If God is the supreme authority in our lives, who comes next?
First, we need to realize there are different realms of
authority. Our government and political leaders do have the rule over us, like
it or not. Even if we didn’t vote for them, we are still to be respectful and
obey them as long as they don’t ask us to do something against God and His
word. “Remind
the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready
to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and
to show true humility toward all men” Titus 3:1,2. Also, unfortunately, even if
we believe that the taxes placed on us are unjust or unfair, we are still to
pay them. Mark 12:15-17 talks about that. There are civil authorities that God
has placed over us, policeman, judges, governors and so on.
Outside of this civil authority, there is another realm
of spiritual authority. In the Old Testament it was Prophets and Priests who
held this authority. In the New Testament, under the new covenant, spiritual
authority was given to the church. This is a foreign concept to many of us,
because Pastors and churches have not taken this responsibility seriously. This my friends is where our downfall
has come as a nation. Our churches and our Pastors instead of preaching the
word of God with authority have compromised and turned the church of the Living
God into nothing more than a social club. Years ago churches and pastors had
authority and respect in their communities. Now in America we have what I have
heard someone call a “haunting of Christ”. We know that churches and men of God
are supposed to receive some sort of respect, but we can’t quite remember why.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that it was “commonly
heard” that there was fornication in the church. He wrote in chapter 5 verse
4,5, “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and
my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such a one unto
Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day
of the Lord Jesus.” Then in verse 13 he says, “Therefore, put away from among
yourselves that wicked person.” It is good to read the whole chapter because he
talks about judging. I’ve heard so many times, “we are not to judge.” But Paul
in chapter 5 tells the church in Corinth to judge itself. He said that God has
already judged those outside the church, but that they needed to at least judge
those within it.
In I Corinthians 6:1,2 says, “Dare any of you, having a
matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be
judged by you are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” In other words
the church is to judge itself. Paul, in I and II Timothy, is instructing
Timothy how to pastor the Lord’s church. In I Timothy 5:20 he says, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that
others also may fear.” So, the church has the authority to judge and rebuke
and even to put someone out if there is
not repentance. It also tells us why the church is to do these things,
“…that other also may fear.” The Bible tells us that the fear of the Lord is
the beginning of all wisdom. Those in our churches today have no fear of God,
and no honor or respect for the authorities that God has placed over them. If
the pastor neglects to preach on sin, and encourage people to live godly lives,
then before you know it, we have a church full of people that are no different
from the world. Yes, we all sin, but we should never give in to it. Paul talked
about the war he had between his flesh and spirit, and then at the end of his
life he was able to say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the
race”, in II Timothy chapter 4. If we give in to sin, then there is no light on a hill, people cannot find
God where He should be, and we are living in Sodom and Gomorrah.
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