(“THE KEY TO PEACE
AND HAPPINESS”)
(Reviewed by Ed Burch and George Anderson Jr.)
This is a Scriptural examination of a 4 tape (Audio) series called the “Doctrine of Submission”, promoted and taught by Greg Estep, former pastor of Charity Baptist Church and the President Emeritus of Charity Baptist Bible Institute and Seminary.
Shortly thereafter Mr. Estep
makes a statement about belief:
“We must take Him and use
Him before He affects salvation in your life.” ( ? ) Just exactly what does he mean? Where is the above
teaching or doctrine in the Bible? Can Estep supply Chapter & Verse to
support his statement? * JOHN 1:12, But as many as received
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on his name: 13,
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God.
Estep also claims that: “almost all Christians fit into one of 3
categories”, which he believes matches King Saul, King David
or Absalom. (He offers no Scripture to support his claim!) In talking about King
Saul he states that “Saul was called
- called but not perfectly obedient.” Who,
besides the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Bible ever was “perfectly obedient”???
In stating that: “Saul was called - called but not perfectly
obedient.” Mr.
Estep also talks about “the ministry
of Saul”. However A search of the Scriptures
reveals that though Saul was chosen to be
King over Israel, contrary to God’s will for his people (Hebrews - Jews), King
Saul was never called
or chosen in the same sense that God calls or chooses elders-pastors-bishops today.
And in regards to the “ministry of
Saul” - there is certainly no resemblance between Saul’s reign over
Estep claims with absolute
certainty: “Authority is the absolute
issue in this life. God has placed in our lives authorities . . . He has given these authorities certain powers
. . . God blesses or curses an individual in respect to those authorities.” (He uses the
Biblical example of Laban and Jacob and then misquotes the verse). He then goes on to say that: “If you’re not in subjection to these
authorities you will fail.” He also
makes a sweeping judgment that every pastor who stops, fails, falters,
etc. does so because he is not in subjection.
In order to justify his three
“classifications” of Christians matching Saul, David and Absalom, Estep claims
that: “there’s a difference in
rebelling against the law of God like David, and rebelling against the authority
of God like Saul.” [Say What?] PROVERBS
He continues: “The Pharisees were guilty of overthrowing
the authority of God! They had taken over!! (Bangs
podium) And there was NO Forgiveness!” Once again he never
gives any Scripture to demonstrate the difference
in rebelling against God’s Law and God’s Authority. The claim that there was “no forgiveness” is repudiated by: LUKE
After listening to a few more
statements we conclude that Estep truly believes that if a Christian “quits” or “fails” it’s always because he’s not in subjection to
the “authorities that God has placed over
him.” He then goes on to quote Romans 13 and proceeds to comment: “Every man who fails to submit himself to
the authority of God within himself, the inherent authority, the
authority of his pastor, or
the secular authorities he begins to allow cracks and divisions and flaws to
enter in to his personal life. Romans
13 requires 100% subjection to all higher powers.” What are we to
conclude from this teaching? Christians always must be in unconditional
obedience to all
authority without exception. What about the example of the Disciples and
Apostles? Did they always obey the higher authorities? Did they always obey
each other? Did they ever require blind obedience of the brethren
as Estep does? Also, Romans 13 clearly deals only with secular authority. There is no mention of the husband and
wife relationship and neither is there any connection or even hint of a
pastor’s relationship to the church. Having listened to the first tape for
about 30 minutes, the listener is struck by Mr. Estep’s failed attempt to
emulate Brother Peter Ruckman’s style of preaching and teaching, but
without the humor, warmth, or empathy. Mr. Estep goes on: “The authority of this pulpit was given by
God! What are you to be in subjection to? The man or the power?” (Estep is starting to build the case for a pope in every pulpit! By the end of this 4
tape series it will become abundantly clear that Greg Estep is obsessed with power!
However he obviously has missed Christ’s teaching and example; and Peter,
John, Paul and the other Disciples and Apostles and Elders teachings and
examples: In this age we are to serve and to minister. NOT
RULE! ) [Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45; Luke 22:25-30; 1 Corinthians
3:1-7; 1 Corinthians 4:1; 2 Corinthians 1:24; 1 John 2:26-27; 3 John
1:9-11; James 3:1; 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:8-11]
Estep
recounts the events after Paul’s conversion according to his own Paraphrase: “Going down to an insignificant saint like Ananias and subjecting himself to the authority of that man. Who was
Ananias? He was a peon man, a
nobody! And Paul had been a somebody!
He just had a somebody experience on the road to
Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet
breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,
went unto the high priest, 2 And
desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of
this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto
Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he
came near
Why does Estep change
the Scriptures? Why does he add
to and subtract from the Holy
Words of God? Is he so intent on proving his point that he disregards the very
basic commandments that God has given to us concerning His Words? (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs
30:5; Revelation 22:18-19)? And why does Estep put down (belittle) Ananias? Does Estep’s
private interpretation of Paul’s experiences after his conversion reveal to us
a serious (fatal) flaw in Estep’s character? The desire to be “a somebody”?
Estep then gives us his private interpretation of these events: “Paul subjected himself to the authority of
Ananias”. Estep
then yells: “Authority! Authority! Authority”! He then compares the authority of a
husband over his wife and the relationship between a man and his wife and his
children with the authority
of a pastor and the secular
authorities and tries to make them all the same! Why does Estep twist
and wrest the Scriptures with
no fear of God?
Estep
goes on to state: “Resist the man
your resisting the power”! Estep is laying the foundation
for his claim that a pastor has the same authority over
believers (the brethren) as a husband has over his wife or a father
has over his children. Shades of Roman
Catholicism!
He then
goes on and compares a wife’s rebellion to her husband as rebellion against God
and then jumps to: “Men when you are
rebelling against your pastor, your not rebelling against your pastor, your
rebelling against God! If God put him in there you let Him take him out!” Estep then talks about “God’s anointed” and Mafia Christians – God’s hit man.” God’s anointed, God’s hit man, Mafia Christians, what in the
world is he talking about?
Estep
states: “You can bring your body under
the wrath of God”. However the Scriptures say something else: 1 THESSALONIANS 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation
by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who
died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. He continues . . . “If you tell me that you fear God and are not in
subjection to your pastor you’re a liar!
We should be worried about God and the authorities that God has placed over
us”. We will concern ourselves with obeying God and
following His Word and let God deal with the Diotrephes’ in the
churches! 3
John 1:9 I wrote unto the
church: but Diotrephes, who loveth
to have the preeminence among
them, receiveth us not. 10
Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against
us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself
receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of
the church. 11 Beloved, follow not
that which is evil, but that
which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not
seen God.
The
tape begins in the middle of a dissertation [Part of
lesson is missing] – Estep is saying: “That is worship; you see that’s total subjection, putting yourself
under the authority of another. . . . The Bible says worship Him in the
beauty of Holiness. Now I don’t believe that means in the beauty of His
Holiness, because it doesn’t say that. I believe the only way you can worship
Him is in your holiness.”
1 Chronicles
Psalms 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his
name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
2 Chronicles
went out before the
army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. (“Praise the beauty
of holiness” - Who’s Holiness? It’s certainly
not ours!)
Estep
then misquotes 1Peter
Estep
continues after misquoting 1
Peter 1:16: “He said be ye holy as I am holy. That is submitted to His Power! (YELLS!) God is
submitted to His power, isn’t He? Are you submitted to His power? He said and
you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you. Are you
submitted to the Holy Ghost in you? That’s what worship is - submitted to the
power. Not like Saul, partially
up to a point, but like David – Totally!”
“Be ye Holy” - Holiness is a state of being, not doing!!! Estep’s private interpretation of Holiness
couldn’t be any further from the truth than if he purposely tried to pervert
the Holy Words of God. How Estep can determine that David was totally submitted to the power while Saul was only partially
submitted is an amazing feat of discernment, however without any Scriptural
foundation.
Estep
then makes several statements: “Paul may have reached that mark, but he never knew
it. If you ever do get sanctified you’ll never know it. That’s the mystery of
sanctification. Holiness and sanctification is total subjection to whatever authority is placed over
you.” Holiness and
Sanctification are not the same—Holiness is a state of Being. Sanctification
is the act of making Holy or the act of consecrating or being set
apart. “Total
subjection”? Does Estep teach unconditional obedience to a pastor or secular
authorities?
Estep goes on: “Let me
show you that this is a viable - this is a true doctrine.” He then cites 1 Timothy 6:1-2 (1 TIMOTHY 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own
masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not
blasphemed. 2 And they that have
believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but
rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the
benefit. These things teach and exhort.) He then jumps from the middle of verse 2 to a ‘private
interpretation’.
Estep
states: “Did
you ever despise the preacher because he has more authority than you? Wives, did
you ever just kind of despise your husband because God gave him that authority
and didn’t give it to you? . . . God’s just checking oil!” [What kind of a
relationship is he describing? What’s the point?]
1 TIMOTHY
6:3 If any man teach
otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing,
but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife,
railings, evil surmisings,
Estep
stops at verse 4 at the word proud and says: “Only by pride cometh contention. When you are contentious with any
authority – God’s authority, Bible authority, pastoral authority, home
authority, personal authority – Pride, its pride. He then comments on
doting and goes on to say: If you
question what a pastor says or teaches you’re proud and know nothing. Doting,
just critical, I don’t know about that, I’m subjective, I thought this thing
through – that’s your problem.” According to Estep we are to never
question what a pastor says or teaches. ACTS
Estep
continues: “Look,
look, look, look. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are, somebody is over
you and somebody is under you. Don’t get all bent out because you know,
because your not the big cheese. I mean uh what, you’ve got enough authority.
You probably have enough to give account for. If you go one step up the ladder
. . . . . People rebel against authority. But you just remember that God has
placed somebody in that authority and God has given that authority, and you’re to be in subjection to that authority and you
just thank God you don’t have the responsibility that that authority has.” Estep is claiming
that in the church we have two classes of Christians – the
“clergy” and the “laity” and the “laity” is to be in unconditional submission
to the “clergy”. Yet according to Revelation Chapter 2 Verses 6 and 15, God hates
the deeds and the doctrine of the Nicolaitines. Check out “The Greek” on that one!
REVELATION 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. REVELATION
Estep
states: “When Jesus Christ gave the
example of submission and when He washed the Apostles feet, He told them - He
said: Happy are you if you know these things and do them! (He then yells) – DO WHAT? Be absolutely, totally in subjection! (Continues yelling) There He put Himself in
subjection to the ones who were in subjection to Him!” (Yells throughout discourse) JOHN
13: 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments,
and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye
say well; for so I am. 14 If I then,
your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one
another’s feet. 15 For I have given
you an example, that ye
should do as I
have done to you. 16
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord;
neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. The above citation of the Scriptures discloses a totally
different picture than Estep’s ‘private interpretation’ of the verses. The Lord Jesus Christ NEVER “put
Himself in subjection” to his disciples-apostles. He gave them an example to follow. He didn’t say anything about being in subjection to anyone. He
told them to do what He did – wash each other’s feet! Estep’s misquote and
statement, “Happy are you if you know these things and do them! – DO WHAT? Be absolutely, totally in
subjection,” is as far from the
truth as the East is from the West! We are not to be in absolute total
subjection to a pastor, a pastor is supposed to wash our feet according
to these verses!
Estep continues:
“A pastor, yes, he has authority over the church, but he’s also to be in
subjection to the church.” [Who then has the FINAL
Authority - Which is it?] Estep continues yelling: “Some of you are miserable in this life,
you’re enduring your Christianity, and I’m
telling you why – you are not in line with the authorities that are over you and you can not
be happy going against the Holy Ghost of God. (Estep
is now screaming) The Holy
Ghost of God is leading you to subject, subject, subject, subject,
SUBJECT! And when you don’t subject you actually grieve the Spirit. You
quench the Spirit. You (?????) the Spirit. (Estep
is not content with replacing the Lord Jesus Christ in the church, he
now is trying to claim the Holy Spirit’s place in the church also!), you can not be happy going against
the Holy Ghost of God when you don’t subject, you actually grieve the Spirit.
You quench the Spirit. You (?????) the Spirit.”
Estep started the dissertation loud, and
then gradually increased the volume until he was screaming, and at the end (in
about 2 seconds flat) returned to a normal volume.
Estep
continues: “Let me give you the reasons
for Biblical submission. This is an Old Testament Principle
that is equally as valid in the New Testament. Principals
are always Principals. (However, much of Old
Testament doctrine is not applicable to
Christians.) This is the
principal: You submit just to stay alive. I mean listen, one of the base
motives is self-preservation okay? If you want to self-preserve you have to
learn to obey the authorities that God places over you. (If the saints in the Great Tribulation follow Estep’s advice they are
in a heap of trouble!) What is the promise, oh, wha,
a, wha, don’t we get, oh we make all our children
memorize Ephesians 6:1-2? Oh, children obey your parents for this is right, for
this is the first commandment with promise.” Again Estep misquotes the verse! Almost every time Estep tries to
quote a verse from memory he misquotes it!
Estep
continues: “Yes it is true that if a
child obeys, God gives him life. If a child obeys who? The authorities
that’s over him. Do you think, do you think that God doesn’t apply that same principle
to the child of God and to the authorities that are over him?” No we don’t! A child is
commanded to obey its parents!
– Not “The
authorities that’s over him”. As
children of God we are to obey our Parent – God the Father. No pastor, no elder, no bishop, no man in a leadership
position in the church is our Parent! Our relationship to a pastor-elder-bishop
is not as a child to a
father, for we are all brethren! Estep is mixing (confusing) “Types” and “Examples” in
order to justify his false teachings. We are not told to “think” something is true because it sounds plausible. We are told
to study, compare, and rightly divide line upon line and precept upon precept.
We are not to ASSUME anything!
Estep continues in the same vein: “You want to live long on this earth? Look at Romans
Mr. Estep continues: “Do
you want to know why Pete Maravich died at the
age of 40? I’ll tell you why . . . . he walked in the flesh! He then states: that’s more proof that he was a
Christian!” Are we to believe that everyone
who dies young is a Christian, a Christian who is “not in subjection”? The Lord told us not
to judge by ‘appearance’, and yet Estep doesn’t hesitate to hastily judge why
people die without knowing the circumstances involved.
After two false starts Mr. Estep goes on to say: “Do you mean
that God will kill me for disobeying my pastor?
Did you ever read the story of Dathan and Abiram? . . . . Miriam? HEY! (Yells) 1st Kings. Young preacher . .
. Hey Christian. . . . You get in the ministry, God ain’t gonna
give you a chance to make many mistakes. You got too much authority, you got
too much responsibility. You better start submitting to the authority, and remember the responsibility you have because God ain’t going to fool with you long!” (Yells throughout discourse – but gives no Scripture to
support his contention.)
He then says something (Can’t
discern on tape) about: “getting by with 1 or 2 but Don Green told
me “4 big mistakes then PHTT!” Estep refers
to some of his “authorities”: Don Green. What happened to our Final Authority – the King James Bible? Who is Don Green? And why
do we care what he thinks or what his opinion is on
anything?
Estep continues: “I believe
Analogy: Mothers to children; husbands to wives and
children; pastors to their flock. “How
can you ask those people to subject themselves to you, when you won’t subject
yourselves to the authority put over you? Oh Yah, you can make them do it, but
down in their heart they’re saying: one of these days I’m getting out of this
place. And a lot of husbands do that. Oh they want their wives in subjection,
but not to the preacher, not to the Book, not to the secular authority. How
about that?” He then jokes and comments about C.L.A. (We
have no information regarding C.L.A.)
END OF SIDE 2 -
TAPE ONE
TAPE
TWO - SIDE 1
As Estep continues on the second
tape of his 4 tape series it becomes clear that when it comes to Government,
Church, Family, and Individuals he only emphasizes what he sees as “similarities” and ignores the
clear distinctions set forth
in the Holy Bible. In other words he blurs the issue and then comes forth with
his own private interpretation and his own solution to whatever problems he
sees.
Early on in the second tape Estep
states: “Holiness is a work of worship.” Of course he supplies no Scripture
to prove his point, because there are none. The idea that we can work to
obtain Holiness is in total contradiction to everything taught in the Bible
about the subject.
He then goes on to espouse a pacifist viewpoint.
And then makes the statement: “The basic unit of
a country is the individual.” (We believe that the basic unit of a country is the family!)
Estep continues: “A church had a great ministry, and on the
radio, reaching people, and bus ministries. All of a sudden . . . pssew! Crash!
And there is really a lack of submission” . . .
From this
description, are we to conclude: that all church failures are due to a
lack of submission?
Mr. Estep continues: (Stutters and stammers) “A man said: (Is this another “authority”.)
Before a man can subject himself to God’s delegated
authority, like the secular rulers, political rulers, and God does establish
these powers. We read in Romans Chapter 13 . . . the powers that be are
ordained of God. He said: (Who said?) Before a man can subject himself
to God’s delegated authority, such as the secular ruler, or a pastor, (1
Timothy 6:3-5) or the husband of a home, or in the case of the mother where the
children subjecting themselves to her authority. That person must first meet
God’s inherent authority that’s within.” When we read Romans Chapter 13 we find that there isn’t one reference to any authority
other than the secular! Notice Estep’s progression of “Authorities”: Secular 1st; and then Pastors; and then husbands and then wives. According to Mr. Estep, God has
placed a pastor over a husband’s wife!
Again – No Scripture to support his point. Also Estep uses another word that is
not in the Bible to support his theories . . . The word “inherent” can not be found in the Bible just as the word “submission” can not be found in the Bible.
Estep continues on: “Just
like what brother Browning (Another “Authority”!) was talking about: (Stutters and stammers again) If you, if you, if you’ll look!” He then goes on to trivialize our Salvation
in order to make his point about the importance of submission . . . that is the
preeminence of the doctrine of submission. “You’re saved. I mean you’re sealed. Thank
God you’re going to heaven. Hallelujah for that . . . but, that doesn’t guarantee success in this life.” The word success is used only once in the
Bible – Joshua 1:8. Why the
emphasis on words that can’t be found in the Bible? Or used only once?
He then goes on to attack
He then begins to ramble and wander all over the map: not
finishing sentences or thoughts. Not completing his ideas or presentation. “There’s a
difference between chastening in love and chastening in anger. And a child
knows the difference. When you chasten that child in anger, you haven’t done
him a bit of good . . . But you haven’t
helped him. You have to understand that the problem is just you. The problem is
me. The problem doesn’t reside in anybody else. Where you start is where you
end.” Is this Scriptural teaching or
psychobabble? He then quotes another
man – William Penn (Another “authority”)
Estep quotes the Apostle Paul - “Do you know what
he told the slaves? Obey your masters!” Paul
was talking to servants not “slaves”! Are we to conclude that all Christians are “slaves”? And if we are “slaves” who are our masters – pastors?
Estep goes on: “The
first thing that a Christian has to come to grips with is self rule. . . . . It
doesn’t matter to brother Browning (Another
“Authority”) or any of these
men what you call it. You can call it anything you want it doesn’t matter what
you name the baby, have the
baby, and enjoy the baby. (What baby?) Call him Malahas Shalabas!” What in the
world is he talking about?
Estep sites James Chapter 4 and then goes into another ramble: . . . . “And you forgive me, for some, for some reason today there is just ah, there’s just not the liberty here today that there was yesterday. I don’t all that all the time, but I’ll do the best I can. OK? You all just pray for me. Yesterday there was just great liberty. Today is just not that way.” We wonder whether s