5TH COMMANDMENT (2)

In the last few weeks I have been allowed by circumstance to hobnob with the gentile class of gentlemen farmers and assorted leaders of my rural county. It was from this group that I was ejected from religious leadership because my beliefs were becoming suspect. It took me many years to figure out that there were indeed social as well as religious reasons for my being denied ordination. After all, I like my father and grandfather had done in their time, I had put religious scruples and beliefs ahead of social and political cronyism. While I have been allowed access to an income worthy of my supposed background, it has been made painfully clear for the last thirty years that I ought not presume on any pretensions to local leadership or any decision making process!

A few years ago, one of my relatives was invited to a prime social event by a family newly on the inside. At that event, my relative was accosted repeatedly by one self- important society belle who was insulted by her presence in "their" midst. While we may find it difficult to admit in the American democratic scene, such social realities do in fact exist even within groups of people who call themselves Christian. In our study of this commandment, we are reminded by our confession that some indeed are anointed and appointed to leadership within God's providence. However, even the social register is under the authority of King Jesus and some people have not learned or appreciated the real fact of upward social mobility or even God's rightful ordering of His own Church.

But, when we turn to our proof text for today, we see that the assignment of places is guided by the regulation of our Father in heaven, especially within Christ's Church. Even though most of these regulated relationships have been socially overturned God's will and providence will be worked out. Certainly, I would agree that the slavery so common in the Roman and Southern American experience have seen their proper biblical ending. However, I often wonder if the less successful humans of any race are any better off as welfare slaves than as family servants?

Time was, before Social Security and all the other New Deal invasions of business arrangements, when the less successful could arrange an exchange of minimal labor for room, board and a small allowance without any taxes on the exchange being paid by either party. Years ago, when our first son was born, we hired a babysitter, secretary, whatever needed to be done employee for twenty hours a week. We paid almost double the minimum wage at that time. However, after three months I discovered that I was in violation of half a dozen employment regulations. Not only did I have to pay several fines, but we discovered that we could no longer afford the luxury of having a part time "servant" even if we had paid the bare minimum wage! Today it is even almost against the law to hire a youngster to mow your yard.

Now make certain you don't misquote me here. I have not advocated a return to servile slavery, but merely a return to free contractual relationships which might multiply opportunities to lessen the impact of the welfare state! Now that we have covered the social implications of our text for both the "high" and "low" societies which have existed since history began, we can turn to the family implications of our text.

The essential teaching here concerns the revealed substance of Authority and submission. Ephesians 5:21 serves as a transitional paragraph between the two portions of the fifth chapter. This verse encourages us to mutual submission, and it leads on to the following three paragraphs which detail specific areas of submission. Of course the paragraph before us is very clear and there are obligations to both parties laid out for our consideration. In our troubled times, the very teaching of these instructions is questioned. And so with that very modern attitude we must occupy ourselves today. Ours is an age of liberation theology and humanistic denial of any subjection of will of any person to another.

Yet, the more that this modern attitude succeeds the greater opportunity there comes for all sorts of tyranny! We would do well to remember that we are not working and teaching to reestablish an older status quo of humiliation, exploitation and oppression. But, we need to be reminded that it is the very Gospel of Jesus Christ which began the social relationships that today have become humanistically heretical. It was Jesus Christ who treated women with courtesy and honor in an age in which they were despised. It was He who called the little children to Him in a time in which little children were even more disposable than they are today. It was He who worked and served and paid the wages of slavery to sin.

What we see in this portion is not a plan for social barriers based on sex, age and rank. The submission enjoined by Paul is not another word for inferiority. The submission and distinction taught here is one of accepting the role appointed for us by God. And all of the persons in these various roles must be submissive to the Lord and use their God-given position in love and honor for His glory and not their own. The submission called for is one of recognizing ultimately the divine authority. Those who are called to be submissive must learn to see God's hand behind that call. If we can be submissive to those who we can see, than we can also be submissive to Him who we cannot see!

He has chosen to delegate some limited portion of His authority to those who represent Him in this area of relationships. If we cannot submit to those we can see, how can we submit to Him whom we cannot see? Of course, there are limits to this God given authority! And the prime limit is when humans in authority begin to take themselves too seriously. This other side of the teaching is clearly here in this passage as well. Those in authority must never use that authority for selfish reasons. The authority given by God is to be used for the benefit of those who are in submission.

What better example do we find that that given by Paul here in the mystery of Christ and His Church! All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him and what did He willingly do with it? For whom did Christ come, suffer, and die? For whom did He ascend from the grave and return to heaven on high? For whom has he planned the events of history and life eternal? Thus we see, that those who have been given the responsibility of authority have graver obligations in some ways than those called to submission! Those with authority are warned against exploitation of their position and are urged to remember their responsibilities. Thus, husbands are to love their wives and care for them, parents are not to provoke their children but love them, and employers are not to threaten their workers but to treat them with justice.