Order

by S.J.Hill | Category: Subjection | Oct 1936

Order-implying the subordination of the various parts to the good of the whole, the recognition of positions and relations higher and lower; the fact of government and the necessity of obedience-is fundamental to every state, whether in heaven or on earth. Everyone who refuses to fill his place according to the constitution of that in which he is, is contributing to lawlessness and anarchy. Order recognises different degrees of authority higher and lower, for like the centurion of the Gospel, there are those exercising authority who are themselves under authority. Indeed all in authority (whether they appreciate the fact or not) derive their position from God, to whom all authority belongs, of which we have an illustration in the Lord's words to Pilate, "Thou couldst have no authority against Me except it were given thee from above."

It is possible for men to claim obedience in respect of matters which lie outside their province, and in such cases it may be necessary to say "We ought to obey God rather than men." If in such a case there is a lack of obedience on the part of those concerned it proceeds not from a spirit of insubjection, but rather from an intense sense of subjection to a higher authority-even to God Himself. It is, however, possible to cover a factious and lawless spirit by so acting-and therefore it behoves all who would walk worthily of God to exercise the greatest care in such a case. At times it may be difficult to determine what it is proper to do, but if the blessed and allimportant principle of subjection is cordially held and counsel is sought from godly experienced men the difficulty will be overcome.

Let no doubt exist in the mind that disobedience (or insubjection) is fundamentally evil. Its evil cannot be exaggerated. This poor world in which we live suffers from many ailments, but they one and all are only symptoms of the universal and deeply rooted disease of disobedience. By one man's disobedience sin came into the world and death followed. From that one root-the act of casting off the authority of God; the assertion of the right to choose and act for oneself-all the misery which has afflicted this scene has come. We groan under the pressure of sorrow, sickness, pain, and death (and we cannot but groan), but they all are the necessary and even salutary result of insubjection.

We are left in no doubt as to what sin is, for we read on the highest authority "Sin is lawlessness." It has been variously rendered as "missing the mark," "wandering," and so forth, but each of these meanings indicates the same thing and shows that man is as he is and subject to his present condition because he has cast aside the will and authority of God and chosen his own way, according to that word "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way."

We must, however, distinguish between sin in its nature and root and its outworking in the habits and tendencies of men. Sin is lawlessness, and finds its seat in the mind of man-the will is set in motion independently of the revealed will of God, and consequently the way of man deviates from the way of God. Not only did the will of man assert itself at the beginning but we have constant evidences even now of the same working in the opposing of the various institutions of God's government. In such matters the guilt is greater or less in the measure that the will of man is brought into operation. One man may, in consequence of vicious upbringing, break many of God's laws more from the force of habit and inclination than from any effort of will, whereas there may be another who, knowing the truth and consenting thereto in his conscience, opposes it from a rebellious will; who, like unto certain in the Gospel narrative who attributed the manifest work of the Holy Spirit to an unclean spirit, set themselves wilfully against truth which is perfectly evident.

Such distinction between sin and sin is clearly marked in the Old Testament. Sins are spoken of as (1) sins of ignorance, such as are the product of the evil nature; and (2) presumptuous sin, or the sinning with a high hand. For the former of these God graciously made provision, and

granted forgiveness on confession, but for the latter no provision was made and no forgiveness granted. The man who opposed God's law with a high hand had to die. We do well to observe the force of the words in Psalm 19. At one moment the speaker contemplates sins of ignorance and exclaims, "who can understand his errors? Clear Thou me from hidden faults" : but then he turns to look upon sins of a graver character and says, "Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins: Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be perfect, And I shall be clear from great transgression. "

Now it is evident that the sin of lawlessness, selfwill, disobedience, partakes more of the nature of the latter of these than of the former, because the sin is one of the mind and will rather than one of habit and desire. This being so, how careful should we be to guard against such sin by cultivating a humble and subject mind.

Directing our attention now to the matter of subjection to God, we observe

that He has established various institutions in the world in which His authority is exercised through men. We mention some of these, namely, the authority of the husband relatively to the wife; that of parents to children; of masters to servants; of rulers to subjects ; and of overseers to the people of God. It cannot be questioned that all of these are institutions specifically sanctioned by God in His Word, and it is therefore of the greatest importance for those who are contemplated as occupying the subject place to see what manner of behaviour is called for on their part.

It is fully recognized that there may be blamable failure in these things which may not deserve to be characterized as lawlessness, because it may proceed partly from ignorance and partly from provocation by those in authority, but such failure, though it can be understood and explained, cannot be excused.

THE POSITION OF THE WIFE.

The position is one of subjection as plainly taught in Scripture, but it is

subjection of a peculiarly honourable kind-" The husband is the head of the wife." We see two persons bound together for the purposes of life, and who themselves will be called upon to exercise authority jointly. Shall there be two "heads" or only one? God has said one, and nature and experience alike say one; and, further, the Word indicates that the husband is to be the head. This also is an illustration of the highest kind, of the union and relative positions of Christ and the Church, the Head and the Body, and as the Church is subject to Christ so is the wife to be subject to the husband in everything (Ephesians 5. 24). "In the Lord," qualifies the obedience truly, for in every relation the Lord must have first place, but those who recognize what " In the Lord " means will be the first to render to the husband all proper respect and obedience. A woman's true dignity and freedom are secured by the practical recognition of the headship of the man. The position is not given him for his own sake, but for her sake.

Much unhappiness is often caused by the wife usurping the husband's place and authority, and setting him aside. This means that part of his duty is neglected and that the wife, in attempting to do that for which she is not fitted, not only does the work badly but thereby fails to manifest her womanly fitness and grace in matters which lie within her province. What a sad exhibition is that, whether to the husband, family, or friends, when a woman attempts to act the part of the man and so neglects her own work!

We may remark that not only is the husband the head of the wife, but this is extended in the words in 1 Corinthians 11., "The head of the woman is the man." We need do no more than remind our readers of the present unruliness among a certain class of women in the world, for them to recognize that in a very marked way the spirit of lawlessness is indeed working. In view thereof let Christian women cultivate the ornament of "a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Peter 3. 4).

THE POSITION OF CHILDREN.

If nature instructs as to the relative positions of the woman and the man, how much more should its voice be heard in that of children and their parents! The relationship of a man and his wife is that of a partnership, albeit there is a difference between the partners, but with children no such position of equality exists. The child is the offspring of his parents, nourished by them when a helpless babe, and guided and protected by them until maturity is reached. As he grows up he should realize the self-denial, toil and care which his upbringing has entailed on his parents, and he should seek to respond to all their loving care; first, in his love and obedience, and then, in actual service. He should recognize also that under God he has derived his all from his parents, and that to them should be given that reverence to which as his progenitors they are entitled and which is only exceeded by that which is due to God. He ought further to anticipate the time when he will probably occupy a similar position to that of his parents, and will look for the same obedience and respect from his children that his parents now expect from him.

Such natural considerations are greatly strengthened by the exhortations of the Word of God, for hardly any injunction is more prominent than the first Commandment with promise, "Honour thy father and mother"; and because of it the Apostle says "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." We must also be warned by the fact that one of the features of the last days, condemned by God, is, that men shall be "Disobedient to parents." In view of such a solemn fact should not Christian children shun anything that will transgress God's good regulation in this matter? It may be thought that, even if insufficient respect is shown to parents, yet Christian children are in no danger of absolute lawlessness. The only safe way to avoid the extreme of wrong is to go in for the positive right. Incipient lawlessness must be guarded against. A solemn and extreme case is seen in Absalom, the indulged child of his father; the dreadful issue of his course is intended as a warning. Perchance while hanging in the boughs of the oak tree he had time to reflect with bitter remorse on his unfilial behaviour. Another sad case (perhaps less extreme) is anticipated in the Law, of a son who should persist in a lawless manner of life even after chastisement by his parents; of him it is said, "He shall be stoned, because he is stubborn and rebellious."

Consider some of the effects of the setting aside of the parents by their children. The natural rights of the parents are ignored; their tenderest feelings are outraged; their salutary control and guidance are refused; and the foolish child, casting off the restraints which have held him, slips the anchor and ventures forth into the unknown sea of life with its rocks and quicksands, so that it is not surprising if the end is shipwreck. How foolish to reject the experience which can only come by age and which in God's good arrangement belongs to the parents! How many at the end of such a course have lamented-"How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof!"

We should not like to conclude this portion without pointing out that there are many examples in Scripture of right feeling and behaviour on the part of children, but we refer to one only, the blessed unique example of the Child Jesus, of whom it is recorded that He was subject to His parents. Thus has the Lord sanctified the subject place of the child in His becoming a Child and fulfilling those obligations toward His parents which were proper to His

position.

S.J.Hill | Oct 1936
Subjection