Authority

The Biblical subjects that are more contested than that of authority, in western society and in America in particular, are very few. Biblical passages on the topic are often twisted or ignored. But if we are to be doctrinally sound (that is, Biblically sound) we must have an understanding of the subject from the Bible, which we consider to be inerrant and our standard for truth.

As discussed in the previous article, God is sovereign. Nothing happens that is contrary to His plans. He works out His plans through (or despite) our free will. In at least some cases, He explicitly directs what happens. There are ramifications of this fact. Not only has God determined where the nations will live¹, but He has determined who will rise to power. In fact, we are told that all authority has been appointed by God.² This implies something more than mere coincidences that He allows. Rather, it is an act of His will. And if He has ordained authorities on Earth, we are only in alignment with God if we are obedient to the authorities that He set over us. In fact, Paul states that the enforcement arm of the authorities is there to punish those who rebel against that authority.³ Jesus and Paul made it clear that we are to pay taxes.⁴ Paul makes it clear that we owe respect to those to whom respect is due.⁵

Note that both Jesus and Paul are making these statements in the context of a pagan authority (Rome) which used taxes to build temples to false Gods, to enrich emperors who proclaimed their own divinity, to support slavery, to carry out cruel punishments, and a thousand other Godless things. Not to mention that Rome would come to persecute and kill Christians. Paul might not have known that this was coming, but Jesus certainly did. It was Rome that crucified Him. If Christians were to obey the authorities in such a case, how much more should we obey our authorities today? Do you cheat on your taxes? Do you purposefully exceed the speed limit when driving? Do you fail in any way to obey the authorities that God has placed over you? If so, then you are in rebellion against God Himself.⁶

Some might argue that there are cases when we are allowed to disobey authorities. In fact, there is only one: when the authorities require us to do something contrary to the explicit command of God. But some people of unstable mind have confused this concept. In their minds, if the government isn't doing "the Christian thing" they feel they have the right to break the law.

First, our obedience to authority is specifically related to what we, as individuals, have been told to do. We are not excused from obedience to authorities simply because those authorities are doing things we disagree with - or even things contrary to the will of God. Note the aforementioned example of Rome.

Second, we are not to disobey the authorities because they tell someone else to do something contrary to the will of God. We are to follow where Jesus leads us through the Spirit - not to disobey authorities when they tell someone else to be disobedient.

Third, even when we are allowed to disobey authorities, we are not free to curse them or slander them. We aren't to even slander the Devil.⁷ If that is the case, how much less are we to do so to our fellow humans?

The early church provides us with some examples of the proper way to handle this. When brought before the authorities, the disciples made a clear statement:

"Peter and the other apostles replied: 'We must obey God rather than human beings!'"⁸

This was in response to being told that they shouldn't tell others about Jesus. This was a direct contradiction to Jesus' commands. Note three things. 1) The disciples didn't obey the authorities when those authorities commanded them to act in contradiction of the clear instruction of Jesus to spread the gospel. 2) They didn't lie by agreeing to obey the authorities and then go out and disobey them - they were honest, regardless of what that may cost them. 3) They didn't disrespect the authorities. They could have heaped abuse on them and told them how evil they were. Instead, they appealed to the higher authority.

The early church understood that the only point of conflict is when the earthly authorities demanded that the believers do something contrary to God's commands. The church went out of their way to avoid unnecessary conflict. There was no effort to start a political revolution, lobby for legal reforms, or create charity NGOs. In fact, the only charity recorded in the early church was charity to other believers. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with general charities (quite the opposite), but one should recognize the focus in the early church was on preaching to unbelievers and taking care of believers. The difference may seem subtle, but it isn't. Conflict with the government was only if the individual believer was commanded not to do what God told that believer to do. Other than that, believers were to bend over backwards to not offend anyone.

"Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."⁹

"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."¹⁰

Because Paul's first priority was spreading the gospel, he made every effort to conform to the culture he found himself in so that there would be no artificial barriers to people accepting the gospel. How many modern Christians have failed in this respect because their politics are more important than the gospel? In so doing, they have failed in their primary purpose here on earth. They are wheat stalks producing no grain.

Some might ask, but doesn't having the first amendment make it okay for me to speak my political opinion? Yes, it recognizes your legal right to speak your mind on anything. However, should we not be more concerned with using such freedom to spread the gospel than with using it to spread our politics? The issue is a matter of focus. What you speak of most is what is most on your heart. Is it the gospel? Where is your focus? As Jesus said, "For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."¹¹

I find that very convicting.

I'm not saying that there isn't a place for our Christianity in the realm of politics. But we must keep things in perspective. Some people have completely lost connection with our Head, which is Jesus Christ. They believe that they are allowed to break the laws of the land to accomplish their "Christian" or "moral" goals. Some even think that they are allowed to rise up in rebellion. Or they support those who do such things. All modern excuses for disobedience of authorities are simply ways for people to feel better about being rebellious against God.

I have often wondered about the founding of America itself, given that it was done as a rebellion against the authority of England. And yet it was accompanied by the most unlikely series of events which, though individually could be understood as coincidence or luck, together seem explicable only as the Hand of Providence. However a thorough historical analysis of that period would require hundreds of pages and so I will leave that to others. Whatever the beginnings, however, these were long before our time. We live under the current state of things and the scripture is plain.

Let us take a moment to consider the nature of the authority under which, by the foreknowledge and will of God, we Americans are born. The first authority is the Declaration of Independence which indicates the charter of the nation. It contains both positive and negative points: the positive being that God has given us rights and the purpose of government is to protect those rights. The negative being the actions of England that precipitated the founding of the new nation. Since these are the stated purposes both for a valid government and against the wrongful actions of one, it follows that any law or constitution must abide by this charter, following the positive points and avoiding the negative ones. Though not considered a "legal" document, it is nonetheless the bedrock of any legal documents which follow. In fact, such documents can only be understood in light of the Declaration.

The Constitution of the United States, on the other hand, is a legal document that primarily defines the structure of the country's federal government. Note that the term "state" was intentional. Each state was considered a separate political entity rather than a division of a central government. We still use the word in such terms as "a failed state" - indicating a country without a viable government. Each of the states making up the union are essentially their own nation. That is why the we live under a federal government - not a national government. Via the constitution, the states have voluntarily ceded certain powers to the federal government. Among those powers are the power to regulate commerce with other states, to print currency, to declare war, and to regulate foreign trade. Compare this to counties. Unlike states in the union, counties in a state are subdivisions of the state government and have no powers other than those granted by the state government. Each state has its own constitution which defines the details of how that state government operates. The states did not become states in the union until after they had created a constitution. Likewise, the current federal government did not exist until the constitution created it.

Because the state and federal governments were created (and, thus, given power) by their respective constitutions, that means that those governments have no legal or moral power which falls outside of those constitutions. Therefore the governing authority, from a Biblical perspective, is those constitutions. Understanding this is the key to curing the confusion some have about the authority of our government. We live under the authority of the governor, legislature, and courts of the state in which we reside. Those institutions operate with the authority and powers granted them by the state constitution. However, the "supremacy clause" in the federal constitution indicates that federal law supersedes state laws where those laws conflict (and only where they conflict). In turn the federal courts, congress, and the president all operate under the authority and powers granted them by the federal constitution. Finally, God rules over all. Everyone on the planet owes ultimate allegiance to God, though we, and our governments, are in sinful rebellion to one degree or another.

As we have no obligation to obey laws that try to prevent us from living in obedience to God, we have no obligation to live by laws that exercise power not granted to those who try to enforce them. For instance, if the governor of a state were to tell his people to raise arms against the federal government, he would exceed his lawful authority since the laws of the federal government are above the state as the authority of God is above the federal government. Likewise, congress cannot lawfully pass a law that contravenes, or exceeds, the limits set by the constitution. So, one could view it as a hierarchy of authority with God at the top, and local law at the bottom. So long as no lower authority requires you to rebel against a higher authority, you are bound to obey that authority no matter how much you disagree with it, no matter how offensive you find it, and no matter how stupid it may be.

Fortunately for those of us in America, we have the right to speak out against things we disagree with. Even more, we have the ability to influence the government by peaceful protests, lobbying our representatives, and (most importantly) voting for those that we think will more faithfully operate under the powers granted to them and in accordance with our desires. Does the fact that we live in a democracy in any way negate God's sovereignty? No! Even with our choices, God is still in control. Somehow, through our corporate choices, He still appoints each authority. How does such a thing work? I could only speculate. But the scriptures cannot be dismissed, and so we must acknowledge that whatever authority we elect, that God has appointed them. That means that God appointed both Obama and Trump to authority. Perhaps one, or both, were intended as punishment. I don't know and I won't speculate.

One might ask about Hitler who was elected to office in Germany. Surely He couldn't have been appointed by God. If I may paraphrase Martin Luther: if you cannot reconcile the scripture with evil authorities, grant the Holy Spirit the position of knowing more than you. Perhaps Hitler was a punishment for a Germany that had largely abandoned the faith - in fact for a Europe that had done so. We may never know this side of heaven. But one thing we do know from scripture is that all earthly authority is appointed by God.

What, then, do we do about ungodly leaders? Paul tells Timothy, "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."¹²

Intercession is only needed when something wrong is done. When leaders do wrong, we are to intercede with God for them. We are to give thanks for those in authority over us. There is no modification here for "if they are worthy" or "if we agree with them". Why on Earth would we thank God for some of the rulers we have had? I think the answer comes back to the subject of God's sovereignty. If God has placed even a tyrant over us, we should be thankful to God because He is working out His will both in the world and in our lives. Then there is the matter of petitions. What should we be petitioning God about in regard to our leaders? I think part of the answer is given in the phrase following "...that we may...". Our petitions ought to be such that we can live peaceful and quiet lives. That means that we pray that our leaders pass laws which are just and righteous - laws that do not interfere with our living godly in Christ Jesus. Laws which promote freedom to follow God without government interference. We should pray for the safety of our leaders. Death through illness, accident, or assassination would only involve society in upset and clamor. We ought to pray for wisdom and understanding so that our leaders will not make mistakes with regard to the challenges facing them. Most of all, we ought to pray for their souls. I suspect that the majority of our leaders are in need of salvation through Jesus Christ. And those who aren't are in desperate need of the empowering of the Holy Spirit so that they can lead lives worthy of the gospel.

If only believers did the above things, our society and the world would look very different. Yet how are many believers involved? By complaining, by political agitation, by accusation, and by slander.

"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."¹³

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."¹⁴

"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 always to be gentle toward everyone."¹⁵

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."¹⁶

"Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless."¹⁷

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."¹⁸

Do you notice a theme here? What comes out of our mouths, what we post on social media, and what we think in the quiet, ought to be oriented toward encouraging people to righteousness. It should not slander or curse. It should be considerate, peaceable, and gentle. It must not involve hatred or disdain for anyone. Let us again return to the example of the early disciples. Not only did they act respectively even when they refused to obey the leaders, they didn't slander those who had turned Jesus over to the Romans to be killed. When Peter mentions them, he says "Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders."¹⁹. He gives them the benefit of the doubt.

Nowhere are we given even an inkling of involving ourselves in vomiting out political rhetoric or unproven accusations against anyone, much less against those whom God has placed in authority over us. That doesn't mean that we have to believe they are right, to vote for them, to belong to their party, to give uncoerced support to them, or even to like them. We must pray for them. We ought to encourage them to do what is right in the sight of God. But we must never rebel against them.

Now we come to the subject of authority in regard to men and women. But that is a huge topic in itself, so I will address that in the next article.

1 Acts 17:26.
2 Romans 13:1.
3 Romans 13:4.
4 Mark 12:17, Romans 13:6-7.
5 Romans 13:7.
6 Romans 13:2.
7 2 Peter 2:10-11, Jude 1:8-9.
8 2 Peter 2:10-11, Acts 5:29.
9 Hebrews 12:14.
10 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.
11 Matthew 12:37.
12 1 Timothy 2:1-2.
13 Colossians 4:6.
14 Ephesians 4:29.
15 Titus 3:1-2.
16 James 1:19-20.
17 James 1:26.
18 James 3:9-10.
19 Acts 3:17.