Paul's Life is an Example of Submission to God

A New Testament person who exemplifies living in submission to God is the Apostle Paul. Paul became a Christian on the road to Damascus when he believed in Christ as his Savior (Acts 9:1-19). The one who had been persecuting Christians was now fellowshipping with them, as Luke records: “He was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God’” (Acts 9:19-20). This event marked the beginning of Paul’s ministry and service to the Lord. Later in his life, Paul declared, “I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). He fulfilled this calling, as he told his friend Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). Paul was faithful to serve the Lord to the very end of his life.

Though Paul lived his life in ongoing submission to God, this did not mean he was sinless. Paul continued to possess a sinful nature and commit personal acts of sin (Rom 7:18-25). Despite his genuine commitment to God and his desire to live righteously, he recognized the ongoing reality of sin’s presence within himself. This is why Paul could say, “I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good” (Rom 7:21). Submission to God is not characterized by sinless perfection but rather by a pattern of growth and dependence on His grace. While it is never God’s will for us to sin (1 John 2:1), the reality remains that we do sin, as “there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins” (Eccl 7:20). When we sin, we grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30) and break fellowship with God. Thankfully, God has provided a way to restore fellowship with Him through confession. According to 1 John 1:9, confessing our sins is the biblical response to personal sin, as it involves acknowledging our failure, agreeing with God about its seriousness, and relying on His promise to faithfully forgive and cleanse us.