God Appointed Authorities

God is Lord over all. His word tells us that He has appointed levels of human authority, but it is limited. No human authority is free to require what God forbids, or to forbid what God commands. We are bound to respect God-given authority within those bounds. If we don’t, we are rejecting God’s authority to grant human authority.

If you work for a company there are often layers of management. If I was head of the company and appointed someone to be a manager over the work you are hired to do, and you disobey the appointed manager, you are also showing disrespect for me, the top manager that appointed the one you disobeyed (as long as your manager was not telling you to do something contrary to the company’s rules).

God has appointed human civil governments and their right to impose rightful laws.
Their duty is to keep us safe by the enforcement of laws within the bounds of God’s moral commandments. We have a God given right to life and safety, rightly gained possessions, moral productive work, and the use of God given abilities and talents.

Jesus said “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:21 In Romans 13:1 the Apostle Paul said, “… be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you”

God has appointed Ordained Elders to be leaders of His church.
Under God’s guidance the Apostles oversaw the appointment of Elders over the churches. Faithful Elders oversee the appointment of leaders of the churches after the Apostolic time. They are to be leaders and teachers overseeing the lives and worship of those under their care. All their work must be in agreement with God’s word given to us in the Bible. They are bound to be submissive examples of a humble obedience to godly living in repentance and confident faith in the work of our Savior.

Titus 1:5-9, “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you– if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”

God has appointed an authority structure for out family homes.
Husbands are commissioned to manage their homes in a way pleasing to our Lord. They are to love their wives and children putting their real needs above their own personal desires. Their focus should be on guiding those in their homes to live responsible godly lives being aware of God’s unfailing promises and care.

Ephesians 5:23-27 says, “For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” In Ephesians 6:1 the Apostle Paul says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this ir right.”

God has appointed an authority structure for the workplace.
Managers lead in the workplace. Workers must honor their rightful job descriptions. Both should show respect for one another and do their work well for God’s glory.

Titus 2:9-10 says, “Servants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”

The word “servants” is often translated as “slaves, bondservants” and similar terms. The original Geeek word is “doulos” (δουλσς). Using that same word God’s word says that we are servants of Christ (Philippians 1:1). It refers to those under the authority of others to carry out their instructions within the bounds of what God commands. All in the workplace should always show lives transformed by God’s Amazing Grace in all they do as they work for their human overseers.

In each of these areas in our lives our duty is to respect and obey the authorities God appointed to direct us as long as they don’t ask us to violate God’s own authority and commandments. They can’t ask us to do things God says we shouldn’t do, or to keep from doing what God calls us to do.

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