Lordship of Christ and the Kingdom: What Submission Looks Like
When Jesus calls people to follow him, he is calling them into the Lordship of Christ and the life of the Kingdom. For many American Christians searching for clear teaching on lordship, this raises honest questions: Is submission legalism or freedom? How does kingdom living change daily choices, relationships, and worship? Grounded in Scripture and the gentle authority of our Savior, this article explores what biblical submission looks like in the context of Christ’s lordship and the Kingdom of God.
The New Testament begins and ends with a single, clear claim: Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11; Romans 10:9). Recognizing Christ’s lordship is more than an intellectual assent; it is an orientation of the heart that shapes how we live. Submission to Jesus does not erase our personalities or decisions; instead it reorders them under the authority of the One who loved us and gave himself for us (Ephesians 5:2). Submission is not primarily a set of rules but a trusting response to the King whose reign brings mercy, justice, and peace (Matthew 6:33; Isaiah 9:6–7).
The Kingdom of God frames the language of lordship throughout the Gospels. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he invited them to ask that God’s kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Kingdom submission begins with alignment—seeking God’s priorities instead of ours. This looks like practical choices: pursuing righteousness over convenience, serving neighbors with humility, and investing time in prayer, Scripture, and corporate worship. Such habits are not cultural performance; they are the daily disciplines by which the King forms his people (Luke 9:23–25).
Submission is visible in relationships. Jesus taught servants to love sacrificially and to lead in humility (Matthew 20:25–28). In families, workplaces, churches, and communities, submitting to Christ’s lordship means choosing servanthood over domination, truth over self-justification, and forgiveness over resentment (Colossians 3:12–14). This does not mean passivity or unthinking obedience to harmful behaviors; Scripture also calls us to speak the truth in love and to protect the vulnerable (Ephesians 4:15; Proverbs 31:8–9). True submission honors both the commandments of Christ and the dignity of those made in God’s image.
Personal holiness is another fruit of submission. The apostle Paul exhorts believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices—holy and acceptable to God—because this is true worship (Romans 12:1). Kingdom submission reorients desires and habits: it transforms anger into peacemaking, greed into generosity, and fear into courageous faith (Galatians 5:22–23; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20). These changes are not achieved by sheer willpower but by relying on the Holy Spirit’s work. We submit to Christ by yielding to the Spirit’s sanctifying ministry, admitting our dependence, and repenting when we stray (John 16:8; 1 John 1:9).
If you want to explore the biblical basis for the Kingdom and what discipleship under Christ’s lordship looks like, Robert J. Cottle’s The Gospel of the Kingdom offers a clear, Scripture-saturated guide. Cottle writes with humility and pastoral concern, focusing on what the Bible actually teaches about the Kingdom and how believers are called to live within it. You can find the book at www.robertjcottle.com and on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-Kingdom-Not-Church/dp/1738615006. As you read, allow the Word to shape your heart: Jesus invites us not into mere duty but into the blessed life of those who submit to their King. May our lives increasingly reflect his reign—marked by love, justice, mercy, and faithful obedience.