Set Free from False Submission

 There are Christians who think they must fulfil all expectations and instructions from their family, their church and their boss at work, as if everyone around them were an officer in God's army.

When Jesus preached and ministered in his earthly life, he saw how so many Jews had to carry heavy burdens.

God had given the Jews more than 600 laws and rules in the Old Testament. It was almost impossible for a flawed human being to obey everything perfectly. Only the sinless Son of God was able to do this.

But for the Jews in those generations it was even worse. The rabbis and Pharisees had laid down countless additional rules.

For example, it was forbidden to work on the Sabbath, but the Pharisees had invented detailed rules whereby it was forbidden to minister to the sick through prayer on the Sabbath.

Jesus confronted the religious leaders directly by healing the sick on the Sabbath, in public services. There are still some Christians who are indignant when miraculous healings take place in church services.

The rabbis also required women to be extremely submissive, just like many strict Christian fundamentalists today.

Then came the Roman occupation. A Roman soldier was allowed to order a Jew to carry his luggage. If Jews resisted the Roman occupation, they were often crucified.
Most Jews were heavily burdened and many were traumatised.

Jesus did not abolish the Ten Commandments and the Old Testament by any means, but he wanted to open the way so that everyone could come directly to God, so that everyone would receive God's loving help.

One woman shared her story on Facebook. She was mercilessly harassed by her husband, but in her church she was told to just obey, submit, fast and pray.

She obeyed for years until she could bear no more. She was just about to kill herself when her mobile phone rang. God had moved a friend to save her.

She could finally understand that Jesus did not want to enslave her, but to save and free her.
She left her husband and her church and now lives as a liberated Christian woman. 

Jesus has a simple solution to our problems.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Mt 11:28–30 NASB95

Jesus does not mean that we should live our lives like lazy people in a rocking chair without any problems, but Jesus wants to accompany you as a friend in the midst of your problems.

There may be some in your church, family or workplace who want to dominate or manipulate you, but Jesus wants your trust so that you can follow his loving guidance.

Many of us are enslaved to a spirit of submission that is not from God, the spirit of false submission.

Misunderstood and Alone

Jesus paused at a well and spoke to a woman. This was considered very unseemly.
Firstly, Jesus was a Jew, and she was a Samaritan woman. As a holy Jewish preacher, it was also expected of him to distance himself from women.

The woman was surprised because normally Jews wanted nothing to do with Samaritans.

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) John 4:9 NIV84

It turned out that she was a genuinely despised woman because she was in an illegitimate relationship, but Jesus did not care about outward appearances when the Father was leading Him to a person who might be open to God.

Many preachers call this woman extremely sinful because she was married five times and divorced who knows how many times. We fall into the temptation to judge her as a slut, but Jesus understood humanity better than most Christians.

In those days, and in many cultures today, no woman was allowed to just kick her husband out.
The man was in charge. She was either rejected several times or widowed over and over again.

In many cultures today, and most likely in Samaria back then, single women are considered fair game. A woman married five times may have been innocent, but simply barren.

There are also cultures and countries today where such a woman has to make an unsavoury choice. 

No man wanted to be the sixth husband, but alone and without a family, she would have to prostitute herself or simply be exposed as a victim for repeated rapes. 

So she lived with a man, even though it was obviously not ideal.

Shame and guilt often go together, but shame is not guilt. Jesus bore the most extreme shame when he hung stark naked on the cross, although he was totally blameless.

A devout Christian woman who is persecuted, enslaved and raped by communists or Muslims for her faith experiences terrible shame, but in God's eyes she is completely innocent.

Perhaps you are misunderstood. This can be a very cruel and lonely experience, and it can last a long time.

A German poet describes these experiences with deep insight.

Strange, walking in the fog!
Lonely every bush and stone,
No tree sees another,
Each one is alone.

Strange, walking in the fog!
Life is loneliness.
No one knows another,
Each one is alone.

Hermann Hesse was perhaps rather depressed and the poem is very pessimistic, but he has uncovered a grain of truth.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer explains how we must all stand alone before Jesus.

Only Jesus understands you totally, and despite all your faults He loves you too, just as He loved that woman at the well.

We can have times when we find real togetherness with someone, but these good times come and go. Jesus gave this woman new hope.

She was very misunderstood and lonely, but Jesus gave her a new life in which she could safely find real community and also human relationships. By believing in Jesus, she became a signpost for her village.

This loneliness, this life of misunderstanding, was never God's intention for you.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 NIV84

When we try to live our lives without God, we move away from the only source of love and understanding.
God wants to help you find your way back to His heart.