It is historically safe to say that there has never been any other
human being like Jesus. The early church was insistent that Jesus was both
fully human and fully divine. That was, and is, a difficult concept to
understand! They claimed it because they were completely amazed at the life,
words and works of Jesus.
The writer of
Hebrews says this about Jesus: During the
days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent
cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard
because of his reverent submission. Son
though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal
salvation for all who obey him… (Hebrews
5:7-9 NIV) I love that phrase, “he was heard because of his reverent
submission.” Reverent submission is exactly what God is looking for in the
lives of all people who seek to follow Jesus.
Yet too
often we offer something besides reverent submission. Many choose “irreverent
rebellion” – the path of the prodigal who seeks to navigate through the world
on the basis of being obedient to their own desires. This path is marked with
heartache and tragedy, but even with all the evidence saying this is a bad
road, everyday many people walk this path. Irreverent rebellion is a crowded
road, but it only leads further away from the will of God in our lives. The
sooner you realize that irreverent rebellion will never become the basis for a
meaningful life of faith the better, so you can take the off-ramp of repentance
and begin making your way home.
The other
crowded path – and alternative to reverent submission – is “irreverent
submission,” which I take to be the practice of legalism. The practice of
irreverent submission looks better than irreverent rebellion, at least on the
surface, because it does not leave such an obvious trail of heartbreak and
tragedy. Yet it is actually a much harder road and it is difficult to find the
off ramp because like the prodigal’s older brother you despise the disobedient
as a defense against feeling that you have missed out on the wild side of life.
Irreverent submission can be defined as righteousness without joy (a false
righteousness if there ever was one!). The pride that builds in your heart
makes the idea of repentance repugnant. While you can get off this road, it
usually takes a major train wreck to make it happen.
Jesus was
remarkable because he did not practice “irreverent rebellion” or “irreverent
submission” like so many others, but he willingly and excitedly embraced
reverent submission as the path for his life. It lead straight to the cross –
an unimaginable horror – but on the other side was glory. His first disciples
saw his life, death and resurrection and had to construct new categories for
it! God helped them by giving them the category of Son of God – fully God and
fully human. It was his obedience that created such an amazing life.
Now he calls
us to reverent submission – a life of obedience to our Savior.
- Kenny Payne
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