Some Thoughts About Authority
In any discussion of disobedience one must include the concept of authority. For someone to be disobedient, they must first be subject to that which they are going to disregard. This is an interesting concept as we will see in the following examples:
15 year old Joey is at the park and decides that it will be fun to throw some stones at the wall of one of the park buildings. 40 year old Bob (who has never met Joey before) sees Joey throwing stones at the building and tells Joey to quit throwing stones at the building. Joey replies "You are not my father, you can't tell me what to do" and continues throwing stones at the building. Regardless of what happens next in this situation Joey has at this point rejected Bob as having any authority over him.
Bob might use his cell phone to call the police, and it is quite likely that if Joey sees Bob using his phone, he will stop throwing rocks and run away. In this scenario, Joey still doesn't recognize Bob as having any authority over him, but he does acknowledge that what he is doing is wrong. Joey knows that if the police see him throwing rocks at the building he will get in trouble. Joey acknowledges the authority of the police.
Joey also knows that the police will likely contact his parents and Joey also acknowledges his parents authority over him.
Two sets of rules are in play here, the first are the rules of Joey's parents which might be better identified as parental guidelines defining basic right and wrong, Joey knows he is supposed to be "good". The second set of rules are those of the civil authority, the actual ordinance or statute that prohibits the action of vandalism or property destruction.
Joey's parents attempt to teach their children "right" from "wrong", not only to maintain order within their home, but also because the civil authority requires obedience to maintain order in society.
These government established and enforced rules are all that keeps society from total anarchy. History has proven time and time again that rules must be present and be enforced for order to be maintained.
Now back to our example. Lets imagine that Joey saw Bob on the phone calling the police and continued to throw stones against the building even after the police arrived. lmagine that Joey rejects the authority of the police when they tell him to stop throwing the stones against the building. Imagine that he struggles and becomes belligerent when the police grab him, handcuff him and place him in the squad. Imagine that he maintains throughout all these events that the police have no authority over him because they are not his parents.
In this scenario, Joey continues to reject the idea that the police have authority over him, but his perception of whether the police have authority over him is not the governing factor. The law is.
What if Joey's parents refused to accept the authority of the police, or the judge, or the court? Does that make the police, judge and court ineffective or null because the parents refuse to accept those authorities? Obviously not.
Which leads us to the ridiculousness of people assuming that everything around us was created by chance, and that there are no rules which have been established by a God that has created all things, and that we can live our lives however we want without fear of judgment or punishment for our violation or disregard for those laws.
Romans 1:18-23 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. (NET)
In other words God clearly states that His wrath will be against ALL those who deny His existence and His power (ultimately His authority). Against those persisting in ungodliness and unrighteousness, denying (suppressing) the truth (of His word). Such people are without excuse, will become futile in their thoughts and their hearts darkened. Although claiming to be wise, become fools and instead of worshipping God they worship material things.
Scripture confirms there will always be many on the path to destruction and few on the path to life (Matthew 7:13,14). Unfortunately, Romans 1:18-23 is not talking about a small percentage of people, but rather a large percentage of people who will deny God as the creator of all things and our ultimate authority.
If today's blog leaves you concerned about which path you are on, pray to God that He might give you eyes to see and ears to hear, that He might take your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh, that He may open your eyes to the truth and grant you the repentance that leads to life.
Acts 11:17,18 Therefore if God gave them the same gift as he also gave us after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder God?” When they heard this, they ceased their objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance that leads to life even to the Gentiles.”
Until next time - May God bless you richly.
The NET Bible® is freely available at www.bible.org