June 2022

 

Authority is a word that will elicit different reactions from people depending on their life situation. For example, children may rebel against parental authority because they feel it is restrictive for no reason, not realizing that the authority exercised is for the child’s good. While the definition of authority cannot be changed, the interpretation of authority may differ depending on the context. For example, the United States military have, for the most part, authority over the lives of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines; this is quite different compared to how the authority of school teachers is exercised.

One of the issues that most of us have with authority is that we, in general, do not want someone to stop us from doing what we want to do and when we want to do it. The second issue we have with authority is the abuse of authority that we see on a regular basis. Once we see the abuse of authority, or the flagrant disregard of authority, we can fall into the trap of thinking that if no one honors authority, why bother? This mindset easily leads to chaos.

 

We are often told that world leaders are our ultimate authorities; some even say that, in America, the United States Supreme Court is the ultimate authority in our country. Are they? No. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must remember that He, and He alone, is the Supreme and Final authority. Accordingly, the Bible, God’s written Word, is where we learn of Jesus’ sovereignty and authority. Matthew 28:1 states that “…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” The question for Christians is: will we submit to Jesus and His written Word? There cannot be any fence-sitting, middle ground, or neutral ground. We either come under His rule and authority or we do not.

When we are faced with the difficult decisions of marriage, abortion, transgender ideology, gender fluidity, etc., it is absolutely crucial that we run to God’s Word. We have allowed these divisive issues to become sociopolitical issues. However, they are not. These are spiritual issues that the Author of life must guide us in. We have no greater authority to turn to except the King of kings and the Lord of lords who created us in His image as male and female – who breathed us into existence with the breath of life. In Philippians, Paul states: “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father.” There is no greater authority!

 

In Christ,