Walking With Christ

Webers.Home · Sep 6, 2021

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• Eph 4:30 . . Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were
sealed for the day of redemption.

The Greek word translated "grieve" is lupeo (loo-peh'-o) which means: to
distress; to make sad; for example:

"The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the Earth, and that
every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord
was sorry that He had made man on the Earth, and He was grieved in His
heart." (Gen 6:5-6)

So then, we can safely conclude that the Holy Spirit of God is especially
grieved when one's conduct is unbecoming, and every intent of the thoughts
of one's heart are only secular and/or impious, i.e. evil continually.

The Greek word translated "redemption" means to ransom fully. In short,
those sealed with the Spirit have their salvation locked in; however, it won't
be finalized until they step into a new, immortal body; which is yet a future
event (Rom 8:23-25). So then; the "day of redemption" could be said to be
speaking of closure.
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Webers.Home · Sep 7, 2021

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• Eph 4:31 . . Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and
slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior.

It wasn't The Lord's wish that Ephesian Christians avoid all bitterness, rage
and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice; no; on
the contrary, he wanted the Ephesians to "get rid" of them.

"bitterness" is from the Greek word pikria (pik-ree'-ah) which means: acrid,
poisonous, and/or toxic (literally or figuratively). Christians like that are
nothing in the world but deadly reptiles.

"The poison of asps is under their lips" (Rom 3:13)

"rage" is from thumos (thoo-mos') which means: passion (as if breathing
hard). Passion is just the opposite of reason; and as everyone knows,
emotions are incoherent; so it's to be expected an emotional person is not
acting rationally. This is a kind of conduct that Paul says brings sorrow to
God's Spirit.

"anger" is from orge (or-gay') which means: desire (as a reaching forth or
excitement of the mind), i.e. (by analogy,) violent passion, ire, (by
implication: punishment)

People overcome by orge typically want some satisfaction; even to the point
of at least your ruin; if not your death.

"harsh words" is from krauge (krow-gay') which means: outcry.

Out-crying is what protestors do; in other words: assertive, in-your-face
confrontational complaints and/or demands.

"slander" is from blasphemia (blas-fay-me'-ah) which means: to vilify.
Webster's defines "vilify" as: (1) to lower in estimation or importance, and
(2) to utter slanderous and abusive statements against; viz: defame,
discredit, and/or denigrate.

A statement need not be false in order to qualify as slander; it need only to
be unnecessary; viz: you'll often hear people say: Well, I was only telling the
truth. Were they? No, that's a ruse. In reality, they're insensitive; and they
don't care who gets hurt by their thoughtless remarks.

The Lord notices the words people say, and he also takes note of the spirit in
which they say them.

"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for
every careless word they have spoken." (Matt 12:36)

"malicious behavior" is from kakia (kak-ee'-ah) which means: badness, i.e.
(subjectively) depravity, or (actively) malignity, or (passively) trouble:

Malice sometimes includes the element of "spite" which Webster's defines
as: petty ill will, or hatred, with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart.
Compare that to the Greek word for "persecute" in the eighth Beatitude
which means, literally: to pursue; viz: to stalk, to hound, to harass.

Webster's defines "thwart" as: (1) to run counter to so as to effectively
oppose or baffle; viz: contravene, and (2) to oppose successfully; viz: to
defeat the hopes or aspirations of; in other words: to deliberately get in
someone's way; block, discourage.

Whew, that Ephesian church was as rough-hewn and crude as the old
logging community of Stump Town (now Portland) out here in the Oregon of
the 1800's. They cussed, they brawled, they bad-mouthed, they held
grudges, they were thieves, they were arrogant, they somehow had the idea
that Jews were below them, they were immodest, conceited, vain, and
impatient, they walked unworthy of their calling, and they were splintered
into cliques.

NOTE: I've heard more than one expositor praise the Ephesians as "the
church at its spiritual peak" but I thoroughly disagree. Yes, there were some
outstanding individuals, but by and large that congregation's spiritual
condition was decadent, deplorable, despicable, and unbecoming.

Paul began his letter to the Ephesians by saying that he made mention of
them in his prayers; asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
glorious Father, might give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation; and
also that the eyes of their heart might be enlightened. (Eph 1:17-19)

Well, it seems to me that kind of prayer isn't for advanced Christians, rather,
for Christians just starting out. From thence, Paul went on to explain some
of Christianity's most treasured doctrines, which I assume the Ephesians had
no knowledge of till Paul wrote to them.

I'll grant that the letter to the Ephesians is lofty, but I will not grant that the
Ephesians themselves were lofty: not from how Paul lectured them.
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Webers.Home · Sep 8, 2021

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• Eph 4:32 . . Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each
other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Within the context of the letter Paul wrote and sent to the Christians residing
in the ancient city of Ephesus; the objects "one another" and "each other"
are exclusive; viz: the comments refer only to the fraternity of Bible
believing Christians rather than the world at large. So if you're unwilling to
be kind and compassionate to outsiders; at least be so with people at church
so as to help prevent church from becoming a hostile worship environment.

The Greek word translated "kind" is chrestos (khrase-tos') which means:
employed; viz: useful.

Chrestos is found in only seven places in the New Testament, and without
exception implies being beneficial to others for their own good rather than
using people to benefit your own self.

The word for "compassionate" is eusplagchnos (yoo'-splangkh-nos) which
means: sympathetic.

Webster's defines sympathy as: 1) an affinity, association, or relationship
between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the
other, 2) inclination to think or feel alike: emotional or intellectual accord, 3)
feeling of loyalty: tendency to favor or support, 4) the act, or capacity, of
entering into or sharing the feelings or interests of another, 5) sensitivity,
and 6) heart; as in "have a heart".

Eusplagchnos would make a good substitute for a word found in one of The
Lord's beatitudes.

It used to be that Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts were trained to be useful to
others as just simply a matter of good deeds and good citizenship. I don't
know, maybe they still are; but I've known lots of churchians who were
totally useless to others because they're infected with an ugly spirit of
conceit, rivalry, and indifference. Far from being kind and compassionate;
those Christians are actually sociopathic and don't even know it.

The word "forgiving" is charizomai (khar-id'-zom-ahee) which basically
means: to grant as a favor; viz: gratuitously, i.e. courtesy.

Webster's defines gratuitous as: 1) given unearned or without recompense,
2) not involving a return benefit or compensation or consideration, 3)
costing nothing: free, 4) not called for by the circumstances: unwarranted,
5) complimentary, 6) gratis, and 7) voluntary. In other words; charizomai
seeks no reciprocation; it never says "you owe me one"

Sailors are oft heard to say that the sea is very unforgiving: meaning it
allows no room for error or weakness. Christians ought not be like the sea.
We ought to be the most forgiving people on the planet; and not because we
expect others to reciprocate; but just because we enjoy being gratuitous.
For some Christians though, courtesy is an effort.

Eph 4:31-32 isn't easy. What we're looking at there is not just good
citizenship; no, what we're looking at is something divine in both its nature
and its behavior.
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Webers.Home · Sep 9, 2021

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• Eph 5:1 . . Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children

Webster's defines "imitate" as to follow as a pattern, model, or example; i.e.
reproduce.

One's dad is probably the most important role model a kid can have, that is,
if he's a good man; otherwise, he'll just be another bad influence. It's pretty
kool when a kid can look at its dad and honestly say, from the bottom of its
heart: "Dad; when I grow up, I want to be just like you".
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Webers.Home · Sep 10, 2021

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• Eph 5:2 . . Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up
for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Christ's love went way beyond just being friendly and helpful. His was a
sacrificial kind of love; in other words: it was protective and supportive at
the cost of deep expense to himself-- but not just as a humanitarian.
Christ's life counted for more than just being neighborly, his life of love was
an act of service to God.

"I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him
who sent me." (John 6:38)

"I do always those things that please Him." (John 8:29)

In point of fact, God prefers to be served by concern for others than by
rituals and/or church attendance.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And
we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." (1John 3:16)

"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than
burnt offerings." (Hos 6:6)
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Webers.Home · Sep 11, 2021

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• Eph 5:3a . . Among you; there must not be even a hint of sexual
immorality

One of Communism's tactics when going about destabilizing a country and
bringing it under their control is to corrupt its morals; which is for sure at
least one of the reasons why Communism seeks to undermine and eradicate
religions and/or ideologies that emphasize decency.
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Webers.Home · Sep 12, 2021

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• Eph 5:3b . . nor any kind of impurity, or of greed

Impurities can be defined as contamination and/or pollutants. For example
water is impure when it contains fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides,
parasites, heavy metals like lead and cadmium, untreated sewage, and/or
radioactive fall-out from a nuclear accident.

It's tempting to zoom in on naughty fantasies and porn-like behavior as the
impurities that Paul is talking about; but any conduct unbecoming is an
impurity.

So then, maybe you're an usher in church; but are you dishonest? And
maybe you sing in the choir, but are you a malicious gossip? And maybe you
attend mid-week prayer meetings; but do you deny your children even
common courtesy and their fundamental human rights? And maybe you
teach Sunday school, but do you go over the speed limit, feed parking
meters, J-walk, and drift through stop signs? And maybe you even stand in
the pulpit; but do you have a drinking problem?

Webster's defines "greed" as avarice; which is an excessive, or insatiable,
desire for wealth or gain. Wanting money per se isn't sin. It's wanting
money simply for the sake of accumulating it that's bad. Ben Franklin once
said a penny saved, is a penny earned; but to greedy people a penny saved
is a penny stockpiled. Were you to ask a greedy person to name the dollar
figure and/or the amount of real estate that would satisfy them, they would
likely respond: "more"
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Webers.Home · Sep 13, 2021

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• Eph 5:4 . . Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking,
which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Out of place = improper and/or unbecoming.

The Greek word translated "foolish talk" is morologia (mo-rol-og-ee'-ah)
which means silliness; viz: buffoonery.

Webster's defines a buffoon as: 1) a ludicrous figure; viz: a clown, and 2) a
gross, and usually ill-educated stupid person; viz: an ignoramus. I think I
would put "gross" high on the list of undesirable buffoon-type behaviors. It's
okay for kids to be gross, but thoroughly unbecoming for a mature adult.

The word for "coarse joking" is eutrapelia (yoo-trap-el-ee'-ah) which means
witticism in a vulgar sense; viz: ribaldry. Double entendres would probably
fall into that category along with suggestive remarks.

The word for "thanksgiving" is eucharistia (yoo-khar-is-tee'-ah) which
means: gratitude; viz: grateful language.

You know "thank you" is not a dirty word, nor is gratitude a bad habit.
Christ's people should never take the attitude that just because somebody is
doing their job that they don't deserve recognition.

One of my favorite romantic comedies is "No Reservations" starring
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart. Prior to filming, Catherine took a
job waiting tables to get a feel for working in a restaurant.

On several occasions, patrons didn't even look up at her nor speak in a
cordial, courteous tone when they ordered. It struck her as remarkable that
some of the people whom she was serving totally took her for granted and
displayed not the slightest inclination to even so much as acknowledge her
as a fellow human being, let alone express any gratitude for her taking care
of them.
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Webers.Home · Sep 14, 2021

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• Eph 5:5-7 . . For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy
person-- such a man is an idolater --has any inheritance in the kingdom of
Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with futile words, for because of
such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do
not be numbered among them.

Christ's followers are not idolaters in any sense of the word. Jesus Christ is
not, nor has he ever been, a tin god. The term "such a man" identifies non
Christian people who not only lack an inheritance in the kingdom of God, but
they're on a road to ruin and the the sum of all fears.

In contrast to "such a man" Christ's followers are joint heirs with him in his
Father's estate. (Eph 1:11, Rom 8:16-17)

Christ's believing followers are in no danger of the sum of all fears.

"I assure you; those who listen to my message, and believe in God who sent
me, have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they
have already passed from death into life. (John 5:24, cf. Heb 8:6-12)

"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through
our Lord Jesus Christ; who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep,
we may live together with Him." (1Thess 5:9-10)

"He has rescued us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the
kingdom of His dear son." (Col 1:13)

In addition, none of the sins committed by Christ's believing followers go on
an indictment against them.

"God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them (2Cor 5:19, cf. Jer 31:31-34)

The Greek word in that passage for "imputing" is logizomai (log-id'-zom
ahee) which means to keep an inventory; in other words: an indictment.

At the great white throne event depicted at Rev 20:11-15, the dead's
personnel files will be opened. Well, were one of Christ's believing followers
to appear before God at that event, their file would contain not one single
sin: zero; viz: nothing with which to charge them.

"Blessed is the man whose sin The Lord will never count against him." (Rom
4:8)

So then, in light of the facts that Jesus Christ's followers are joint heirs with
him in his Father's estate, already citizens of the kingdom, and in absolutely
no danger of the sum of all fears; then we may safely interpret Eph 5:5-7 to
simply mean that things like immorality, impurity, and greed are 110%
inappropriate for them, i.e. those unchristian lifestyles are unbecoming for a
people whose status is so far above any on Earth.
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Webers.Home · Sep 15, 2021

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• Eph 5:8-9 . . For you were once darkness, but now you are light in The
Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all
goodness, righteousness and truth)

That verse reveals that light and dark are not only conditions but also
categories, just as death and life and not only conditions, but also
categories; for example:

"Death was cast into the lake of fire." (Rev 20:14)

Seeing as how death can't be picked up and thrown like a baseball or a
javelin, then I suggest that death is likely a category consisting of
everything and anything one can possibly imagine that God considers dead
to Himself; both visible and invisible. Darkness then, would be something
like that.

Anyway; some Christians just can't seem to get it through their thick skulls
that when somebody pins the Christian label on themselves, they're
expected to act like one.

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matt 5:16)

"Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? God forbid! We died to
sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Rom 6:1-2)

"Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (2Tim
2:19)

"If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie,
and do not the truth." (1John 1:6)

In that verse, darkness is a world of its own.

NOTE: An example of the dreadful opposite of Matt 5:16 is David's tryst with
Bathsheba that resulted in the death of both her husband and her baby boy.
Nathan the prophet informed David that his conduct reflected on The Lord so
that instead of cultivating respect for God, his conduct caused people then,
and now, to lower their opinion of Him. (2Sam 12:14)
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Gideon300 · Sep 15, 2021

Webers.Home said:

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There's been times during my twenty-three plus years of internet forum
activity when I've encountered people wanting to know what they're
supposed to do now that they decided to become a Christian.

A mega Baptist church that I attended back in the decade of the 1970's had
a discipleship program that incorporated an outreach booklet called "The
Four Spiritual Laws" authored in 1952 by Campus Crusade for Christ founder
Dr. Bill Bright.

Those guidelines are helpful as far as they go, but they're pretty elementary
and in my opinion inadequate for taking Christ's believing followers to
infinity and beyond, so to speak.

Some years ago, just for the fun of it, I set out compiling a home-spun
catalogue of Christ's instructions from the new Testament that apply to all
his followers regardless of denominational affiliation. In time I realized that
his instructions, accompanied by a little commentary, would make a pretty
good how-to handbook; and a blog too.

I chose to start in the book of Acts because that's pretty much where
Christ's apostles began telling his believing followers what to do in accord
with the Lord's instructions as per Matt 28:19-20.
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There are quite a few books and studies that are helpful. We use a 13 week study "Growing in Christ" when the need arises. We also recommend the gospel of John, written so that people might believe.

Yes, Four Spiritual Laws was only intended as an evangelism tool (we use a modernised version).

Webers.Home · Sep 16, 2021

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• Eph 5:10 . . Find out what pleases The Lord.

That's contrary to human nature's universal inclination to tune God out.

"There is no one who seeks God. All have turned away." (Rom 3:11-12)

"What would Jesus do?" is a popular modus operandi, but it depends too
much upon one's intuition; and doomed to failure because the information
we need isn't available like that, no, it's something that has to be found out,
i.e. researched; which involves learning by means of books, sermons,
lectures, seminars, radio Bible teachers, Sunday school classes, and
personal Bible reading.

This particular process of discovery has to include the Old Testament too in
order to avoid the possibility of missing something important.

"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning"
(Rom 15:4)

"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written
for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1Cor
10:11)
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Webers.Home · Sep 17, 2021

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• Eph 5:11-12 . . Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,
but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of what the
disobedient do in secret.

For an example of this directive: Genesis is mute about the despicable things
that the Sodomites had in mind for the two men sheltered in Lot's home. It's
as if inspiration drew a curtain over Sodom and said: This is just too
shocking. I'm not going to spell out what the people of Sodom wanted that
night. You will just have to use your imagination.

Jude didn't give away much either. He simply, and concisely, wrote that they
were utterly unchaste; even to the point of having their way with innocent
visitors. (Jude 1:7)

I think it's fair to ask just exactly how one might "expose" shameful deeds
without at least identifying them and/or describing them to some degree.

The Greek word for "shameful" is aischron (ahee-skhron') which means
indecorum; defined by Webster's as: impropriety. In other words, despicable
acts should never be described explicitly in polite company, nor in the
presence of children; which quite obviously precludes the use of a pulpit for
explicit descriptions since congregations are an amalgam of men, women,
wives, husbands, dads, moms, and underage children.

I don't think The Lord's directive forbids any and all mention of despicable
acts. In other words, his directive doesn't say that we cannot speak in polite
company about how that the Bible disapproves gays, lesbians, bestiality and
pedophiles, etc. just so long as we don't start describing those disturbing
facts of life in all their lurid detail.
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Webers.Home · Sep 18, 2021

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• Eph 5:14 . .Wake up, O sleeper! . . rise from the dead, and Christ will shine
on you.

Sleeper and dead are probably talking about indifference seeing as how
Christ's believing followers are all among the living rather than the dead.
(John 5:24, Rom 6:11, and Eph 2:1-5)

So the command to "rise from the dead" would apply to Christians who
honestly think that compliance with their master's instructions is not all that
important.

"Brothers, we have an obligation-- but it is not to the sinful nature, to live
according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die"
(Rom 8:12-13)

Christianity is not only a faith to believe in, but it's also a faith to live by; as
James wrote in 2:17:

"Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Dead faith is still a faith, but it's not a vigorous faith, viz: dead faith lacks a
lifestyle that's compatible with Christ's moral values. (cf. 1Thess 5:5-11)
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Webers.Home · Sep 19, 2021

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• Eph 5:15 . . So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are
wise.

"Wise" of course meaning to live your life in such a way that it counts for
Christ instead of only counting for yourself and/or counting for the world. For
example: if you get pulled into the worlds of corporate management,
political activism, and/or civil disobedience; I can just about guarantee that
your life is not counting for Christ because those are really big distractions
and sometimes its players have to break the law and/or play dirty to be
effective.

The "fools" then can justly be described as people who live with little regard
for scruples; defined by Webster's as an ethical consideration or principle
that inhibits action. For example, the pioneer of a currently very popular
social network stole the idea. That particular theft of intellectual property
broke no laws, but it was unethical, ergo: it was the work of a fool rather
than wise.
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Webers.Home · Sep 20, 2021

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• Eph 5:17 . .Therefore do not be uninformed, but understand what The
Lord's will is.

In other words: Christians are not supposed to fly by the seat of their pants,
but rather, fly by instruments: viz: fly intelligently; and that entails reading
a driver's manual before attempting to operate a car, so to speak.

Moses instructed his people that there is no need to go on a special "golden
fleece" quest to discover what The Lord's will is; either out in space nor
across the ocean in a foreign land. No, The Lord's will is easily accessible
between the covers of even the cheapest second-hand Bible on the shelves
of a thrift store.

However; no Bible-- no matter how cheap, nor how expensive, nor what
version-- is of any real use if it's not studied. But even systematic Bible
study is quite thwarted when the information isn't heeded.

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it
says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a
man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes
away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks
intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not
forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-- he will be blessed in what he
does." (Jas 1:22-25)
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Webers.Home · Sep 21, 2021

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• Eph 5:18 . . Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead,
be filled with the Spirit.

( It isn't forbidden to drink; only to get intoxicated, a.k.a. hammered. )

Webster's defines "debauchery" as extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures;
e.g. sex, drugs, and alcohol. In this case alcohol. People that can limit
themselves to one drink are very fortunate. For many, that one drink is only
the beginning of the road to AA.

I've heard of studies indicating that some people have a genetic weakness
for alcohol, viz: a natural-born predilection. Nevertheless, drunkenness is sin
and Christians are under orders to subdue it.

"So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you." (Col 3:5)

Why do people get plastered anyway? Isn't it to make themselves feel good
and better able to cope with life's difficulties? Alcohol therefore could be said
to be an antidote to one's existence.

Some of us seem born with a melancholy disposition but that's really not the
same. Real depression literally drives people to suicide.

So in that respect, alcohol is a crutch. I'm not saying a crutch is a bad thing;
I mean, after all, God created Eve as a crutch for Adam so then if all
crutches are bad, then women are bad too. No, crutches per se are not bad;
it's one's choice of crutch that matters.

God's Spirit is a crutch for believers; but His effectiveness is moderated by
their conduct.

"If you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit
you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live," (Rom 8:13)

In other words; Christ's followers should not expect to be filled with the
Spirit when their conduct is unbecoming.
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Webers.Home · Sep 22, 2021

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• Eph 5:19 . . Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs: singing and making melody with your heart to The Lord

That verse is actually pretty good justification for a church choir; but I really
think it should also be used to justify hymn books in the pews too so the
congregation can all sing together. And make very sure the topics of your
music are a credit to The Lord rather than celestial celebrities; e.g. saints,
angels, and/or Jesus' mom.
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Webers.Home · Sep 23, 2021

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• Eph 5:20 . . Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Moses' people were so accustomed to God's providence that they began to
take it for granted, and would get upset with Him when He failed to produce.
Be on your guard; don't let that happen.

"We should not test the Lord, as some of them did-- and were killed by
snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did-- and were slain by the
destroying angel.

. . .These things happened to them as examples and were written down as
warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you
think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! (1 Cor 10:9-12)

"in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" indicates that any and all providence
that comes our way is due to Christ's work on the cross. It was his sacrifice
for the sins of the world that makes it possible for God to come alongside
and bless rather than curse. We don't ever want to forget that.
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Webers.Home · Sep 24, 2021

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• Eph 5:21 . . Submit to one another out of respect for Christ.

The Greek word translated "submit" is hupotasso (hoop-ot-as'-so) which
means: to subordinate (as a verb) which is just the opposite of dominance
and/or rivalry.

A workable synonym for the kind of submission we're talking about here is
"deference" which Webster's defines as: (1) respect and esteem due a
superior or an elder, and (2) affected, or ingratiating, regard for others'
wishes; viz: honor.

This isn't about a pecking order. What we're talking about here is a Christian
social skill; it's about regarding others as not equal to yourself, but actually
better than yourself; and it pleases Christ to do so; besides being just plain
all around good manners.

"Whoever humbles himself as a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven." (Matt 18:3-4)

Little children in that day were minors who had little or no social status at all
to speak of. If somebody abused a minor; it was just too bad since there
were no Child Services bureaus to defend them. Minors were typically among
those ruled rather than among those who do the ruling; and they got like
zero-to-none respect from their elders.

In other words; an imperious Christian-- one that's assertive, bossy, take
charge, demanding, argumentative, quarrelsome, impudent, conceited,
domineering, confrontational, manipulative, reactive, independent, non
negotiable, opinionated, obstinately or intolerantly devoted to their own
opinions and prejudices, stubborn, and/or insistent upon their own way --is
definitely a failure at associating with their fellow Christians in a manner
acceptable to Christ.
_

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