Submission and Obedience Precedes Every Good Work

Titus 3:1-2

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, 

to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 

to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, 

to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Obedience precedes the fruit of kindness.  If we are unsubmitted to those in authority we are more than likely thinking too highly of ourselves which is a stance of pride.

While firmly fixed in our pride it would be impossible to speak evil of no one, avoid quarreling, act gently and to show perfect courtesy.

When our hearts take a stance of pride, saying I am autonomous, I do not need to submit to those whom God has placed over me, then the fruit of the flesh will be evident.

When we speak evil of others it is ultimately because we think more highly of ourselves.

Paul warns us through his privilege and authority that God has given him in Romans 12:3,

Don't think you are better than you really are.  

Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, 

measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

You see, nothing we are deems a prideful response as we are only who we are because of the grace of God.

Quarreling is a result of our heart's stance of pride not willing to relinquish ones right to be right.  So often we have unrest in our relationships because one or both of the individuals is not willing to yield and be like Jesus, who when he was accused, gave no response.

To place others in high regard instead of ourselves, seeing what God sees in them for the good, instead of critically analyzing their flaws is how we safeguard our mouths from speaking out against others or attacking others with our words.

In order to produce the fruit of kindness that Galatians 5:22 highlights, we must be obedient and ready for every good work by taking our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish anything that does not line up with His word.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we walk in the flesh, 

we are not waging war according to the flesh.  

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh 

but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, 

when your obedience is complete.  

We must pay attention to the attitudes of our heart and consider where our thoughts are coming from.

Are we thinking critically of others and placing ourselves above them?  If so we must recognize that our pride can erect strongholds in our minds that set up a proverbial board room, where we defend our right to be right when we are thinking evil of others.

But when we compare ourselves to Christ, we see clearly that we are no better than anyone else and that Christ alone is the reason that we are acceptable and made righteous.

Self righteousness is a damnable tool of the flesh and the devil that convinces us that our sin is not as bad as another person's sin.

In order to show perfect courtesy to others, we must recognize our desperate need for a Savior and that we have been given the gift of grace.   The more this becomes a reality in our own hearts, the more we can extend that same grace to others.

This is counterintuitive and contrary to our sin nature but as we submit to the Lordship of Christ in our lives by first recognizing it is His doing that we are even called according to His purposes and its not anything that we can boast in ourselves.

Practically speaking, we submit to Christ when we commit to a community of faith where we are challenged to grow and are afforded opportunities to be sanctified as we are continually are met face to face with our own pride, exposing it for what it is.

Being ready for every good work requires that we first submit to God's design for our lives in the reality of the church.  His word clearly states, in Hebrews 10:22-25 the mandate to be in community;

Let US draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, 

with OUR hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience 

and OUR bodies washed with pure water.  

Let US hold fast the confession of OUR hope without wavering, 

for he who promised is faithful.  

And let US consider how to stir up ONE ANOTHER 

to love and good works, 

not neglecting to meet TOGETHER, 

as is the habit of some, 

but encouraging ONE ANOTHER, 

and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.  

You can not avoid the community of God and think that you are submitted to God.  We must first set the stage in our hearts for obedience by submitting to a local church and not thinking that we are free autonomous agents that can pick and choose when and where we go without regard for the word of God.

We are called by God to submit to spiritual leaders.  It is no surprise that mankind would rather do whatever, whenever they want but God clearly calls us to obey our spiritual leaders and do what they say for our good, their encouragement and ultimately His glory.

Hebrews 13:17 NLT

Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say.  

Their work is to watch over your souls, 

and they are accountable to God.  

Give them reason to do this with joy and not sorrow.  

That would certainly not be for your benefit.  

You see walking in the Spirit requires that we lay down our lives for Him.  We are His servants who do His bidding and not to live as though we have no master.

Matthew 6:24 says

"No one can serve two masters, 

for either he will hate the one and love the other, 

or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

Who are you devoted to?  Yourself or God?  Are you submitted to a church where you have placed yourself under spiritual leaders?  Or are you serving yourself, saying you are a Christian without the evidence of a laid down life where you submit to God and do things that you don't want to do?

Lord,  we call you Lord but have we given way to your Lordship in our hearts and ultimately our lives or are we calling the shots?

Illuminate our hearts by your word today and show us our pride.  If we have erected a stronghold in our mind that says we do not have to be a part of a body of believers, please convict us of our erroneous hearts.

If we are engaged in a body but still pick and choose when and where we will enter into fellowship and service, we ask that you would give us a revelation of our sinful hearts.

We want to see you rightly and in order to do that we must first see our great need for you.  We are a prideful people.  Please forgive us and conform our hearts by your loving kindness.

We thank you that Your loving kindness leads us to repentance.  

Lead us Lord!