Being an Internet Marketer, I try to name each article to match how I think people would be searching for the subject matter I write about. I have a variety of tools that pull this information from search engines and server logs. I won’t bore you with the details (I save that for my wife ; ) but I can tell you that nobody is looking for anything close to “Submitting to Authority.”

That isn’t too big of a surprise, especially in the American culture of “Live Free or Die,” or the more recent corporate slogan “Have it Your Way“.

I was reading 1 Corinthians 15:27-28 the other day

1 Corinthians 15:27-28 (ESV)
27For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.
28When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

The overall chain of command goes

God -> Jesus -> Us -> Angels

Of course within the “Us” it breaks down further. Within the realm of government and work God laid out

Ruler (or Boss) -> Subject (or Employee)

I can’t really think of an absolute ruler, because everyone seems to be subject to someone else, so I suppose the chain probably resembles more of a web that is wrapped in a circle. What do you think? Can you think of anyone who is not subject to anyone else?

Jesus goes along with the plan happily. Satan did not. Submission to authority breaks down that simply for us.

God sets the chain of command on this planet whether we agree with it or not. He tells us flat out to obey. This may seem crazy to those who do not know the Lord (and to those that do), but God tells us he has it all under control. God didn’t have to do this, but He also gives us a promise of reward for obeying his command in this area.

Failure to obey authority through pride is not an obsure occurrence. I have struggled with this in nearly every job I ever had - how about you? Ever think that your boss - heck, the whole board of directors wouldn’t know their head from a hole in the ground? I have been there and I can tell you that this is nothing to joke about. These thoughts are from nowhere else but from the pits of Hell themselves. While the basis for these thoughts may be factual, there is a time and place within God’s timing for the truth to be revealed.

In some cases, people just will not accept the truth. It is not our job to force the issue. The Apostles encountered this when preaching the Gospel. Jesus told them in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke that “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.” Matthew 10:14 (NIV)

If I can go through one week without making some “know-it-all” comment about the government, my employer/client, parents, or anyone else in authority I’ll stop talking about this. If we do not recognize places in our life where we are disobeying God through pride, God will point it out for us. I guarantee, we would rather take care of it ourselves.

Categories: Living for Christ
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