TUESDAY September 15, 2026

A Servant’s Submission

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.
1 Peter 2:18

The central theme of Peter's letter is emphasizing the necessity for our submission to God. Listen, if your life is not in submission to God, you will not be in submission to anybody else. It has been said: “To exercise authority, we must first learn to be under authority.” Interestingly, this concept is found in the conversation Jesus had with a Roman Centurion. The commander asked Jesus to heal his servant, in which Jesus replied: “I will come and heal him” (Matthew 8:7). Listen to how the centurion understood the concept of submission:

“Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” (Matthew 8:8-9).

You see, the word submission is the Greek word hupotasso. It is a military term used for troop divisions that rank under the command of a leader. The term literally means “to arrange in order under” or “subordinate.” The Bible Hub Dictionary explains how we, as Christians, are to look at our submission to God, biblically. Submission is:

A state or attitude of yieldedness to an acknowledged authority. In the New Testament the word portrays a willing alignment beneath God-ordained order so that the truth of the gospel may flourish in life, church, and society.

Certainly, for most people, submission is not a very popular topic, but it is very necessary in the life of the believer. Understand, as a Christian, you are no longer the one in command of your life––God is. You are to take orders; you are not the one giving orders. If you further understand that God has your best interest at heart, and that He loves you, your submission to Him will be a natural response.

The essence of sin is arrogance; the essence of salvation is submission.
~Alan Redpath~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!