MEANING TO MEDITATE TO CONFORM: “AUTHORITY” 

This series of blogs on “MEANING TO MEDITATE TO CONFORM” is our invitation to you to come along and slowly think through these words so that we conform to the nature and character of God.  We will present a word each week to meditate on and conform our hearts. 

WORLD DEFINITION 

Authority is tied to power and the right to give orders.  It is also tied to obedience, decision-making, influence, and even control to some degree.  It is not only a political term, but is heavily used with regard to laws, political office, and government employees. 

Authority can be used for good or for ill; meaning power can be used for good purposes or bad purposes.  The motivation of the authority bends the influence to either side of the spectrum. 

Actions 
Underlings 
Tiers 
Honor 
Obedience 
Respect 
Influence 
Tyranny 
Yield 

A normal view is that an order is put in place and it is to be followed.  Everything is set up this way unless you are an anarchist… who is only an anarchist until they remove who is above them and then they take over. 

CHURCH/FOLK DEFINITION 

In churches in general, the Bible is seen as authoritative, though this is waning as time passes.  Authority with some churches also rests with creeds, church traditions, denominational decisions, the writings of particular Christians or church offices, and even the opinions/ teachings of people in certain roles in the church such as pastors.   

A normal view by Christians of authority in the world is that authority is given by God and the order should be respected even if the individual/organization is not worthy of respect.  All of the above authority mentioned is derived from God and the Word (what He says and directs).  Others confuse church-authority as given by God and elevate Church over the Word.  This creates confusion among different flavors of Christians. 

Sin creates authority confusion because of the influence of Satan away from God’s authority.  Even in the Garden of Eden, Satan twisted the authority of God to fit his own ends and created a system where the created took authority reserved for the Creator (the Source Authority) who wanted to extend authority through us.   

The world has a plethora of influences (authority).  God’s authority leads to truth and life.  All other sources of authority lead to experiences that end terribly in sin.  We are born into a world where we choose between good and evil and we are deciding what is authoritative. 

BIBLE/THEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE 

Authority is in the Word.  From the start, God spoke to Adam and Eve what the revelatory truth about existing meant… His authority.  His authority is manifest best through those who will extend God’s will on Earth by obeying His Word, rather than heirarchy of lords ruling by force.  Without God, all that is left is force. 

Authority rests in God’s Word or mob rule. 

Authority comes from God or from the consensus of sinful experts. 

God’s established order of authority is a relationship of love and submission.  God is the greatest Being and the One Who serves all.  God is the ultimate Creator and Influencer. 

The disciple of Christ looks like a family member with the interest of God’s kingdom in mind and so exercising God’s Word on earth.  We follow His lead.  We follow His order.  We recognize He is the Source and He is Lord.  A disciple follows that lead.  The Church and thereby humanity should then be family-based reflecting the authoritative order God set up.   

Therefore, the Bible teaches that no person should walk in authority of which they don’t have the fruit of obedience according to God’s Word.  We may sin in the midst of authority, but the basic truth about God remains. 

We must always remember authority in terms of Christ’s Kingdom order. The servant is king.  Christ is the greatest servant. All others follow according to role and integrity.  Their role in the authority is based upon integrity as representatives of God (not just ‘know how’).  The hierarchy should reflect God’s character because life is based in Christ’s gift. Their place in the kingdom order is based in their deeds and maturity. 

MEANING 

Authority is influence and is derived only from God for He is the ‘source’ of all authority.  By ‘source,’ we mean that with God rests all headship over humanity and all Creation and thereby God has ultimate authority and sovereignty over all things in Heaven, on Earth, and under the Earth.  He is where everything begins and He creates the spectrum on which all authority derives.   

This series of blogs on “MEANING TO MEDITATE TO CONFORM” is our invitation to you to come along and slowly think through these words so that we conform to the nature and character of God.  We will present a word each week to meditate on and conform our hearts.