Now it’s definitely a godly trait to submit to mistreatment when it catches you off guard and/or overpowers you. We are called to respond with a faithful testimony in the midst of hostility as found in 1 Pet. and James. Typically, these types of things surprise and shock us, but such is not the case with Christ. He knows exactly what was coming, how it was going to go down and how it was going to end. That’s why it’s safe to say that it’s quite supernatural to not retaliate upon mistreatment knowing it’s coming, while possessing all power to defeat any threat. In submitting to God, Christ submitted to mistreatment. This means that when we retaliate by taking vengeance or abandoning God’s will in some other way, the ultimate reason is not because we are powerless victims, but rather because we are more committed to something else besides pleasing God. In those cases, we are typically more resolved to protecting ourselves than we are to dying to ourselves. In Mark 14:44-52, Christ demonstrates the cost involved of submitting to God.
Submitting to Mistreatment in Submission to God
