THE TREE OF LIFE TEACHING MINISTRY
Pastor/Teacher, Dr. Maurice H. Sykes
A WORD ABOUT RESPECTING AUTHORITY
SPIRITUAL TRUTH: THOSE WHO WILL NOT LEARN RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY FROM THE WORD OF GOD/BIBLE DOCTRINE, WILL LEARN IT FROM EXPERIENCE AND SUFFERING.
Respecting authority assures us of having harmony with God. Respecting authority is not always easy, even when we are rooted in the Word. Why? Because our sin nature does not want to obey authority. True authority does that which is righteous, to work for the common good. Our sin nature hates that, and rebels. Our sin nature wants authority to work for IT!
God established authority, (Gen. 2, John 19, Rom. 13). He has commanded that we respect it---even when that authority is unfair. But carefully note this: for the believer in Christ, the problem is never authority itself, the problem is our personal response to authority. Through His Son, and Bible doctrine, God has spoken to us as to how we are to respond to authority.
AUTHORITY is of God, and those who exercise it will answer for the way they use it. The word AUTHORITY comes from the Greek word, Exousia, meaning "the inherent right to exercise authority/rule." Authority is the legal right delegated by God, whereby certain members of the human race have jurisdiction over other members of the human race. Our responsibility, to the Lord, is to submit to authority with a right attitude. Otherwise, there can be no spiritual growth in our lives. 1Peter 1:13-16, 1Peter 2:13-21.
DISRESPECT for authority is called rebellion! Believers in Christ who will not respect authority have put themselves in a very dangerous position. Why? "For rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry," 1Sam. 15:23. God sends intense discipline/punishment to those who rebel against authority, and at times, that discipline/punishment is life-long.
EXAMPLES of disrespect: Isa. 14:12-17 and Ezek. 28:11-18. Lucifer/Satan is permanently humbled for disrespecting God's authority. Nadab and Abihu disrespected the Lord's authority; the Lord killed them, on the altar! Num. 12:1-10, Miriam disrespected the authority her Pastor, Moses; the Lord sent intense discipline! Num. 20:11-12, Moses disrespected God's authority and was severely disciplined. Acts 21:4, Paul disrespected the authority of the Holy Spirit; he ended up in prison throughout his ministry. In 1Cor. 11:29-30, many believers became weak, sick, and many were killed by God because they disrespected authority; they would not respect Holy Communion.
RESPECT for authority is often difficult to comply with, because of our personal beliefs and because authority, at times, is wrong. Yet we are to respect it. What God commands, He empowers us to execute. When we make up our minds to do what is right, His indwelling power causes us to execute it.
UNDER God's policy of grace, we have the freedom and responsibility to express our opinions, disagree with various laws and rules, and challenge that which has no godly content. But there is a way of doing these things without rebelling and being disrespectful. The Word of God allows disagreement and debate, but once a matter is settled, by authority, all debate ends. The decision, as such, is not the deal, the authoritv behind it is the deal. That does not mean that we must agree with it---it means that we must respect it, and move on! Legitimate authority is given by God, and when it's abused, He executes discipline. Respecting authority requires us to take on the mind of Christ, and live in the strength of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:25) just as Christ did throughout His ministry while under severe suffering.
PRINCIPLE for respecting authority: "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto governors... Honor all men, love the brotherhood, honor the king... Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle but also to the perverse...For even for this purpose you were called - because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps." 1Pet. 2:13-21.
According to Hebrews 12:9, we learn to obey His authority by knowledge and application of the Word/Bible doctrine. Jesus Christ, in his perfect humanity, was subject to His Father's authority (Matt. 28:18; 1Cor. 11:3; 1Cor. 15:28); therefore, we are to imitate Him - subject ourselves to authority established by God.
IN THIS LIFE, the most vivid symptom of corruption, failure, and destruction of individuals, families, government and in church is seen in the REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY. When nations, schools, homes, streets, workplaces, government and churches are out of order, AUTHORITY HAS BEEN REJECTED! Disrespecting authority is evil and it's contagious. Example: workers go on strike, teachers go on strike, students rebel, and children at home rebel.
DO YOU REMEMBER in the 60's, how thousands of young people refused to go into the military, claiming they were conscientious objectors? That's a classic example of REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY. God requires us to serve our country when called. Numbers 32:23 "Be sure your sin will find out!"
The Christian (spiritual) way of life means yielding to the leading of The Holy Spirit. Our ability to comply with this is directly related to how much we inhale the Word/Bible doctrine AND APPLY IT TO DAILY LIVING.
ALL AUTHORITY IS OF GOD, therefore, disrespecting legitimate authority is rebellion against God. King David recognized this after he blew it, big time, with Bathsheba, Psalm 51:4, "Against Thee, and Thee alone, have I done what is evil in Thy sight." Even though he had abused his office and abused the rights of Bathsheba, he ultimately sinned against the authority of God. David's rebellion brought punishment to him, for the rest of his life.
CAREFULLY NOTE THIS: The believer who continues to rebel against authority, is not living under the filling of the Holy Spirit, and God responds. From His love He does not allow unchecked rebellion. He gets our attention by warning discipline, intense discipline, and finally, dying discipline, 1John 5:16, Jer. 7:16, and 1Cor. 11:29,30. Further, disrespecting authority can lead to emotional revolt of the soul---a complete breakdown in the soul.
DANIEL CHAPTER 4 gives the great principle: King Nebuchadnezzar disrespected God's authority. He was arrogant and prideful, until God stepped in and caused one of the greatest acts of repentance in Scripture. The king had a mental breakdown, until he repented and respected God's authority. God restored him.
SPIRITUAL TRUTH: when the believer refuses to live in genuine humility (resepect for authority), God sends enforced humility: God teaches respect for authority by intense discipline/punishment - totally humbling that Christian.
IN CONCLUSION
One of the most powerful lessons on respecting authority is seen in Gen.16:1-10. The Lord confronted Hagar, and told her the deal: "RETURN TO YOUR MISTRESS AND SUBMIT YOURSELF UNDER HER HAND." (i.e., go back and respect the authority, even though Sarai is unfair to you.)
Acts 23:5 "You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people."
Exodus 22:28, "You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people."
"Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God: and those which exist are established by God." -Romans 13:1
Authority was established by God for the common good, to govern arrogant, rebellious, prideful and evil people. 1 Timothy 1:9-10.
RESPECTING AUTHORITY IS THE CHRISTIAN'S WAY OF DEMONSTRATING RESPECT FOR GOD.
---Dr. Maurice B. Sykes
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