Christian Family Principles - Chapter Fourteen

10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484

Christian Family Principles
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1981
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

The Ultimate Authority

Chapter Fourteen

INTRODUCTION: Text * Acts 5:29

I’ve been laying a very heavy stress on authority, a proper chain of command, and the fact that people ought to subject themselves to the God-ordained authority over them. I do not want you to get a warped or mistaken concept of this truth. The Bible is a book designed to give you soundness and balance in life. Every truth is counterbalanced by another truth; not one that contradicts, but one that adds greater light, depth and dimension to initial truth. Many times one great truth will sparkle to you like a rare diamond. That sometimes causes us to forget that the diamond has many other sides, none of which subtract from its beauty, but all of which multiply it. Often times an author addresses himself to one aspect of a great truth. A reader comes along later and decides what the author said is the last word on the great truth. He fails to realize there are many additional aspects of the great truth that the author made no attempt to cover.

So, the Bible talks about authority, and how you should obey the authority over you. It counterbalances that by also talking about corrupt authority, and those occasions when you cannot obey the authority over you. You need to consider this aspect of truth lest you develop a slanted view of God’s chain of command. Thus, we will consider what you should do once the authority over you demands that you do wrong before God. What is said here will not negate what has been already set forth, but will add a new dimension to it. In one sentence, the apostle Peter, under divine inspiration, sets forth a central truth on this subject which ought to guide every one of us. He said in Acts 5:29, "We ought to obey God rather than men."

I. LET US FIRST CONSIDER GOD’S CHAIN OF AUTHORITY THAT SHOULD PREVAIL IN THIS WORLD.

A. There are four basic levels or links in God’s chain of authority.

1. The first level of authority is the home.

a. The children in the home are to obey both parents. Ephesians 6:1 says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right." The children are directly subject to the authority of the parents. Though they are not to obey other adults as carefully as they obey their own parents (parental authority takes precedence over other adult authority), nevertheless, children should respect other people, especially adults. Courtesy and respect, and the showing of it with such terms as "yes sir" and "no sir" is a credit to any child.

b. In the home, the wife is to be subject to the husband, as in Ephesians 5:22, and the husband is to be the head over the wife, as in Ephesians 5:23.

c. So in the home, the chain of authority is husband over wife over children.

d. Grandparents can serve as advisers to the immediate family unit.

2. The second basic link in God’s chain of command is the church.

a. Churches are made up of family members: husbands, wives, children, or single adults with their own home units. These are told with regard to the church, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves," in Hebrews 13:17.

b. Of course, this same verse shows that the person or persons in authority in the church is the elders or pastors. This is why Acts 20:28 calls them "overseers," and I Timothy 5:17 speaks of their ruling well.

c. Pastors in churches have God-given authority over the congregation to "reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine," according to II Timothy 4:2, and even to "rebuke before all," those members who sin, according to I Timothy 5:20.

d. Furthermore, the women are to be subject to the men. I Timothy 2:11 says, "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection."

e. So, in the church, the order of authority is members in subjection to the pastor, and women subject to men.

f. The home is to be subject to the church.

3. The third basic link in God’s chain of authority is the political government.

a. Jesus told all of us to "render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s," in Mark 12:17. Paul wrote to Titus, "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates..." in Titus 3:1. b. Listen to those words from God’s Word in Romans 13:1-7. "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But, if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

c. There is no Biblical way of getting around the fact that it is right and ordained of God that we should try very, very hard to be subject to the political government.

d. The political government has three basic levels in it: local, which is subject to state, which is subject to federal or national government.

e. So, the order of authority thus far is home, subject to church, subject to political authority.

4. The fourth and highest basic link in God’s chain of authority is God.

a. All power is to be subject to His authority. Jesus said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," in Matthew 28:18. His is "a name which is above every name," according to Philippians 2:9.

b. Revelation 19:16 calls Him "King of Kings and Lord of Lords," and obviously His authority is above all other author- ity. Men, women, children, preachers, lawyers, governors, presidents, kings and all others should be in subjection to the laws and government of God.

c. So, you can see the way things should be: homes subject to the church subject to the government subject to God.

B. Where either of these first three authorities does not require you to violate God’s Word you should submit to it.

1. Just not liking the authority over you is not sufficient reason to fail to submit to it. Peter mentioned that they who "despise government" shall be punished in the judgment of God in II Peter 2:9-10:

a. For example, you wives may not like the place nor type house your husband chooses for you, but that is not sufficient reason for rebellion. You boys and girls may not like the fact that your parents don’t approve of your date, but that is not enough reason to go on and date that person anyway. You may not like some of the things your church and pastor do, but so long as there is no scriptural issue involved, you are still to be subject to this authority. You may think your taxes are too high or the speed limit too low, but you are wrong before God to go ahead and violate them.

b. Many people use the flimsiest excuses to justify their failures to submit to God-ordained authority. Very few of these excuses ever involve a scriptural point of right or wrong. Most of them involve some point of personal preference or taste, some like or dislike that has nothing to do with whether or not it is right or wrong. For example, there is a basic difference in the issue of a husband taking you out of church or off to a false one and in his changing to another one that still preaches the truth. The difference is that one asks you to violate what God said in His Word and the other doesn’t. One deals with a scriptural issue, the other with a personal preference.

2. You’d better be extremely careful before you rebel against the authority over you.

a. God said, "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to harken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is an iniquity and idolatry," in I Samuel 15:22-23.

b. One of the charges that is made against the men and women of Romans 1:21-32 is the fact that they were "disobedient to parents," in verse 30, and verse 32 says, " Knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death...." You may remember that the sin that caused the wife Vashti to lose her queenship is that she failed to submit to her husband’s authority over her in Esther 1.

c. Many things your superiors do may seem unfair and even bitter to you, but things of that sort do not free you from God’s obligation that you stay under that authority.

C. Submitting to authority doesn’t mean that you, in a right spirit of peace, can’t try in love to change the person or system in authority over you.

1. One way you can seek to change them over you is by praying for them. I Timothy 2:1-3 says, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior."

2. The Bible specifically mentions that wives stand a great likelihood of changing their husbands for the better if they will conduct themselves honorably and humbly before their husbands. I Peter 3:1 says, "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands: that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives."

3. All of us should constantly let our stand for right be known, according to Matthew 5:16, and when you do, it will shine like a light to all, even those over you, as in Philippians 2:15.

4. You can let those who do wrong above you see a right spirit in you, as was the case of Joseph in Egypt in Genesis 41:38. Too often, when those over us do wrong, we respond with evil or cruelty in return. Instead of changing them for the better, this usually hardens them in the wrong and even escalates it. A right spirit in you will have a powerful influence on the person in authority over you. It’s hard to keep fighting someone who returns good for evil and gives no reason for fighting. You should consider the change that was wrought in King Nebuchadnezzar by what he saw in the three Hebrew children in Daniel 3.

5. Furthermore, you can be vocal to reason and persuade those over you to change their evil way and turn to the thinking of God. Paul was under political government as a prisoner, yet "he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come" with his superiors in Acts 24:25. In fact, every one of us should be careful to never be silent, to stand up for the truth and what is right. The Bible says to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints," in Jude 3. But, our contending should not be with pride, arrogance and a nagging spirit; it should always be with love, gentleness and meekness. Peter said, "But sanctify the Lord in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear," in I Peter 3:15.

6. If your parents are wrong, reason with them in love. If your husband is wrong, don’t leave him; try to convert him in meekness. If your pastor and church are wrong, don’t cut and fight and leave; try to, in the spirit of love and compassion, bring change. If your government is bad, do your best to correct it by peaceful means. The problem with too many of us that results in multiplied complications is that instead of trying with love and understanding, and a good meek spirit, to change those who are wrong over us, we start fighting back, grow belligerent, bitter, rebellious and stubborn. We even go so far as to remove ourselves from under that authority, and in so doing, we jump from the frying pan right into the fire.

7. As a footnote, it can be added that this same principle holds true when dealing with anyone who seeks to offend you, even though they have no authority over you. You should not grow bitter, revengeful and hateful to them, but that doesn’t mean you could or should do nothing. To the contrary, you should, through a right spirit and Godly conduct and conversation, try to reach them for the better.

II. GOD HAS A CHAIN OF AUTHORITY AND EVERYONE SHOULD BE SUBMISSIVE TO HIS PLACE IN IT, AND EVERYONE IN AUTHORITY SHOULD DO RIGHT TO THOSE UNDER THEIR AUTHORITY. BUT, NOT EVERYONE DOES WHAT HE SHOULD, SO GOD HAS ESTABLISHED THE OVERRIDING PRINCIPLE THAT HIS ULTIMATE AUTHORITY MUST ALWAYS TAKE PREEMINENCE OVER ALL AND ANY LESSER AUTHORITY THAT SEEKS TO VIOLATE IT.

A. This is stated clearly in God’s Word.

1. The text says, "We ought to obey God rather than men," in Acts 5:29, and that is just as true today as it was then.

2. When you ask the question of Acts 4:19 which asks, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to harken unto you (men) more than unto God, judge ye," you can only come to the conclusion of Acts 4:20 which says, "we cannot but speak the things which we have heard and seen," which the context will show was the thinking of God.

3. Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness."

4. The first commandment is "thou shalt have no other gods before me," and I Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

5. It seems hard to see, in view of these scriptures, how anyone could ever think any other authority, however strong, should ever triumph or supersede the authority of Almighty God. How could we ever obey anyone else in such a way that would make us disobedient to the authority of God? Surely, what He has said should be of ultimate authority to us, and any time His authority is pitted against some lesser authority, there should be no question that He is right and we should obey Him. The fact is that right lesser authority will never put us in such a position as to have to disobey God. All right authority will always be in harmony with God’s authority.

B. The fact that we must hold God’s authority above all other in areas where there is a conflict is well illustrated in scripture.

1. Exodus 1 tells how the political government of Egypt required the Hebrew midwives to murder all the male Hebrew babies. That was wrong, as God clearly established with Cain and Abel in Genesis 4:8-14. The Hebrew midwives disobeyed the governmental author- ity and obeyed God in Exodus 1:17. The result of this action is that "God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty," in Exodus 1:20.

2. Among the most classic Biblical illustrations is that of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah in Daniel 3. In defiance of God’s Word about not serving or bowing down to idol gods in Exodus 20:3-5, these men were asked by the king to fall down and worship his idol. They refused; they obeyed God rather than man. As a result, they were bound and cast into a seven-times-hotter-than-normal furnace, but God blessed these men for their stand with Him and against the lesser authority over them. He came and protected them from the destruction of that fire in verse 25.

3. Daniel is another case in Daniel 6. When Daniel, who knew of God that he should pray, was told to refrain from praying for thirty days, "Daniel knew the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime," in verse 10. For his defiance of the authority over him, he was cast into a den of hungry lions in verse 16, but God approved and proved it by shutting the mouths of the lions in verse 22.

4. The Jewish officials in Jerusalem commanded the apostles "not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus," in Acts 4:18. But that warning didn’t deter these men in the least, for their Lord had already told them to "go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," in Mark 16:15. They figured no earthly authority had the power to strike down what God had said. They were not the least bit bound to even listen to anybody who told them to do any different than their Lord said do.

C. How true this still remains today.

1. God holds you accountable to the authority over you, but not when that authority seeks to cause you to disobey what God has already said.

2. God’s is the ultimate authority. His trumps all other, and you can only submit yourself to lesser authority when it is in harmony with God’s authority.

3. No wife is obligated to obey her husband who tells her she must quit church. God said don’t do that in Hebrews 10:25. No child is to submit to a parent seeking immoral acts or crimes out of the child. No church member is obligated to follow a preacher who preaches heresy or whose life disqualifies him from the ministry. No citizen is required to obey a government that would require you to shut up talking and preaching about God. No church is required to obey a government that requires the church to join an organization to be recognized as a legitimate church.

4. Yes, earthly authority is good, and more of it is needed in most cases, a thousandfold over these days, but it only extends so far. Once it steps across the boundary and starts to violate what God has said, your obligation to obey that earthly authority in that offence area is null and void. That doesn’t nullify your obligation to continue obedient in all other areas, however.

D. But, before you disobey the earthly authority over you, you’d better be very certain that authority is clearly violating God’s authority.

1. Remember from the beginning of this lesson that God holds you accountable to obey the earthly authority over you in all areas where there is no violation of His authority.

2. Those who do rebel against the earthly authority over them where there is no violation of God’s authority, have the judgment of God impending over them, according to Romans 1:32 and II Peter 2:9-10.

3. God has made His positions clear in the Bible. That’s where you can find out what is right and wrong. That’s where you can find out what God wants. In the Bible God sets forth many direct commandments and many principles of truth.

4. Unless you find that the earthly authority over you is requiring you to violate some command or principle that God has set forth in the Bible, then you’d better submit to that earthly authority. But, if that authority is requiring you to disobey God’s commands or principles, then you’d better disobey that earthly authority.

5. Just as Peter said in Acts 5:29, "We ought to obey God rather than men."

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"