Authority: Recent Episodes
Pete Beck III
Messages designed to increase your biblical understanding and help you better follow Christ and his teachings.
If we look at how Jesus fished for people, we quickly realize that he custom tailored his words and approach to the individuals he encountered. If we are going to fish for people the Jesus way, we will need to do the same. Below I have listed some key things we might want to have in our own spiritual tackle boxes.
Fishing for people the "Jesus way" asks us to learn to see, love, and engage people as Jesus' representatives. We have been given the privilege to care, listen, love, and speak in his stead in order to lead them to the Great Shepherd. Nothing could be more exciting or rewarding!
The laying on of hands is one of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, which indicates its importance doctrinally and practically. The Lords wants us to thoroughly understand its meaning and application.
Until we become the answer to our own prayers by making the choice to get involved in the lives of those who live around us, we are not yet a part of God's mission to the heartrending and often silent cries of harassed and helpless people in need of God who live all around us.
I hope you will travel with me down the dusty roads of Israel with Jesus, learning from the Master Fisherman.
We will never know what it is like to lead people to Christ, watch him heal, or see him deliver people from oppression, unless we are willing to take the "risk" of using our God-given authority.
Like an insecure battered wife who returns to her abusive husband over and over again only to suffer further beatings, we cannot keep going back to the the Law in an effort to be "good enough." It cannot help us.
Sometimes it is helpful to be able to define what is a local church, especially in the context of rapidly expanding church planting operations that sometimes take place in areas where the Holy Spirit is gathering a mass harvest of souls. The following is my attempt to do just that.
How could the sins of those long dead, such as King David, and the sins of all who would later be born be included in what Jesus did on the cross, unless it was an eternal once-for-all sacrifice?
Keeping the Sabbath in the New Covenant means resting in Christ's finished work on the cross while consciously attempting to live in obedience to the Bible's teachings and the voice of God’s Spirit.
It is impossible to understand the New Covenant without understanding what happens to us when we are born again.
Let us not forget that healing people is God's idea, not ours. He is far more interested in setting people free than we are. We need to get in step with him.
If we want to join our Lord in the ministry of healing, it is important for us to think as he does.
The Book of Acts reveals what the apostles believed through what they did. Actions speak louder than words. They believed that physical healing is available in Christ. So should we.
The daily work of the Spirit in transformation and the future glorious promise of the resurrection are firmly rooted in the already finished work of Christ. God is working out in time what has been settled for eternity.
I do not think that it is hyperbole to say that teaching followers of Christ to take the plunge into obedience to the Spirit is a top priority in disciple making.
I call the pagan evolutionary heliocentric view of the “universe” satanic scientism. I believe it derives from Satan and wears the clothing of acceptability because it is supposedly based on proven science, rather than religious speculation. For those brainwashed into its core beliefs since childhood, biblical cosmology seems absurd. Sir…Continue Reading
The Son of Man revelation is a fault line that divides humanity. We must choose one side or another as we wait for the great unveiling of the truth at his Second Coming.
After Adam's and Eve's rebellion and expulsion from the garden, almost from the beginning, their descendants, like Satan, were not content to remain in our assigned place.
Since the Garden of Eden, humans have been on a quest to throw off God's rule and escape the limitations of his Word.
The evangelist is a shepherd at the core, who is sent to those outside the church rather than to those who are already saved.
Even though we do not know the way, the Way knows us. He promises us that he will be with us, keep us, and guide us. The future is in his hands, and so are we.
Our ability to bind and loose is based on Christ’s victory on the cross and through his resurrection, by which he disarmed the power of Satan, sin, sickness, death, and the flesh.
In the articles that follow, I will show from the scriptures how the gospel sets us free from each of these tormenting fears that we may experience what it means to love and joyfully serve God and others from the heart.
The gospel reveals that Christ lives in us by faith now and keeps us focused on our promised heavenly reward.
With the Law, we get what we deserve - death; whereas, with the gospel of grace, we receive what Jesus earned on our behalf - forgiveness and eternal life.
Syncretism always wars against our adherence and allegiance to the written Word of God.
The post Renouncing Syncretism appeared first on Third Peter.
The battle of the ages is being fought over Genesis because, if it can be shown that it is not literally and actually true, there is no reason to assume that anything else in the Bible is true.
The post The Occult Religion of Heliocentrism appeared first on Third Peter.
The battle of the ages is being fought over Genesis because, if it can be shown that it is not literally and actually true, there is no reason to assume that anything else in the Bible is true.
The post The Primary Importance of Genesis Chapter One appeared first on Third Peter.
In my previous article, I described the firmament and what it contains – the sun, moon, and stars. God’s throne is situated above the firmament. From his lofty position above the earth, he watches and sovereignly rules over all things as the Creator, Sustainer, and Lord. It is He who…Continue Reading
The post The Firmament, the Throne, and the Apocalypse appeared first on Third Peter.
Before becoming convinced that Genesis Chapter One is a literally accurate account of creation and the cosmos, I did not know quite what to think about what the Bible calls the firmament. I didn’t have to consider it much at all since most modern translations render the Hebrew word raqia…Continue Reading
The post Introduction to the Firmament appeared first on Third Peter.
In the meantime, we are encouraged to live with the confident expectation of our glorious eternal state with God.
The post Chapter 82: The Eternal State appeared first on Third Peter.
Our willingness to deny ourselves in the pursuit of Christ and his kingdom indicates how much we treasure the rewards God offers.
The post Chapter 81: Eternal Rewards appeared first on Third Peter.
If we as Christians choose to rely more upon the world's wisdom to guide us in our thinking and actions, rather than upon the written Word and the Holy Spirit, it will put us in danger.
The post The Danger of Being Wise appeared first on Third Peter.
Jesus did not condemn them, and he will not condemn us when we stumble through lack of faith and allegiance to God's Word, but he will correct us and challenge us to believe every single word of God.
The post Are We Willing to Declare Allegiance to Every Word of God? appeared first on Third Peter.
I think a series like this needs an introduction. Why am I writing articles on developing a biblical cosmology?
The post Introduction appeared first on Third Peter.
If Jesus is who the Bible says he is, there is no other way to God and no other way to escape condemnation at the last judgment.
The post Chapter 80: The Last Judgment appeared first on Third Peter.
As Christians we are confronted with the choice between believing God's testimony regarding creation or what so-called science theorizes. I believe we are being tested today in the same way that Satan tempted Adam and Eve. Did God really say? Did he mean what he said?
The post The Genesis Testimony appeared first on Third Peter.
As I attempt to provide a basis for establishing a proper biblical cosmology, I will rely upon certain presuppositions.
The post Presuppositions appeared first on Third Peter.
Here are some resources that I think are very good that should help anyone who is interested in developing a proper biblical cosmology.
The post Resources for Those Wishing to Develop a Biblical Cosmology appeared first on Third Peter.
Since God is a spirit, he is invisible to the natural eye. In order to properly reveal himself to us, he fashioned his creation to reflect an accurate image of his divine attributes and power.
The post Only a Biblical Cosmology Reveals God Properly appeared first on Third Peter.
We pass the fourth big test by learning how to properly relate to and live under delegated authority, trusting that God is bigger than all who have such authority and is at work in their lives, too.
The post Test 4: Grumbling against God’s Appointed Authority – the Traitor in Us appeared first on Third Peter.
The third big test we all will face at one time or another is connected to our choice to be satisfied with God and content with what he is allowing us to experience.
The post Part 3: Putting Christ to the Test – The Rebel in Us appeared first on Third Peter.
Whereas test #1 exposes any remaining idolatry in our hearts; test #2 searches our hearts to ferret out any moral infidelity so that we can confess that to the Lord and be set free.
The post Wipe Out! How to survive life’s four big tests – Part 2, Immorality – The Infidelity in Us appeared first on Third Peter.
Jesus Is the Resurrection The apostle Paul wrote that the resurrection from the dead is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your…Continue Reading
The post Chapter 79: The Resurrection appeared first on Third Peter.
There are four big tests that most of us will encounter on our discipleship journey. Each will reveal some aspect of the condition of our hearts and our devotion to God.
The post Wipe Out! How to survive life’s four big tests – Part 1, Idolatry appeared first on Third Peter.
I have decided that I am okay with being God's fool, but I am no longer willing to be the devil's.
The post A Cosmological Fool for Christ appeared first on Third Peter.
Following such a hermeneutic, if God's Word does not line up with accepted "science," then we must accommodate the Bible to it, which is the equivalent of making science Lord.
The post Science is NOT Lord! appeared first on Third Peter.
In order to ascribe to heliocentrism, we must believe some very preposterous things.
The post A Few Preposterous Things Heliocentrists Must Believe appeared first on Third Peter.
Satan, the great deceiver, has erected an enormous house of cards here on earth constructed of lies piled upon lies. The only thing that keeps it from completely falling apart is our spiritual blindness and resultant complicity. Once we see through his lies, the entire structure will come down.
The post Satan’s House of Cards appeared first on Third Peter.
The partial preterist viewpoint frees us up to understand Daniel's seventy weeks in a way makes sense historically and prepares us for the imminent return of our Lord. It teaches us to carefully consider how some prophecies have been already fulfilled in many cases, instead of assuming their fulfillment is all in the future. It does not explain everything, but neither do other interpretations. God keeps some things hidden so that we will need to trust in him instead of leaning on our own understanding.
The post Chapter 78: Daniel’s Seventy Weeks appeared first on Third Peter.
One of the more shocking conclusions I have observed is that heliocentrism requires faith in the atheistic Big Bang theory.
The post Belief in Heliocentrism Requires Belief in the Big Bang appeared first on Third Peter.
Here are some resources that I think are very good that should help anyone who is interested in researching the claims of the biblical flat earth position.
The post Some Great Resources for Those Wishing to Investigate the Flat Earth appeared first on Third Peter.
Throughout church history the restoration of truth always produces controversy and sometimes persecution by those who wish to suppress the truth.
The post Why I Will No Longer Participate in Suppressing the Truth about the Earth’s Design appeared first on Third Peter.
Any study of end time prophecy should properly begin with the words of our Lord and specifically the Olivet Discourse when he answered three specific questions posed by his disciples.
The post Chapter 77: The Olivet Discourse appeared first on Third Peter.
As a result of the Copernican Revolution, people began to cease thinking biblically about the earth and began to conceive of it as one of the planets - a wandering star, a fallen angel.
The post What If I Told You that Planets Are Fallen Angels? appeared first on Third Peter.
Jesus will raise the dead on the “last day,” and Paul said that the resurrected dead will precede the living saints who will be caught up to heaven. Therefore, there cannot be a rapture ahead of the general resurrection which will take place at the Second Coming.
The post Chapter 76: Introduction to Knowing Jesus as Coming King and Judge appeared first on Third Peter.
If you read this series of articles, you probably already deduced my conclusion: the earth is not a globe as
we have been brainwashed into believing.
The post The Startling and Liberating Conclusion – The Earth Is a Plane appeared first on Third Peter.
Every person will eventually face a crisis that tests our loyalty to God's Word.
The post Loyalty to God’s Word appeared first on Third Peter.
Whatever route we took on our personal journey to the Lord is our testimony.
The post Chapter 75: How to Share Our Personal Testimony appeared first on Third Peter.
Understanding God's design of the world in which we live can liberate us from pervasive deception.
The post Why Understanding God’s Design for the World Is Important appeared first on Third Peter.
Since most people accept that something cannot self-generate from nothing, those who reject the Creator as the source require another "god" to account for the emergence of the universe - gravity.
The post Gravity – the god of the Big Bang Theory appeared first on Third Peter.
When we come to know the one called Truth, our souls find rest from our restless quest.
The post Chapter 73: The Gospel Satisfies Our Thirst for Truth appeared first on Third Peter.
I believe it is time for God-fearing Christians to reaffirm our allegiance to God's Word as our authority on the creation.
The post Reaffirming Our Allegiance to God’s Word appeared first on Third Peter.
When God says he will roll up or split apart the heavens like a scroll, he means he will remove the firmament to reveal the one who sits on the throne. (Isaiah 34:4 and Revelation 6:14)
The post The Amazing Firmament appeared first on Third Peter.
Just as the Passover and Exodus effective removed Israel from slavery in Egypt, the cross of Christ and his subsequent resurrection transferred us believers out of Satan’s kingdom into God’s.
The post Chapter 71: The Gospel in Relation to the Passover, Exodus, and Crossing Over into the Promised Land appeared first on Third Peter.
When engaging in this sort of syncretism, something has to give, and it always seems to be our adherence and allegiance to the written Word of God.
The post Repentance from Syncretism appeared first on Third Peter.
When engaging in syncretism, something has to give, and it always seems to be our adherence to the written Word of God.
The post Repentance from Syncretism appeared first on Third Peter.
Once the devil can get a person to go against his or her own sense of right in favor of a convoluted lie, the mind has been captured by deception.
The post Repentance from Embracing the Deception of Evolutionary Theory appeared first on Third Peter.
Once we understand the mechanics of deception, it should make us even more determined to live within the framework God has given to us, using the map and the guide.
The post The Mechanics of Deception appeared first on Third Peter.
Once Adam and Eve poked a hole in the wall of truth that guarded their lives, it opened a flood of deception upon the earth. All of us to some degree or another have become co-conspirators in a giant assault on the truth.
The post The Entrance and Extent of Deception appeared first on Third Peter.
Both the extended time of favor and the cataclysmic day of judgment are part of the gospel message.
The post God’s Coming Judgment upon the Wicked Is Part of the Good News appeared first on Third Peter.
Understanding the covenants will greatly increase our appreciation of Jesus and his finished work on our behalf and can give us new insights into the gospel.
The post Chapter 70: The Gospel and the Covenants appeared first on Third Peter.
When we come to Jesus, the Holy Spirit removes the blindness from our eyes. He opens our deaf ears and heals our hardened hearts, enabling us to see and believe.
The post Chapter 72: The Gospel Opens Blind Eyes appeared first on Third Peter.
We simply cannot rely on human intelligence and ability if we want to be good at relational or any other kind of evangelism.
The post Chapter 73: Relational Evangelism appeared first on Third Peter.
The Bible reveals that God is a Person who is good and loving and who communicates with people.
The post Gospel in a Minute: Jesus Is Alive and Communicates with Us appeared first on Third Peter.
Jesus encouraged us to endure suffering for the gospel, not pin our hopes on a "great escape" called the rapture.
The post Don’t pin your hopes on the rapture. appeared first on Third Peter.
Come… Follow… Fish. Each of the three calls invites us into a deeper relationship with God, and each has a higher personal cost associated with it. Many are called, but few embrace all three.
The post Chapter 69: The Gospel Presented as Three Calls from God appeared first on Third Peter.
Our goal is to present the gospel in such a way that our hearers understand that Jesus is the One for whom they are searching.
The post Chapter 68: Gospel Paradigms appeared first on Third Peter.
Unity is important in the church, family, nation, or really any group, but disunity often, maybe always, accompanies any important new activity or truth coming from God.
The post Disunity Can Be a Sign that God Is at Work appeared first on Third Peter.
The Holy Spirit "blows" or "breathes" upon us when we are born again, reconnecting our dead spirits to God from whom we receive his never ending life.
The post Have You Been Born Again? appeared first on Third Peter.
Although many present the “gospel” primarily as an offer of forgiveness, with little or no emphasis on the necessity of repenting from going our own way in willful rebellion against God, the true gospel is mainly about reestablishing the authority of God’s Son, the Messianic King of Israel and the Lord of Lords. “Coming to Jesus” (Matthew 11:28-30) means turning from living independent, self-reliant lives and coming under Jesus' rule (yoke) and surrendering every aspect of life to the Holy Spirit. When we do this, we find rest. Living as a rebel is a hard life with no future.
Churches today are filled with people who have never truly submitted to Jesus the Lord, perhaps because they were never told they must do so. They expect Jesus to forgive them (I have heard people say that it is his job.), provide for them, and welcome them to heaven, but they do not practically recognize him as their Lord. They live the way they want to live, regardless of what the Bible says.
Many so called Christians today reject the Bible’s teachings, especially when it comes to morality. Jesus taught that those who call him Lord, but do not live according to his teachings, do not truly belong to him. (Matthew 7:21-23) It’s a matter of the heart and it is all about authority. Either we want to submit to Christ’s authority or we do not. If there is nothing in us that motivates us to do so, it is doubtful we have his Spirit abiding in us. Forgiveness is a happy by-product for those who confess that he is Lord, mean it, and live accordingly. (Romans 10:9-10) it is not something that stands alone, independent from acknowledging Jesus' lordship. Church Discipline Our churches are a proving ground for the genuineness of our willingness to live in subjection to Christ’s authority. Anyone can say they are under authority, but we never know until our wills are challenged by that authority. When God’s authority or will crosses ours is when the true condition of our hearts is exposed.
God has placed leaders in his local churches in whom he has invested a measure of his authority. (God's delegated authority also resides in the home, work, school, government, etc., but we will limit this article to church government.) The biblical pattern is for the church to be governed by proven men of godly character and commitment to Christ, who are called elders. (1 Tim. 5:17, etc.) Elders have a responsibility from God to watch over the people under their care. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 (NASB)
We all have something called the "old man" or the "flesh,” which inwardly tempts us to be rebellious and unruly. Even though Christ “disarmed” the flesh on the cross for those who believe in him (Romans 6:6), it is still there and ready to spring into action, if we make room for it. Unfortunately for us, as Jesus taught us, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” That being the case, we all sin, and, over time, we all need to be corrected from time to time when we err and sin – some of us more than others. In every organization, there have to be standards of behavior. If the organization’s leaders do not uphold and enforce those standards, human nature being what it is, people begin to slide, to see what they can get away with. We tend to press the boundaries, and, unless we are corrected, we will get less and less fearful of the negative consequences of sin. A great example of this is how people disobey the speed limits on the Interstate. If the Highway Patrol does not aggressively enforce the speed limit, people go faster and faster. It’s human nature, and it works this way in the church, too. In the local church, elders have the responsibility to uphold Christ’s authority, which is clearly demarcated in the teachings of the New Testament. Certainly elders have no business micromanaging people’s affairs, but, I hope we can all agree that when church members clearly violate Christ’s teachings in a major way, and refuse to repent, something must be done. This is called church discipline. Jesus told us how to carry out church discipline in Matthew 18:15-18. The normal order is for the aggrieved party to first confront an “offender” privately. Hopefully that will be sufficient to solve the problem. Unfortunately, some of us are little slower on the uptake or a little more stubborn and need to go to stage two. This is when another person is brought into the mix as a “reinforcement.” The hope here is that the “offender” will listen to their combined testimony and repent. The third stage is to bring church leaders into the mix in order to press upon the “offender” the gravity of their sinful behavior. If this does not work either, the only thing left, according to Paul, is expulsion from the church. (1 Cor. 5:9-13)
In my experience, it is rare that anyone has to be expelled. Usually offenders see “the handwriting on the wall” and remove themselves from the fray before it gets to that stage. There are plenty of churches around where people can hide their sinful behavior from other church members. Many churches only want people to show up on Sunday and give. They do not really get to know their people and are consequently blind to what is going on beneath the surface. To be fair, the flip side of the issue is that sometimes church leaders are reluctant to bring correction to recalcitrant members; so, the fault lies on both sides. My point is this: church discipline is needed to help people live under Christ’s benevolent rule. We all need help from others because following Christ is not easy. Over the years, I have observed that people who are unwilling to recognize and follow the counsel of the local church’s elder team are the ones who cause trouble, leave, or, rarely, are asked to leave. If they are not confronted, it can negatively impact the entire church by bringing down morale or teaching by example that sin is no big deal. Because the local church is an assembly of people who choose to come under Christ’s authority and recognize his delegated authority in elders, unrepentant rebels have no place in a local church. Our inability to come under, in the right way, the authority of local church leaders, is proof that we have not yet properly surrendered to Christ. Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica: Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NASB)
Concluding Thoughts I have not covered many important aspects of the proper use of authority, which is a topic I have written about elsewhere. I take it for granted that you understand that I am not endorsing a heavy handed use of authority to browbeat or domineer others. That is wrong. Nevertheless, unless Christ’s true servant authority is properly upheld in the church and in our lives as individuals, we are in danger of being very deceived by sin and put at risk of incurring God's discipline in our lives.
My counsel is this. Let us... 1. Renew our commitment to live each day in submission to Christ, as best we can, in dependence upon God’s grace and the Holy Spirit. No one expects perfection, just an honest effort on a continuing basis. 2. Take seriously the application of God’s truth found in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, to our everyday lives. 3. Voluntarily submit to the delegated authority God has placed in our lives – at home, work, school, government, and in the church. Learning to listen to and receive needed correction is a big part of life. Those who take heed are wise. (Proverbs 6:23) 4. Elders in the local church should take seriously their responsibility to oversee Christ’s people and properly use their God-given servant authority for good, to help others learn to live under Christ’s benevolent rule, all the while realizing that they are “sheep” under a Shepherd, too.
Our attitude reveals the condition of our hearts. A poor attitude reveals a heart that is not fully engaged or in agreement with its circumstances or assignment. People who have a poor attitude usually do poor work and have strained relationships and are a drain on everyone else. Attitudes are contagious. People with negative attitudes can rub off on others, pulling down an entire community or team. Wise coaches and leaders must properly handle individual attitude problems before they escalate into something worse. Conversely, people who have a great attitude can lift a group. How we think will eventually be reflected in the words we speak and the actions we take. Principle #1: God uses authority to work for good in our lives. The Bible teaches us that our attitude toward those in authority is crucial. This is because all authority is derived from God. As such, when we resist authority, we resist God. Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. Romans 13:1 (NLT)
Such a Biblical stance is based on the foundational doctrine of God’s sovereignty. The Bible states unequivocally that God rules over all and works all things in accordance with his plans, even the things that we consider to be calamities. Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission? 38 Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? 39 Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? 40 Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the LORD. Lamentations 3:37-40 (NLT) As followers of Christ, everything always works for our ultimate good. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:28-29 (NLT) The good toward which God is always working is to conform us to Christ's likeness on the inside. Therefore, using this divine logic, even when God allows evil people to be in authority over us, he still is working for our good. Principle #2: Complaining against authority is dangerous to our well-being. A second principle, therefore, is that to complain against those God has placed in authority over us is to complain against God and his plan for our lives, which is never a good idea. The first being who is recorded to have had a bad relationship with authority is Satan. He rebelled and revolted against God directly and was forced out of God’s presence. He ultimately will be consigned to the lake of fire. As mentioned before, bad attitudes are contagious. He passed his to Adam and Eve, who blamed God for their sin of rebellion. Adam blamed Eve, whom God had provided to be his helper/assistant/completer. In Adam’s mind, it was God’s fault that he disobeyed God, since God had provided him with Eve. Never mind that Adam chose to go along with her misguided revolt instead of using his influence to dissuade her. Such is the logic of the rebel. Bad attitudes toward authority produce bad words, which accuse, blame, or find fault with authority, which result in rebellious actions.
Thankfully, the converse is also true. A great attitude toward authority will produce wholesome words and positive acts of obedience. Jesus is our finest example. It was his delight to do everything he saw his Father doing and speak everything he heard his Father speak. His goal was to bring his Father glory, even when his Father’s will was extremely difficult and personally very costly.
No fear, pride, or resentment had any hold on Jesus; therefore, he did not fall to these three main temptations that can lead us into having a bad attitude toward authority. You and I, however, have to contend with each. The Bible gives us some clear examples of how not to relate to God’s delegated authority, as well as how to do it correctly. The Fear Factor Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water. 23 When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”). 24 Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded. Exodus 15:22-24 (NLT) There is nothing like a little adversity to bring out the rebel in all of us! This is especially true when our expectations are out of line with what God is doing in our lives. Many people think that God wants us to be trouble free. Nothing is further from the truth. Adversity is what tests and refines our character and transforms us into Christ’s image, which is one of God’s main goals for us during our short stay here on planet earth. If self-preservation and a life of ease are our top priorities, we will surely become a complainer; but, if God’s glory and his will are our main objectives, we will be able to pass every test. When things do not go as we expect, we often slip into fear and the blame game. Whoever is leading us when disappointment shows up will likely be the target of our anger and complaining. When we actually have a problem with God, we will likely blame those in authority. They are convenient targets. The Old Testament is full of examples of God's people turning against delegated authority when things went south. Just read Exodus and Numbers to see first hand how poorly it went for the rebels. The takeaway is that God judges rebels, and it's never a good thing to be their camp. When Leaders Fall Short How do we respond when leaders sin and disappoint us by their behavior? Unless resentment is handled correctly, it can easily morph into bitterness. Untended offenses can propel us to criticize and judge our leader’s misdeeds in an effort to overthrow their authority under the camouflage of self-righteousness. Let's consider Absalom’s rebellion for an example. He was infuriated by his father David’s failure to punish his son by a different mother, Amnon, for raping Absalom's sister by the same mother, Tamar. This was a major failure on David’s part. His reluctance to judge and punish Amnon may well have had its roots in his own previous moral failure with Bathsheba. It's hard to be tough in an area where we required mercy. It was understandable that Absalom was upset. His sister had been grievously and criminally violated and the perp got away with it! This test revealed Absalom's heart. It showed that he was filled with pride. He failed to realize his own need for mercy, which allowed him to become judge, jury, and executioner of someone else. Absalom’s resentment escalated into bitterness, hatred, and outright rebellion. He spoke against his father, hatched a plan to overthrow him, and undertook to oust him from being king and to put him to death.
Proverbs says: A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Proverbs 17:11 (NASB)
This is exactly what happened to Absalom. General Joab took care of the rebellion by eliminating the source of the infection, driving several spears into David's embittered son as he hung by his hair in a tree. His pride, as exemplified by his long flowing hair, is what did him in. Ultimately bitterness is fueled by pride, and pride always precedes a fall.
One of Absalom's chief co-conspirators was Ahithophel, Bathsheba’s grandfather. This man was reputed to be the wisest man in Israel, and his counsel was considered to be almost infallible. Despite his great wisdom, he also fell to the power of resentment and harbored bitterness toward David for having committed adultery with his granddaughter, Bathsheba, and murdering her husband, Uriah, who was one of the most faithful men in Israel. As with Absalom, Ahithophel had grounds for being upset with David, who had selfishly robbed his family of something precious. His inability to forgive David, even after God did, led to his downfall. His bitterness overcame his wisdom, leading him, against all wisdom, to join a plot against God's appointed authority. As might be expected, things ended very poorly for Ahithophel. He committed suicide when he realized the coup would fail.
David sinned mightily against God, Absalom, Bathsheba, Uriah, and Ahithophel, indeed against the entire nation, for which he deserved to die according the Law of Moses. Nevertheless, after David repented of his sin, God forgave him and promised to spare his life and retain him as king. Absalom and Ahithophel were not able to go along with this act of mercy and demanded that David be punished with death. They were even willing to carry out the sentence themselves! Could anyone have had a more just sounding position than those two? Surely God must have been on their side in this matter. David needed to go! Or did he?
David had been in a similar position as Absalom and Ahithophel many years before when Saul betrayed the trust of the Israelites by putting his own goals ahead of God’s purposes. Saul tried to kill David on multiple occasions for no other reason than that David was favored by God and was suspected of being God’s choice to replace Saul. Surely Saul deserved to die for his transgressions! But David knew better than to show disrespect toward God’s appointed authority. He refused to take matters into his own hands. The Bible records an instance where David showed mercy to his master and refused to harm him when he could have. Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’s anointed.‘ 1 Samuel 24:4-10 (NIV) As a result, David’s eventual accession to the throne after Saul was killed in battle with the Philistines was not tainted by his having been an agent of rebellion against the sitting king earlier.
Later, during Absalom’s rebellion, David reaped, positively, what he had sown years before. When Absalom attacked Jerusalem, David cast himself upon the mercies and protection of God. Those who show mercy will receive mercy in return. Humility leads to greatness in God's kingdom. The moral of the story is that we must not take it upon ourselves to punish and oust God’s delegated authority over us, even when he or she may fail miserably. God is perfectly capable of doing that himself. Conclusion Complaining against authority derives from a lack of faith in God's sovereignty and his promise to work things for our good and his glory. It shows that we do not understand that all authority ultimately derives from God himself and must be respected. It reveals that we lack a proper fear of God regarding what happens to those who rebel against God's delegated authority. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. Romans 13:2 (NLT) Since God's Word is true, we know for sure that those who are actively resisting our government's elected officials will suffer God's judgment, even if they succeed for the short run. But what about us? If we are chronic complainers against authority, it is time to repent. Allow the Holy Spirit to examine your life. He is perfectly capable of making us aware of any shortcoming he wishes to expose. We don't need to resort to becoming unduly introspective. It is not enough to merely repent, however. We should begin acting and speaking with an opposite spirit, respecting those in authority over us, even when we disagree with their actions and agenda.
Is there ever a time to resort to revolution and violence? Our founding fathers and many preachers of that day thought so, but others did not. Antifa thinks so. What about us? This is a gnarly question with which each of us must wrestle. If a government violates its own laws and becomes oppressive, does this give us the right to seek its overthrow? Our founding fathers thought so. What does the Bible say? Should our respect for authority always lead to passive acceptance of oppression, or should we defend the government from enemies on the inside, even elected officials who have violated their pledge to govern according to the Constitution?
The Jews fought against the repressive Roman government and suffered a massive judgment in 70 AD. The Christians living during that general time period suffered a great persecution under Emperor Nero, in which thousands were cruelly martyred for their faith in Christ. They did not rise up against Rome; yet, they still suffered. Jesus stood for God's kingdom, incurring the wrath of the authorities of Israel and Rome, without showing disrespect or resorting to violence. As a result, great violence was done to him. What is the paradigm for us believers going forward? Are we to be like sheep, as Paul wrote during the great persecution of Nero? Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:35-37 (NLT) There may be coming a day when you and I will have to face these questions. Now is the time to be seeking the Lord and to make sure our attitude toward God and his delegated authority is that which will bring honor to him and blessings to us. If the day arrives for us to make momentous decisions regarding our stance toward an increasingly oppressive US government, may we make the wise decision and be on God's side. Prayer Lord, I have been guilty of harboring a bad attitude toward those you have placed in authority over me. (Name them.) Also, help me to model what it means to have a proper attitude toward authority in the future. Let me become an asset to those you have placed over me, rather than a hindrance. Prepare me and those I love for whatever may be coming down the road. Show us what we need to know, so that when the time arrives we will be secure in our position and know what to do. Amen.
Authority is real and a necessary part of life. It has responsibility to govern and therefore possesses the ability to rule and bring correction as needed. Every government must have structure of some sort, with people at different tiers of responsibility. Those who are on the higher tiers carry more responsibility and therefore have more authority. As long as this authority and power are used properly, things work as God intended. But because human beings are rebels at heart, we tend to corrupt everything we touch, including government. The misuse and abuse of authority is rampant in all levels of society.
Mankind's problem with authority goes back to the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve were under God's benevolent rule. They did not really consider that was the case because it was all they had ever known. God had only been good and kind to them, but that did not prevent them from falling for the serpent's lie and immediately suspecting the Creator of having wrong motives. Having drunk from the devil's cup, they decided to rebel against God's rule and establish their own. Ever since then, authority has tended toward being misused by those who are rebels at heart. Jesus taught his disciples that godly authority never abuses others, but always serves those under its oversight and care. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT) The two words he used to describe what worldly rulers do are to “lord it over their people” and to “flaunt their authority.” This is what self-important leaders do, those who do not understand that to lead is actually to serve. Jesus contrasted that way of leading to what he modeled and expected from his followers. He used two very different words: to “servant” and to “slave.” The contrast could not be more stark. Jesus also taught that the way to the top of the hierarchical leadership pyramid, so to speak, is through humble service – a giving away of one’s life in behalf of others. In other words, the way to the top is down.
We can liken the role of kingdom authority to lifting weights. One of the most exciting Olympic lifting events is the clean and jerk, whereby the lifter picks up the barbell from the floor and lifts it overhead. Success is measured by how much a competitor can lift. Successful kingdom leaders are measured by how well they are able to lift those whom they serve. In other words, the leader’s job is to help others to succeed. The ultimate goal is to propel those who are under our care onward and upward in the kingdom, not to work things out so that we stay on top and they always serve us.
It is vital that we accept the radically revolutionary aspect of Jesus’ teaching on authority and not relegate it to the realm of unworkable idealism. The church is not meant to talk, look, or act like the world. Authority in the kingdom of God is real and must be used for the guidance, protection, provision, and development of God’s people, and always with a servant’s heart. Those times when we must use that authority in a strong way for the good of the flock, it must be done humbly and with loving care.
In the post-modern world in which we live, all authority is suspect, except when it can be used to advance a political end. Authority in general is likely to be viewed skeptically as being a means to exercise power over others to advance a self-serving agenda. Authority is often equated with authoritarianism, which is an unbridled and oppressive exercise of power. Most people naturally recoil from abusive authoritarianism, but we should be careful not to lump all authority into that one basket. There are benevolent forms of authority, too. Jesus is a benevolent and just King, the rightful lord of the universe. The Kingdom of God is overseen by servants of God who exercise Christ’s authority in humility and love. At least, that is the ideal. This article will focus primarily on authority in the home and the church. Authority in the Kingdom of God When Jesus overthrew Satan's domination of darkness and birthed the Kingdom of God, it was not something simply laid over what already existed or a rearrangement of what was already there. Christ's kingdom is radically different in all respects. Jesus taught his disciples. And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26 “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. Luke 22:25-26 (NASB) Most problems with government begin with individuals in power thinking more highly of themselves than they should. Such people imagine that they are great ones who deserve to be able to have their own way, no matter what. The more power and wealth a government accumulates, the more corrupt it generally will become. People, without God’s intervention, have an insatiable lust for wanting to be considered great and powerful. Going all the way back to the garden of Eden, people want to be God, or at least a god. As a result, glory hungry people use their power for their own ends for self-aggrandizement, wealth, and pleasure. When power goes over to the dark side, it is used to hurt one's enemies and those we despise. But Jesus taught that in his kingdom things will not be this way. Instead, the more authority one has, the greater the responsibility to serve others. Corrupted power hurts others in order to protect and enrich the leader; whereas, in the kingdom of God authority is used to bless, protect, lead, and provide for the ones under its care. Worldly authority pushes others down, but godly authority pushes others up and forward. Authority in the Home A great example of the proper use of benevolent authority is the role of a father in the home. If a family is following God’s principles, the father has the most authority and responsibility in the home and is called the “head.” (Ephesians 5:23) For this reason, he also is the chief servant. His responsibility is to provide for his family, love them, give guidance and instruction, model godly living, bring correction and discipline as needed, and protect them from all threats. That is the definition of service! Authority always is connected to responsibility. The more responsible a person is, the greater the authority. Problems arise when irresponsible people use authority selfishly.
Since fathers are fallible humans, they sometimes misrepresent God through the misuse or abuse their authority. Dads may use their “headship” for selfish ends or to dominate the wife and kids, alienating them in the process, breeding resentment, and giving them a very poor model for the future. Failures at fatherhood do not nullify God’s principles. Instead they reinforce God’s ways by contrast. God’s ways produce life. The world’s ways, just the opposite. Authority in the Church The church is another realm where authority is given to protect, provide, lead, guide, and correct. Disciples of Christ know that Jesus alone is the Lord of the church and of their lives in particular. What is not so commonly understood is that Jesus delegates authority to those whose God-given responsibility is to shepherd the flock. Proper pastoring is a great example of how authority is meant to be used. Shepherds exist for the welfare of the sheep. They have authority over the sheep to determine where they go, when and where they feed, and when and where they drink. Shepherds lead their sheep in and out of the sheepfold, guard them from predators, and discipline wandering sheep to keep them from getting picked off by wolves and other predators, who prefer to attack stragglers and wanderers. They give special attention to those who are weak and sickly. When followers of Christ choose to distance themselves from the flock and shepherds, we can be sure that they are ripe for being picked off by the enemy. God has established pastoral authority in the church in the form of elders and five-fold ministry (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers). And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16 (NASB) Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 1 Peter 5:2-3 (NLT) Other people also can have delegated authority under the oversight of these shepherds. Pastoral authority serves the church through teaching the Bible, modeling the Christian life, training and equipping disciples, correcting those who stray from the path, and guarding against threats from both within and without. The chief threats come in the form of sin and false prophets and teachers. The Benevolent Use of Authority Below are some important verses relating to this benevolent use of authority. Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm. 2 Corinthians 1:24 (NASB) Godly authority teaches people how to be under Christ’s authority. Correction by those in authority should need to be exercised rarely in the lives of mature disciples. It is primarily for the immature and wayward, in a similar way to how parents are required to discipline young children far more than older ones. If parents are still holding domineering sway over older children, something is very wrong. A parent’s goal is to produce self-governing adult children. It is the same in the kingdom of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 2 Corinthians 4:5 (NASB) Anytime those in authority use their position to focus people’s attention on themselves for the purpose of preserving their preeminence, something is very wrong. Proper Submission to Authority Authority in the church is very real and should be honored and obeyed as to the Lord. In other words, our submission to delegated kingdom authority is based on our submission to Jesus the Lord. Since all authority comes from God (Romans 13:1), when we choose to submit to delegated authority, we are actually submitting to God by faith. We have to see that God is behind authority, or we will have a tough time submitting to another human being who has all the faults and frailties as we do. I am referring here primarily to the proper use of authority. When those in government use their power to oppress and abuse those under them, we still must understand that God is sovereignly using that authority, but we may not be required to obey them in all things. Any time authority demands we violate our faith, our conscience, or God's Word, it must be resisted, however, without being disrespectful. When we obey and honor those who have delegated authority, we do so as a way to honor our Lord. We have to believe that God "has our back" and will correct his delegated authorities, if they get out of line with his kingdom principles and Holy Spirit. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 (NASB) Leaders will answer to God, which is why it is important for us to answer to them. In answering to them, we answer to God. In caring for us, they are serving Christ. This is not optional for those who have authority or for those under authority.
The apostle Paul gave us a great example of the proper use of authority. As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8 We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 (NLT) It is easy to see Paul’s love and care for God’s people and his determination to use his authority as a shepherd to teach, correct, care for, and protect them. Truly, authority properly used is not a four letter word, nor is it something to be taken lightly. It is part of God’s loving provision for us. It is in our best interest for us to honor and submit to those who have been given God’s delegated authority over our lives. Who knows? We may be wishing that one day people will take our authority seriously and listen to what we have to say. Since we always reap what we sow, let’s show honor and submission to God’s delegated authority as a way of honoring God himself.