Godly Subjection​—Why and by Whom?

“I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.”​—JEREMIAH 10:23.

1. What forms of independence have been widely valued?

AMONG the most noted of human documents is the Declaration of Independence, by which 13 British colonies in North America in the 18th century declared their independence from their mother country, Britain. They wanted freedom, and independence from foreign control and freedom went hand in hand. Political and economic independence can be a great advantage. In recent times some Eastern European lands have moved toward political independence. However, it must be admitted that in those lands such independence has brought with it many serious problems.

2, 3. (a) What form of independence is not desirable? (b) How was this fact originally driven home?

² As desirable as various forms of independence may be, there is one form of independence that is not desirable. What is that? Independence from man’s Maker, Jehovah God. That is not a blessing but a curse. Why? Because man was never meant to act independently of his Maker, as the prophet Jeremiah’s words quoted above so aptly show. In other words, man was meant to be in subjection to his Maker. To be in subjection to our Creator means to be obedient to him.

³ That fact was driven home to the first human pair by Jehovah’s command to them as recorded at Genesis 2:16, 17: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.” Refusing to be in subjection to his Maker brought to Adam and all his offspring sin, suffering, and death.​—Genesis 3:19; Romans 5:12.

4, 5. (a) What has resulted from humans’ refusing to be in subjection to God? (b) What moral law is inescapable?

⁴ Humans’ refusing to be in subjection to God is unwise as well as morally wrong. In the world it has resulted in widespread lawlessness, crime, violence, and sexual immorality with its fruits of sexually transmitted diseases. Besides, is not today’s plague of juvenile crime largely caused by the refusal of youths to be in subjection to Jehovah, as well as to their parents and to the laws of the land? This spirit of independence is seen in the outlandish and slovenly way many people dress and in the profane language that they use.

⁵ But there is just no escaping the Creator’s inexorable moral law: “Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap; because he who is sowing with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh.”​—Galatians 6:7, 8.

6, 7. What is the root cause of refusing to be in subjection, as seen by what examples?

⁶ What is the root cause of all this refusing to be in subjection? Simply put, it is selfishness and pride. That is why Eve, the first woman, let herself be deceived by the serpent and partook of the forbidden fruit. Had she been modest and humble, the temptation to be like God​—deciding for herself what is good and bad—​would not have appealed to her. And had she been unselfish, she would not have wanted something that had been expressly forbidden by her Maker, Jehovah God.​—Genesis 2:16, 17.

⁷ Not long after Adam and Eve’s fall, pride and selfishness caused Cain to murder his brother Abel. Also, selfishness caused certain angels to act independently, leaving their original position and materializing so as to enjoy sensual pleasures. Pride and selfishness motivated Nimrod and have characterized most worldly rulers since his time.​—Genesis 3:6, 7; 4:6-8; 1 John 3:12; Jude 6.

Why We Owe Jehovah God Subjection

8-11. What are four powerful reasons for our exercising godly subjection?

⁸ Why do we owe our Maker, Jehovah God, subjection? First of all because he is the Universal Sovereign. All authority rightfully resides in him. He is our Judge, Lawgiver, and King. (Isaiah 33:22) Well has it been written of him: “All things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of him with whom we have an accounting.”​—Hebrews 4:13.

⁹ Moreover, since our Maker is almighty, no one can successfully oppose him; no one can ignore his obligation to be in subjection to Him. Sooner or later, those who refuse will come to grief as did Pharaoh of old and as will Satan the Devil in God’s due time.​—Psalm 136:1, 11-15; Revelation 11:17; 20:10, 14.

¹⁰ Subjection is the obligation of all intelligent creatures because they exist for the purpose of serving their Maker. Revelation 4:11 declares: “You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.” He is the Great Potter, and he makes human vessels to serve his purpose.​—Isaiah 29:16; 64:8.

¹¹ We should not overlook the fact that our Maker is all-wise, so he knows what is best for us. (Romans 11:33) His laws are ‘for our good.’ (Deuteronomy 10:12, 13) Above all, “God is love,” so he wants only what is best for us. How many compelling reasons we have for being in subjection to our Maker, Jehovah God!​—1 John 4:8.

Jesus Christ, the Perfect Example of Godly Subjection

12, 13. (a) How did Jesus Christ manifest godly subjection? (b) What words of Jesus show his submissive attitude?

¹² Without the shadow of a doubt, Jehovah’s only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, gives us the perfect example of godly subjection. The apostle Paul points this out at Philippians 2:6-8: “[Jesus], although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men. More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he [further] humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake.” When on earth, Jesus repeatedly stated that he did nothing out of his own initiative; he did not act independently, but always kept in subjection to his heavenly Father.

¹³ We read at John 5:19, 30: “Jesus went on to say to them: ‘Most truly I say to you, The Son cannot do a single thing of his own initiative, but only what he beholds the Father doing. For whatever things that One does, these things the Son also does in like manner. I cannot do a single thing of my own initiative; just as I hear, I judge; and the judgment that I render is righteous, because I seek, not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.’” Likewise, he repeatedly prayed on the night of his betrayal: “Not as I will, but as you will.”​—Matthew 26:39, 42, 44; see also John 7:28; 8:28, 42.

Ancient Examples of Godly Subjection

14. In what ways did Noah show godly subjection?

¹⁴ Among the early human examples of godly subjection was Noah. He demonstrated his subjection in three ways. First, by being a righteous man, faultless among his contemporaries, walking with the true God. (Genesis 6:9) Second, by constructing the ark. He “proceeded to do according to all that God had commanded him. He did just so.” (Genesis 6:22) Third, by sounding the warning of the coming Deluge as “a preacher of righteousness.”​—2 Peter 2:5.

15, 16. (a) What fine example did Abraham set in godly subjection? (b) How did Sarah show subjection?

¹⁵ Abraham was another outstanding example of godly subjection. He manifested subjection by obeying God’s command: “Go your way out of your country.” (Genesis 12:1) That meant leaving his comfortable surroundings in Ur (no insignificant city, as indicated by archaeological discoveries) to wander as a nomad in a foreign land for a hundred years. In particular did Abraham show godly subjection by meeting the great test of being willing to offer up his son Isaac.​—Genesis 22:1-12.

¹⁶ Abraham’s wife Sarah furnishes us with another fine example of godly subjection. Wandering about in a strange land no doubt brought with it many inconveniences, but nowhere do we read of her complaining. She set a fine example of godly subjection in the two instances when Abraham presented her as his sister before pagan rulers. Both times she cooperated, even though she almost became a member of their harems as a result. Testifying to her godly subjection is her way of referring within herself to her husband, Abraham, as “my lord,” showing that that was her genuine heart attitude.​—Genesis 12:11-20; 18:12; 20:2-18; 1 Peter 3:6.

17. Why can it be said that Isaac showed godly subjection?

¹⁷ Let us not overlook the example of godly subjection furnished by Abraham’s son Isaac. Jewish tradition indicates that Isaac was about 25 years old when Jehovah commanded his father, Abraham, to offer him up as a sacrifice. Had Isaac wanted to, he could easily have resisted his father, who was a hundred years older than he was. But no. Although Isaac wondered about the lack of an animal for the sacrifice, he meekly submitted to his father’s placing him on the altar and then tying him hand and foot in order to prevent or control any involuntary reactions that might have occurred if the slaughtering knife had been used.​—Genesis 22:7-9.

18. How did Moses show exemplary godly subjection?

¹⁸ Years later, Moses set a good example for us in godly subjection. That certainly is indicated by his being described as “by far the meekest of all the men who were upon the surface of the ground.” (Numbers 12:3) His obediently carrying out Jehovah’s commands for 40 years in the wilderness, even though he had the oversight of a rebellious people numbering two or three million, testifies further to his godly subjection. Thus the record says that “Moses proceeded to do according to all that Jehovah had commanded him. He did just so.”​—Exodus 40:16.

19. By what expressions did Job show his subjection to Jehovah?

¹⁹ Job is another outstanding character who set us an excellent example in godly subjection. After Jehovah had permitted Satan to wipe out all of Job’s possessions, to kill his children, and then to strike him with “a malignant boil from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head,” Job’s wife said to him: “Are you yet holding fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” Nevertheless, Job showed his godly subjection by saying to her: “As one of the senseless women speaks, you speak also. Shall we accept merely what is good from the true God and not accept also what is bad?” (Job 2:7-10) Showing the same mental attitude are his words recorded at Job 13:15: “Even if he would slay me, would I not wait?” Although Job was, in fact, greatly concerned about his own justification, we should not overlook that in the end Jehovah said to one of his supposed comforters: “My anger has grown hot against you and your two companions, for you men have not spoken concerning me what is truthful as has my servant Job.” Undoubtedly, Job furnishes us a fine example of godly submission.​—Job 42:7.

20. In what ways did David demonstrate godly subjection?

²⁰ To mention just one more example from the Hebrew Scriptures, there is David. When King Saul hunted David as if he were an animal, David had two opportunities to end his troubles by slaying Saul. Yet, David’s godly subjection kept him from doing so. His words are recorded at 1 Samuel 24:6: “It is unthinkable, on my part, from Jehovah’s standpoint, that I should do this thing to my lord, the anointed of Jehovah, by thrusting out my hand against him, for he is the anointed of Jehovah.” (See also 1 Samuel 26:9-11.) He likewise showed his godly subjection by accepting reproof when he made mistakes or sinned.​—2 Samuel 12:13; 24:17; 1 Chronicles 15:13.

Paul’s Example of Subjection

21-23. In what various instances did the apostle Paul show godly subjection?

²¹ In the Christian Greek Scriptures, we have an outstanding example of godly subjection in the apostle Paul. He imitated his Master, Jesus Christ, in this as he did in all other aspects of his apostolic ministry. (1 Corinthians 11:1) Although Jehovah God used him more mightily than any of the other apostles, Paul never acted independently. Luke tells us that when the question came up as to whether the Gentile converts needed to be circumcised, “they [the brothers at Antioch] arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and older men in Jerusalem regarding this dispute.”​—Acts 15:2.

²² As to Paul’s missionary activity, we are told at Galatians 2:9: “When they came to know the undeserved kindness that was given me, James and Cephas and John, the ones who seemed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of sharing together, that we should go to the nations, but they to those who are circumcised.” Rather than act independently, Paul sought direction.

²³ Similarly, the last time Paul was in Jerusalem, he accepted the counsel given by the elders there in connection with going to the temple and following the procedure of the Law so that all could see that he was not an apostate as far as the Law of Moses was concerned. Since his doing so seemed to end disastrously with a mob being stirred up against him, was his being in subjection to those elders a mistake? By no means, as is evident from what we read at Acts 23:11: “The following night the Lord stood by him and said: ‘Be of good courage! For as you have been giving a thorough witness on the things about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.’”

24. What further aspects of subjection will be discussed in the next article?

²⁴ Truly, the Scriptures give us powerful reasons for our being in subjection and striking examples of those who manifested such subjection. In the following article, we will consider the various areas in which we can be in subjection to Jehovah God, the aids to our being so, and the rewards that result.

What Godly Subjection Requires of Us

“Subject yourselves, therefore, to God.”​—JAMES 4:7.

1. What can be said of the kind of God we worship?

WHAT a marvelous God Jehovah is! Matchless, peerless, incomparable, unique in so many ways! He is the Most High, the Universal Sovereign in whom all true authority resides. He is from everlasting to everlasting and so glorious that no man can see him and yet live. (Exodus 33:20; Romans 16:26) He is infinite in power and wisdom, absolutely perfect in justice, and the very personification of love. He is our Creator, our Judge, our Lawgiver, and our King. Every good gift and every perfect present comes from him.​—Psalm 100:3; Isaiah 33:22; James 1:17.

2. Godly subjection involves what things?

² In view of all these facts, there can be no question about our obligation to be in subjection to him. But what does this involve for us? A number of things. Since we cannot personally see Jehovah God, subjection to him involves heeding the voice of an educated conscience, cooperating with God’s earthly organization, recognizing secular authorities, and respecting the headship principle within the family circle.

Holding a Good Conscience

3. To keep a good conscience, we must be obedient to what kind of prohibitions?

³ To keep a good conscience, we must be obedient to the unenforceable​—that is, to laws or principles that humans cannot enforce. For example, the tenth commandment of the Decalogue, directed against coveting, was unenforceable by human authorities. Incidentally, this testifies to the divine origin of the Decalogue, for no human law-making body would have made a law that could not be enforced by means of sanctions if violated. By this law, Jehovah God gave each Israelite the responsibility to be his own policeman​—if he would have a good conscience. (Exodus 20:17) Similarly, among the works of the flesh that would bar one from inheriting God’s Kingdom are “jealousy” and “envies”​—reactions against which sanctions are not enforceable by human judges. (Galatians 5:19-21) But to hold a good conscience, we must avoid these.

4. To keep a good conscience, by what Bible principles must we live?

⁴ Yes, we must live by Bible principles. Such principles can be summed up in the two commandments that Jesus Christ enunciated in answer to the question as to which was the greatest commandment of the Mosaic code. “You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind. . . . You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-40) Illustrating what is involved in the second of these commandments are Jesus’ words recorded at Matthew 7:12: “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them; this, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean.”

5. How can we keep a good relationship with Jehovah God?

⁵ We must do what we know is right and keep from doing what we know is wrong, whether others notice it or not. This is so even though we might be able to get away with either not doing what we should do or doing what we should not. It means keeping a good relationship with our heavenly Father, bearing in mind the warning that the apostle Paul expresses at Hebrews 4:13: “There is not a creation that is not manifest to his sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of him with whom we have an accounting.” Persisting in doing right will help us to contend with the crafty devices of the Devil, to resist the pressures of the world, and to battle the inherited tendency toward selfishness.​—Compare Ephesians 6:11.

Subjection to God’s Organization

6. What channels of communication did Jehovah use in pre-Christian times?

⁶ Jehovah God has not left it entirely up to us to decide individually how we are to apply Bible principles to our lives. From the beginning of mankind’s history, God has used humans as channels of communication. Thus, Adam was God’s spokesman to Eve. The command about the forbidden fruit was given to Adam before Eve was created, so Adam must have informed Eve as to God’s will for her. (Genesis 2:16-23) Noah was God’s prophet to his family and to the antediluvian world. (Genesis 6:13; 2 Peter 2:5) Abraham was God’s spokesman to his family. (Genesis 18:19) God’s prophet and channel of communication to the nation of Israel was Moses. (Exodus 3:15, 16; 19:3, 7) After him, down to John the Baptizer, many prophets, priests, and kings were used by God to communicate his will to his people.

7, 8. (a) With the coming of the Messiah, who have been used as God’s spokesmen? (b) What does godly subjection require of Jehovah’s Witnesses today?

⁷ With the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, God used him and his immediate apostles and disciples to serve as His spokesmen. Later, the anointed faithful followers of Jesus Christ were to serve as a “faithful and discreet slave” in communicating to Jehovah’s people how to apply Bible principles in their lives. Godly subjection meant recognizing the instrument Jehovah God was using.​—Matthew 24:45-47; Ephesians 4:11-14.

⁸ The facts show that today “the faithful and discreet slave” is associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses and represented by the Governing Body of these Witnesses. That body, in turn, appoints overseers in various capacities​—such as elders and traveling representatives—​to direct the work on a local level. Godly subjection requires each dedicated Witness to be in subjection to these overseers in keeping with Hebrews 13:17: “Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account; that they may do this with joy and not with sighing, for this would be damaging to you.”

Accepting Discipline

9. Godly subjection is often a matter of what?

⁹ Godly subjection is often a matter of accepting discipline from those serving as overseers. If we do not always give ourselves the necessary discipline, we may need to be counseled and disciplined by those having the experience and authority to do so, such as our congregation elders. To accept such discipline is the course of wisdom.​—Proverbs 12:15; 19:20.

10. What obligation do those who administer discipline have?

¹⁰ Obviously, elders administering discipline must themselves be examples of godly subjection. How? According to Galatians 6:1, not only should they have a fine manner of counseling but they should be exemplary: “Brothers, even though a man takes some false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness, as you each keep an eye on yourself, for fear you also may be tempted.” In other words, the elder’s counsel must be in line with his example. Such is in harmony with the admonition given at 2 Timothy 2:24, 25 and at Titus 1:9. Yes, those administering reproof or correction must be very careful never to be harsh. They should always be mild, kind, and yet firm in upholding the principles in God’s Word. They should be impartial listeners, refreshing to those who are toiling and loaded down.​—Compare Matthew 11:28-30.

Subjection to the Superior Authorities

11. What is required of Christians in their relations with secular authorities?

¹¹ Godly subjection also requires us to obey the secular authorities. We are counseled at Romans 13:1: “Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God.” These words require us, among other things, to obey traffic laws and to be conscientious as to the paying of taxes and tributes, as the apostle Paul notes at Romans 13:7.

12. In what sense is our subjection to Caesar relative?

¹² Clearly, though, all such subjection to Caesar must be relative. We must always bear in mind the principle that Jesus Christ stated, as recorded at Matthew 22:21: “Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” A footnote to Romans 13:1 in the Oxford NIV [New International Version] Scofield Study Bible observes: “This does not mean that he is to obey regulations that are immoral or anti-Christian. In such cases it is his duty to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29; cp. Dan. 3:16-18; 6:10ff).”

Godly Subjection Within the Family Circle

13. Godly subjection within the family circle requires what of its members?

¹³ Within the family circle, the husband and father serves as head. This requires that wives heed the counsel given at Ephesians 5:22, 23: “Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord, because a husband is head of his wife as the Christ also is head of the congregation.”a As for the children, they do not make their own rules but owe godly subjection to both father and mother, as Paul explains at Ephesians 6:1-3: “Children, be obedient to your parents in union with the Lord, for this is righteous: ‘Honor your father and your mother’; which is the first command with a promise: ‘That it may go well with you and you may endure a long time on the earth.’”

14. Godly subjection requires what of family heads?

¹⁴ Of course, it makes it easier for wives and children to render such godly subjection when husbands and fathers themselves display godly subjection. They do this by exercising their headship in keeping with Bible principles, such as those found at Ephesians 5:28, 29 and 6:4: “In this way husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself, for no man ever hated his own flesh; but he feeds and cherishes it, as the Christ also does the congregation.” “Fathers, do not be irritating your children, but go on bringing them up in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.”

Aids in Manifesting Godly Subjection

15. What fruit of the spirit will help us to manifest godly subjection?

¹⁵ What will help us to manifest godly subjection in these various areas? First, there is unselfish love​—love for Jehovah God and for those he has placed over us. We are told at 1 John 5:3: “This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome.” Jesus made the same point at John 14:15: “If you love me, you will observe my commandments.” Truly, love​—the foremost fruit of the spirit—​will help us to appreciate all that Jehovah has done for us and will thus help us to exercise godly subjection.​—Galatians 5:22

16. Of what help is godly fear in showing godly subjection?

¹⁶ Second, there is godly fear. Fearing to displease Jehovah God will help us because it “means the hating of bad.” (Proverbs 8:13) Unquestionably, the fear of displeasing Jehovah will keep us from compromising because of the fear of man. It will also help us to obey God’s instructions no matter what difficulties have to be overcome. Further, it will keep us from yielding to temptations or inclinations toward wrongdoing. The Scriptures show that it was the fear of Jehovah that enabled Abraham to attempt to offer up his beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice, and it was the fear of displeasing Jehovah that enabled Joseph successfully to resist the immoral advances of Potiphar’s wife.​—Genesis 22:12; 39:9.

17. What role does faith play in our exercising godly subjection?

¹⁷ A third aid is faith in Jehovah God. Faith will enable us to heed the counsel given at Proverbs 3:5, 6: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.” Especially will faith help us when we seem to be suffering unjustly or feel we are discriminated against because of our race or nationality or because of some personality conflict. Some may also feel that they have been wrongly passed over when not recommended to serve as an elder or a ministerial servant. If we have faith, we will wait on Jehovah to straighten matters out in his due time. In the meantime we may need to cultivate patient endurance.​—Lamentations 3:26.

18. What is a fourth aid in our displaying godly subjection?

¹⁸ A fourth aid is humility. A humble person has no difficulty in manifesting godly subjection because ‘in lowliness of mind, he considers that others are superior to him.’ A humble person is willing to conduct himself as “a lesser one.” (Philippians 2:2-4; Luke 9:48) But the proud person resents being in subjection and chafes at it. It has been said that such a person would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.

19. What fine example of humility did a former president of the Watch Tower Society provide?

¹⁹ A fine example of humility and godly subjection was once furnished by Joseph Rutherford, the second president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. When Hitler banned the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany, the brothers there wrote to him asking what they should do in view of the ban on their meetings and their preaching activity. He mentioned this to the Bethel family and frankly admitted that he did not know what to tell the German brothers, particularly in view of the severe sanctions involved. He said that if anyone knew what to tell them, he would be glad to hear it. What a humble spirit!b

Benefits From Manifesting Godly Subjection

20. What blessings result from manifesting godly subjection?

²⁰ It might well be asked, What are the benefits of manifesting godly subjection? Many, indeed. We escape the anxieties and frustrations that are the lot of those who act independently. We enjoy a good relationship with Jehovah God. We have the best of association with our Christian brothers. Furthermore, by our comporting ourselves lawfully, we avoid having unnecessary trouble with the secular authorities. We also enjoy a happy family life as husbands and wives, as parents and children. Moreover, by maintaining godly subjection, we act in harmony with the counsel given at Proverbs 27:11: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.”

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