness of men,” and “in appearance as a man” (7b-8a). This means that Jesus took on all the essential attributes of humanity. In Christ, God condescended from his eternal glory, to look like us, to experience our pain, suffer as we do, and to be tempted just as we are. Why did he do it? Because of love![10] To be our substitute! To sympathize with our weaknesses:

• “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the Devil.”[11]
• “Therefore, in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”[12]
• “For we do not have an High Priest which cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”[13]

In Jesus, God became fully man. And the mind of Christ is a willingness to share in poverty, hunger, thirst, homelessness, exhaustion, anger, sadness, physical pain, betrayal, and even emotional despair for the sake of others. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was sorrowful even to the point of death so that we might experience redemption.[14] He absorbed our rebukes, scorn, hatred, anger, and pride. And yet he was the most joyful man who ever lived.[15] This is what servanthood looks like. And we are to have this same mind. Is it even possible?

Christ-like Servanthood through Discipline and Grace-Enabled Human Effort

Christ’s humility was so deep, so vast; but we are tempted by selfishness. Those we are called to serve are not only needy, but often selfish, rude, and ungrateful, and at times show very little consideration for our weariness and need for solitude. We are often criticized. Our conversations are often interrupted and our recreation cut short by their demands and emergencies. Without the mind of Christ, we’ll lose his tenderness of heart and cheerfulness of disposition; and our ministries will be more characterized by irritability than humility. So how do we receive this mind?

(1) The mind of a servant is cultivated through discipline.

Paul says in Philippians two that we are to “let” this mind be in us. The word he uses means to savor, to highly regard. to set one’s affection on, to value one thing far above another. This is what every Christian must do. In everyday life, with all its challenges, we must choose Jesus’ way over our own!

(2) The mind of a servant must be humbly received.

We can’t create the mind of a servant. We must let the Holy Spirit produce it more and more in us. Because Christ now indwells us by his Spirit, there is a sense in which each believer already has the mind of Christ; but we must yield to it. We must choose to possess it by grace.

The Reward of Servants

I conclude this lesson with a heartfelt letter I wrote some years ago to pastors we’ve had the privilege of serving in the Philippines. It marks many acts of service we’ve witnessed in them over the years, demonstrates the many ways Christians can serve one another, and looks forward to the day our service will be rewarded.

"Dear Brothers,

"Many of you pastors and workers have beautifully exemplified the mind of Christ to our family, and we have learned incredible spiritual lessons through your faith.

"When you’ve patiently and lovingly cared for the disabled child who will never be able to thank you, cared for a spouse through long periods of illness until God worked a healing miracle, returned to serve a congregation that had hurt you, and allowed God to break your pride and then lift you up to a place of spiritual authority, you demonstrated the mind of Christ.

"When you’ve returned good for evil, labored faithfully with little recognition or appreciation, cared for the widows and indigent among you, served the Lord cheerfully without the nurturing love and support of a companion, allowed past mistakes to humble you and make you the person of prayer and anointing you are today, you demonstrated the mind of Christ.

"When you’ve consistently given the Master your best through crisis and poverty, stood for truth and righteousness even when it was unpopular, gave up your sideline work in order to devote yourself to the ministry, served God in quietness and meekness in your humble place, you’ve demonstrated the heart of a servant.

"Heaven has recorded your service. I can hardly wait for the day Jesus crowns you! I want to be there when you receive your glorious reward for living out the mind of Christ!"

► Write down at least three ways you know you could develop more of a servant’s heart. Be willing to make these changes by the grace of God and be prepared to share your testimony with your group during your next meeting.

[1] Luke 22:25-26

[2] Matthew 3:11-12

[3] Pulpit Commentary

[4] Hebrews 1:3, English Standard Version; see also Colossians 1:15.

[5] John 14:9-10

[6] English Standard Version

[7] John 5:18

[8] John 20:28

[9] John 1:14

[10] John 3:16

[11] Hebrews 2:14

[12] Hebrews 2:17

[13] Hebrews 4:15

[14] Matthew 26:38

[15] Psalm 45:7

[17]“The discipline of service enables us to say “NO!” to the world’s games of promotion and authority.”
– Richard Foster

[18]“There is no limit to what God can do when he finds a man or woman who do not care who gets the credit, as long as he gets the glory!”
– Unknown

[19]“Though he remained full, yet he appeared as if he had been empty; for he veiled his fullness from the sight of men and angels.”
– John Wesley

(1) Take a test based on the material from this lesson.

(2) Spend at least thirty minutes this week reviewing this lesson, including the Scripture references, asking the Holy Spirit for insight.

(3) Record in your journal any specific changes that ought to be made in your life, as the Lord reveals them to you.

(4) Meditate on at least one Psalm in your daily devotional time and record in your journal what the psalmist says about the nature and character of God.

(5) Record in your journal a personal prayer for spiritual transformation and growth based on this lesson.

(6) Practice using Dr. Brown’s Daily Prayer Guide in your daily private prayer.

(1) What passage in the New Testament instructs us to confess our trespasses to one another?

(2) Name five ways the Bible describes sin.

(3) What three words of advice did Dr. Avery offer regarding sin?

(4) How can submission to authority become an act of worship?

(5) When does submission become destructive?

(6) Give three characteristics of true service.