Authority - Part 1

            Authority is a dirty word in our culture. Most people will concede the fact that the government, from the President of the United States to the policeman on the corner of Main Street, USA, has limited authority in their lives. Many people answer to a boss at work and put themselves under that authority. But today like no other time in history, we are raising up a generation of people who will not tolerate authority in their lives.

In a postmodern world where everything is relative and there is no truth, then why would we give place to authority? Who is to say that “Father knows best”. Even the Bible is brought into question, because most of that “stuff” was good for them “during that time”, but we live in a much different world today. Right? Unfortunately, we do, and I propose that it is because God and His word don’t have authority over our lives. We want to be the masters of our own fate, and the rulers of our own destiny.

God’s word in Proverbs chapter 1, verse 7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the BEGINNING of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The word for fear here in the Hebrew meant to reverence or to dread. ·  God is in control of all things and rules over all things. He has power and authority over nature, earthly kings,  angels, and demons. We see in Job that even Satan himself has to ask God’s permission before he can act. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18 that “all authority” had been given unto Him. If God has all authority, then His words should also.

 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2nd. Tim. 3:16-17).

If we trust that God and His word are perfect and true and give them their rightful place of authority over our lives, then there is a chain of authority that follows. God has set up a system of positions and roles that are also perfect and true. I understand that people in positions of authority have misused and abused it time and time again. This just proves that we all need authority over us, someone to answer to, a system of checks and balances.

The centurian in Matthew chapter 8 with the servant that was sick told Jesus that “For I am a man UNDER authority, having soldiers UNDER me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.”

So, there is a chain of command, and God is at the top. One day “every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”