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Help for wives who find submitting to their husbands is a big challenge…

 

 

 

 

 

Being under authority is a challenge for all of us. Honoring, respecting, supporting and following those God has put in authority over us requires humility and faith in God’s ability to watch over us.

There are a couple of main reasons why it may be difficult for us to be “under” authority. First, we are all born with a predisposition to resent when anyone, including God, tells us what to do. We think that being subordinate makes us inferior, which is an affront to our personal sense of worth and dignity. Secondly, following another human being exposes us to potential harm, especially if that person is seriously flawed in his or her capabilities, motivation, or judgment. It is no wonder, then, that many wives resent, resist, and sometimes refuse their God-given role of being in submission to their husbands, especially if he fails to value or listen to her, even though she may be the more capable or wiser of the two.

How to Conquer the Inborn Rebellion Problem

Our resentment of anyone having authority over us goes back to the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve attempted to throw off God’s rule in their lives through direct disobedience to a clear command. God created humans to reproduce who and what they are in their offspring. We inherit both good and bad. Since that time, thanks to this inherited predisposition to rebellion, sometimes called the “old man” or the “flesh,” we naturally tend to resist or rebel against authority.

When Jesus arrived on planet earth, he came as the “second Adam” to undo the curse of sin and restore humanity back to a right relationship with God (under his authority and blessing).

The Gospel calls us to voluntarily submit ourselves to God again by coming under the authority of Jesus the Lord.

People usually only do this when they become aware of the futility of trying to live independently from God’s life and blessings. Repentance means we cease from trying to direct our own lives and yield to God.

For wives, or any of us, to flourish in a subordinate role, whether in the home, at work, in the church, in the community, or at school, we must first come under the authority of Christ. With respect to him, we are all subordinates.

It is vital for us to see that subordinating ourselves to human authority, wherever it exists, is a form of yielding to Christ, because all authority ultimately derives from him.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1 (ESV)

This requires us to embrace the doctrine of God’s sovereignty.

It is only when we come to believe that God is well able to handle everything in life that we gain the ability to trust him to take care of us as we submit to imperfect people.

We can trust that God is able to deal effectively with leaders and those in authority as needed and come to our defense when necessary. In other words, when a wife voluntarily subordinates herself to her husband’s headship, she does so with the understanding that ultimately she is subordinating herself to God, who has promised to be her defender and keeper and who will “deal with” her husband, should he “get out of line.”

Therefore, the ability to be under a husband’s authority is directly linked to the choice to come under Christ’s authority.

How to Win against Resentment

People resent being mistreated and devalued. Because of our sin nature, those in authority sometimes abuse their position or role, perhaps without even intending to do so. It just comes “naturally.” Whether we are “in” authority or “under” authority, we often read too much into the roles God has given us, imagining that they confer some sort of inherent value to us. Those who have been given headship frequently think it makes them superior to those whom they govern. Conversely sometimes people under authority wrongly see themselves as being inferior. An air of superiority is difficult, if not impossible, to hide (except from ourselves), and it rankles those who are asked to subordinate themselves to us. We are all fallible humans in desperate need of a Savior and accountable to God for everything we do, whether we are the “top dog” or the lowest “peon.”

In marriage,  a wife may resent her husband’s headship, if he abuses it to devalue or dominate her, both of which communicate an attitude of superiority on his part.

On the other hand, the husband may treat his wife with the utmost honor, but she still may feel resentment because she does not like being under authority, period. Whatever the reason, if a wife resents her husband, it will make it very difficult for her to properly fulfill her subordinate role in the marriage or show respect to him, which is a primary responsibility toward her husband.

However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:33 (ESV)

Resenting and disrespecting our husbands is a sin problem.

Resentment springs from a hardened heart and is a form of bitterness, one of the most serious sins we all must combat. Disrespect toward our husbands is a form of disrespect toward God, since husbands represent Christ in the marriage.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23  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. 24  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Ephesians 5:22-24 (ESV)

Therefore, repentance is our first priority when we struggle with resentment and disrespect.

Unconditional Respect

Even when husbands fail to lead properly, they “deserve” to be respected simply because of the headship principle. Respect, in this case, is not earned but freely given because it is the right thing. We might call it “unconditional respect.”

Most people accept the idea of unconditional love, but fewer understand unconditional respect, which is a cornerstone of being properly subordinate.

In the military, soldiers are trained to respect and obey any officer who commands them, whether or not they like him or her, or even if they think he or she is incompetent. There are proper channels for getting relief when officers are terrible, but mutiny is never an acceptable option. The same is true in a marriage. Wives should respect their husbands as “unto Christ,” simply because they represent Christ’s authority. (Ephesians 5:22) Should a wife be subjected to unacceptable treatment by her husband, if she is in a local church, she can turn to the pastor and elders to come to her defense, while maintaining a proper attitude of respect toward her husband.

Being respectful toward “undeserving” authorities is one of the greatest tests any of us may face.

Husbands are to unconditionally love their wives, as Christ loves the church, and wives are to unconditionally respect their husbands, as the church respects and obeys Christ. In both cases, Christ is our example and the one who empowers us to be obedient. He was unconditionally obedient to the Father and unconditionally laid down his life for those who were then his enemies.

If the husband unconditionally loves, values, and dignifies his wife, it will be much easier for her to respect and obey her husband.

Resentment tends to disappear when the husband properly loves his wife.

Subordination Is Not Passivity

But sometimes loving husbands are not as smart or competent as their wives. How can a wife avoid resenting being under the headship of such a man? She may imagine that God wants her to be passive, a kind of “doormat” who has nothing to offer and who gets run over continually. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Passivity is a warped and dysfunctional form of submission. To drop out of the “game” by simply “going along for the ride” is lazy and cowardly, and not God honoring or truly supportive of the husband.

Being subordinate requires us to do everything in our power to work for the success of our superiors. Sometimes this requires us to firmly voice our opposition to their position or pending decisions, before the course is firmly set.  Good leaders want those under their authority to present points of view different from their own, because no one has the complete picture or has all wisdom. But once a decision is made, leaders expect those under their authority to lend their support.

Wives should clearly share their (differing, opposing, or confirming) points of view with their husbands. Wise husbands will listen and act, with proper consideration of their wives’ input.

Wise husbands will also delegate significant decision making ability to their wives in the areas where they have strength and expertise.

When husbands do this, it benefits everyone and helps wives feel their worth. Working together as a team builds unity and is God honoring. If a wife is married to a man of abilities that are inferior to hers in some areas, she should ask God and her husband for ways to use those abilities in support of her husband’s leadership. If he is uncooperative or defensive, it may require prayer and patience, and maybe even some counseling.

Conclusion

It takes faith and humility to lead and to follow. Whether we have been assigned a headship role or a subordinate one, functioning in a way that brings glory to God, requires us to keep our eyes on him and rely on the help of the indwelling Spirit. We husbands must examine our hearts continually, asking the Spirit to show us how to properly love, honor, dignify, protect, support, lead, and provide for our wives. Wives should ask the Spirit’s help in respecting, honoring, supporting, loving, and making their husbands successful in God’s sight.

God is most glorified when husbands and wives truly love and honor one another and work as a complementary team to advance God’s kingdom.

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Why some husbands refuse or abuse being the head of the family…

 

 

 

 

 

God made husbands the head in the marriage. They are the most responsible for the well-being of the family and the most culpable if things go wrong. Because some men are afraid of or resent that role because of the pressure and work attached to it, they “abdicate the throne,” leaving the family directionless, unprotected, and floundering spiritually and in other ways. Wives of such men can either accept their passive approach to headship or take matters into their own hands. In many households, the wife takes the reins to keep the family from self-destructing. Rather than watch their families “go down the tubes,” they become the functional head of the family, which may suit the husband fine, apparently getting him off the hook. This is never good for the husband’s psyche or the respect factor in the marriage.

Apparently, Adam was such an abdicator. The picture of what happened during the temptation in the garden shows Eve taking the initiative and Adam silently going along. Adam was the person God commanded not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He communicated the order to Eve, but either he misstated it or she misunderstood it, because the version she related to the snake was incorrect. So, right there, we see a breakdown of the proper functioning of headship.

  • Adam failed to properly instruct his wife.
  • Secondly, he left her unprotected from the snake’s temptation. Why did he not step in and tell the serpent to leave his wife alone?
  • Thirdly, he did not resist Eve when she offered him the fruit. He passively went along, allowing her to lead him down the path to destruction.

The flip side of abdication is abuse. Many men relish being in charge and greedily grab the privileges and power associated with being the head in order to get their own way. Instead of serving their families, they domineer, intimidate, and use them.

What This Does to Wives

Abdication and abuse are both examples of a failure to properly serve and promote insecurity and resentment in the family. Not surprising this tends to damage a wife’s ability to respect and follow her husband.

(Of course, women do not have to respond in such a negative way. We are not victims of other people’s behavior, even though we are influenced by it.)

Some wives of passive men may sink into fear, insecurity, and a sense of powerlessness. Those with a stronger personality will take to themselves what their husbands lay down. Plenty of families are led by strong women married to passive men. Taken to the extreme, wives can become domineering and abusive in their own right and very much out of God’s order.

Wives of domineering men, may fight back or become victims. Either way, respect is damaged and love harmed. Smoldering resentment, unless released through forgiveness, can rip the marriage apart.

What Can Be Done?

Husbands who have run from their responsibilities, whether they have an aggressive “leadership” personality or not, must “step up to the plate” and accept the responsibility for leading, providing for, protecting, and teaching their families. Husbands who have selfishly abused headship must repent of seeking their own agenda at the expense of the well-being of the wife and children.

Headship, according to Jesus is servant leadership. Jesus laid down his life for his “wife,” the church. We husbands are to do the same for our wives and families.

For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, Ephesians 5:23-25 (NASB)

God will help us to overcome our fears and self-centeredness. He always gives grace to help us do what he commands. If it is scary to lead, be assured that it is scary for our wives and family to follow us, too. If it is difficult to humble ourselves to serve our family instead of dominate them, we can be certain that it takes great humility to follow another person’s lead, too.

Whether we lead or follow, it takes faith and humility.

Husbands must also realize that leading does not mean that they must do everything. Good leaders know how to delegate. Our wives may have abilities in various areas that surpass ours.

A wise leader delegates without relinquishing overall responsibility.

Those of us who tend toward being domineering must learn to put others first and become servants. Serving others is not a sign of weakness. Jesus was the greatest servant of all, but he is unquestionably the Lord of lords.

What Assuming Proper Headship Can Mean for our Wives

Even strong women appreciate husbands who step up and lead. Less strong wives may appreciate it even more. However, when a wife has operated as the functioning head of the family for a long time, it may be quite difficult to let go and trust the husband to assume his proper place. God’s grace will be needed.

Husbands who act as servant leaders and provide proper headship for their wives and families help create a safe atmosphere of security, love, and peace in their families. This removes pressure from the wife that God never intended for her to carry. What a relief!

Proper headship erects a barrier against satanic temptation and attack. Proper leadership gives good instruction and guidance, helping to insure that children have every advantage in life. There are no negatives to husbands being loving and humble servant leaders to their families.

Prayer for Husbands Who Want to Lead Properly

Lord, Jesus, please forgive me for failing to lead my family as I should. I trust you to help me be the leader, provider, protector, teacher, guide, and keeper of my family. I understand that you are all those things for me. It gives you pleasure to help me represent you to those I love. Help me to lovingly serve my wife and children. Help me to be an example of a disciple and show them how to follow you for themselves. Help me to be lovingly firm, when I need to be, and flexible, when that is more appropriate. Help me to be patient with them as they adjust to the “new me.” Amen.

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Are you willing to play a role or must you be the director?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shakespeare penned this memorable words:

All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts… (As You Like It – Act 2, Scene 7)

The author of a play creates the characters and plot, scripts the lines, and decides how it begins and ends. The director decides who plays what role and tells them to some degree how to act. Those who play the roles must be willing to act according to how the play was written under the oversight of the director. If they play the role well, the observer  might even conclude that they are actually that person in real life, but they would be wrong. The role is quite different from the true identity of the actor or actress, but there may be some overlap. The success of the play largely depends on how well the actors play their roles. Those who are great at role playing may become quite wealthy.

Life is like that. God wrote and directs the “play,” created the set (the world) and the characters (us), and assigned everyone roles to play. How willingly and well we accept our God-given roles in life will greatly influence our success here, during our short stay on planet earth. It will also determine in large measure our eternal reward. But just as with a play or movie, the role we play does not define our true identity. It’s just a temporary role.

Roles Do Not Define Us

What defines us? Our gender? Age? Politics? Religious beliefs? Our position (role) in government, at work, at church, or in the home? All of this contributes to an overall picture of who we are as individuals, but none of these things truly define us.

At our core, we are spiritual beings, who can only be defined by God, since he is our Creator, and, hopefully for you and me, our Redeemer.

God breathed spirit into Adam’s body, and he became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7) Our bodies are what people see, our souls or personalities are what we present to other people as the real “us,” but God knows us at a still deeper level in the spirit.

For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:11 (ESV)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he ushered in a new reality, which becomes our reality, at least in seed form, when we are “born again” by the Spirit of God. Our true identity becomes linked to Christ as a result of our being joined or “one” with him.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

Believers in Christ are not defined by their sins, defects, failures, or past. They are identified with the new resurrection reality called the “new creation.” (2 Corinthians 5:16-17) At the resurrection of the dead, when we fully experience this new reality, things that now tend to define and separate us from each other will be obliterated, as Paul so eloquently wrote long ago.

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29  And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:26-29 (NASB)

Let’s Get Practical

Nevertheless, we still live in a world that has not yet fully come into this resurrection reality; although we can experience it in part. There are still Jewish people and Gentiles, slaves and free in some areas of the world (bosses and employees where we live), and male and female. As much as many moderns wish to obliterate gender differences, they still are very much part of everyday life and reality, down to the chromosomal level.

Our resurrection reality is in the spirit, but we still live in a fallen world, where body and soul differences are extremely important and consequential. Even those who are born again and are new spiritual creations must navigate a world and relationships in which outer distinctions greatly affect us.

Men and women have very different bodies with unique functions and abilities. Only a woman can conceive, carry, and give birth to a child. Only a man can be a father. Like it or not, our gender somewhat defines our roles in life, at least when it comes to having children and those things that requires great physical strength.

Gender specific roles are similar to parts in a play. The better we play our assigned role, the more faithful we will reflect the author’s intent. The roles God has given us in life do not define us at a core level, but we must play the part God assigned us.

These roles in marriage are, for the man, headship, and, for the woman, submission. Don’t be scared off by these two words. I believe I will be able to show you why these two roles can be beautifully beneficial, fulfilling, and God glorifying, as long as we understand they are only temporary roles.

Why Our God-given Roles Are Abused and Resented

To understand the fundamental problem many people have with headship and submission, we must go back to the beginning. When Adam and Eve were tempted in the Garden of Eden, the devil accused God of not having their best interests at heart when he forbade them from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Ever since, humanity tends to distrust God and rebel against his commands. It brought death and destruction then. Why would we think ignoring or disobeying his commands will produce a better result today?

When humanity plunged off the cliff into self-directing our lives instead of relying upon God to do it, our personalities, society, culture, and even the rest of the creation were distorted from God’s original design and intent. God created husbands to lead and operate in a servant form of headship, but that has been twisted into selfishly motivated domination. Wives were created to come alongside their husbands as complementary companions, under the husband’s loving and benevolent headship, but because of his selfishness or, in some cases, abandonment of his leadership responsibilities, wives have become distrustful, bitter, and rebellious against their husbands’ leadership. In addition, women are sinfully and rebelliously disinclined to follow their husbands, even when they to do things God’s way. What a mess!

But God has a better plan. He wants husbands and wives to accept his marriage plan, follow the Bible’s teachings, and allow the Holy Spirit to do  his “inside job” in our lives, so that our marriages can reflect his benevolent intent.

God wants us to be role players, not the director of the play.

The next two articles will develop this idea from the perspectives of the husband and the wife.

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Three Is Better than Two

 

 

 

 

 

Once we agree that marriage is a serious covenant commitment to remain faithful to our spouses until death, we need to understand that God never expected for us to be able to keep this commitment simply by relying on our own resources. We were not created to go it alone. This article will examine how the Holy Spirit works inside followers of Christ to enable us to be better marriage partners. If we put our faith in Jesus Christ and make him the center of the marriage, he promises to help us to love and be faithful to each other.

Being a disciple of Christ is a very important element to having a happy and lasting marriage.

The Christian’s Greatest Secret

Many who call themselves believers in Christ have not yet discovered what is perhaps the greatest secret of the Christian life. Jesus died for our sins, so that we can be forgiven and restored to a right relationship with God our Father, but the blessing does not stop there. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to indwell those who pledge allegiance to him.

What makes the New Covenant so radically different from the Law or any religious or self-help system is that, when we are born again, the Holy Spirit joins to our spirits and begins to live God’s life through us. (1 Corinthians 6:17)

He transforms us within as we learn to rely on and cooperate with him each day. Christianity is a partnership with God’s Spirit, a dance with an invisible partner, a drawing of life from the vine of which we are branches.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5  “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5 (NLT)

Being “Equally Yoked”

What does this mean for a Christian marriage? If a man and a woman want to marry, one of the first questions that should be asked is whether or not both of them are committed to following Christ and his teachings. If not, the Bible calls this being “unequally yoked,” which is a bad idea. Oxen were paired in a yoke to pull heavy loads. Unless they pulled together, things did not work well. Unless a husband and wife are on the same team spiritually, the marriage is headed for trouble.

Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15  What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (NLT)

Marriage is the ultimate sharing of life, and if both parties are not unified in their dedication as disciples, it will be frustrating down the road. It is not recommended to marry someone who is not committed to following Christ.

However, if both partners are committed to serving the Lord, they have a basis for building a strong, lasting, and fulfilling marriage. The things that make a good disciple also make a good spouse.

This is because both will be committed to three things.

  1. Putting Christ’s teachings into practice. This means they will love truth, practice the “Golden Rule,” be quick to forgive, honest, patient, faithful, etc., which are character qualities pursued by those who are Christ’s followers and which the Holy Spirit develops within us.
  2. Allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us. The Spirit points out to us when we need to repent and ask forgiveness. He changes our desires from within, transforming us into people who make better marriage partners, people who love, put others first, are unselfish, etc. He teaches us what we need to know and reminds us about what the Bible teaches.
  3. Living in the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord constrains us from pursuing foolish and self-centered agendas that would violate the marriage covenant and Christ’s teachings.

A Threefold Cord

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11  Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12  And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV)

Solomon’s words have much to say about marriage. It is better to be married than be alone, but, having Christ woven into the marriage is the best of all.

Making our Lord the center of our marriage makes it very strong. Two is good, but three is better.

Application

If we are already a committed follower of Christ and are married to one, it is a good thing to reaffirm with our spouses our joint commitment to Christ, his teachings, and to our marriages. We can ask the Holy Spirit to bind us together in marriage as he works in each of us individually.

For anyone who is not yet a follower of Christ, what is stopping you from becoming one now? It simply requires your acknowledgement that you are no longer willing to be an independent operator. Surrender your life to Christ as the Good Shepherd. Let him run things from now on. Ask him to forgive your past sins and restore you to a right relationship with Father God. Ask him to send the Holy Spirit to live inside you and change you from the inside out. (Here is a sample prayer.)

What if you are committed to Christ, but your spouse is not? Ask God to open his or her eyes to the gospel. Pray, share your testimony, love him or her in a way that helps them understand how much God loves them. Be patient. Trust the Lord to work in them, even if it takes a long time. Never give up.

Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you? 17  Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches. 1 Corinthians 7:16-17 (NLT)
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Commitment – An Important Key to Happiness

 

 

 

 

 

About half of all marriages end in divorce. No wonder many opt simply to live together, just in the likely case things don’t work out. However, choosing against marriage also carries a heavy price tag, which I covered in my first article in this series entitled, Why Do People Hate Marriage.” A good marriage is something to be desired, and it is attainable. God created marriage to provide companionship, children, societal stability, and many other blessings. This article will give you a simple key that will help you build a happy and lasting marriage. Simple is not always easy, but what worth having comes easily?

Marriage Is a Covenant

It’s hard to build something as complex as a good marriage, when no plans or instructions are available. Those of us who come from broken families have an even more difficult time because we have not seen a good marriage modeled. What we see on TV and in the movies is not always conducive to building a strong marriage either. Where can we find a good model or trustworthy instructions? The Bible is a great place to start.

The Bible says that marriage is first of all a covenant of companionship.

The marriage covenant is a vow made before God and human witnesses that we will be faithful until death to our spouses, forsaking all other competitors for our love. In our culture, rings are usually exchanged to remind us of our vow and to provide visible evidence to everyone else of our having made this commitment. Breaking the vow through adultery, abandonment,  abuse, or divorce carries a serious consequence, which is spiritual, psychological, social, and financial. This is how it should be.

Divorce ought to be costly, because it tears apart something God put together.

Jesus taught the following:

And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4  He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5  and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6  So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7  They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8  He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9  And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” Matthew 19:3-9 (ESV)

Marriage is not a simple agreement, which can be easily amended or canceled. It is not a business contract; even though some approach it that way. It is a covenant before God and witnesses that we will be faithful until death.

In the Old Testament a covenant was a solemn promise in which blood was usually shed. It also usually had some sort of seal or token of the commitment. Violation of the covenant carried a stiff penalty. A good example is the covenant God made with Abraham. The Lord instructed him to kill animals and split them in half, placing the divided halves on the ground with a space between them. Normally both covenant parties would walk between these portions with the understanding that violating the covenant invited punishment equivalent to what happened to the animals. In Abraham’s case, God alone walked through the carcasses, taking upon himself unilateral responsibility to keep his covenant promises to Abraham. The sign of the covenant was circumcision. Abraham had a permanent reminder in his body of the covenant between him and God.

Marriage is a bilateral covenant. Both parties take on the responsibility to be faithful. The sign of the covenant is the ring. Covenants are no light thing.

Since marriage is a covenant made before God, we will answer to him for how well we uphold our end of the deal. We will also be rewarded by him for keeping our vows.

The Importance of Keeping Our Word

In today’s world, many people have little or no fear of God or of being judged by him at the end of time. Nevertheless, every one of us will give our Lord Jesus Christ an account for our lives and whether or not we have been faithful to him and to our word. Keeping promises is very big on God’s list of priorities. He is a promise keeper and expects us to do the same.

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Numbers 23:19 (ESV)

Faithfulness means we keep allegiance to God, first of all, and to our promises secondly. Those who maintain faithfulness will be rewarded by God.

Many in our culture place personal happiness at the very top of their list of values. I have known people who justified divorcing their spouses because they insisted that God wanted them to be happy, which was not possible while they were married to their then current spouse.

God does care about our happiness, but he values our faithfulness to our promises even more. Happiness is a temporary thing, but faithfulness carries an eternal reward.

When we make a covenant promise to our spouse at marriage, keeping it becomes one of the most important issues in life, even more important than having a spouse who fulfills our desire for personal happiness.

I am sure I just lost some of you, but consider that being faithful carries its own brand of happiness, which will never fade and which we will carry with us to judgment, where we will hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21) In other words, once we get over the need to pursue our own pleasure and determine to keep our word no matter what, God will make sure we experience plenty of happiness, but not the superficial kind. We will know the deep satisfaction of loving someone unconditionally, just as God loves us. We will find the joy of loving someone despite his or her faults, shortcomings, and sins, just as God does for us. I am sure it was absolutely no fun whatsoever for Jesus to be nailed to a cross, but his faithfulness to God and us enabled him to endure the shame and pain because he understood that on the other side of that suffering was something indescribably valuable.

Understanding the importance of being faithful until death will help us to enter marriage with the proper sense of gravity and give us a reason to persevere when things get tough.

Remember: at the altar, we vow to be faithful until death, not until something or someone better comes along.

In summary, knowing and embracing that marriage is a covenant before God to remain faithful for life to our spouse is an important key to building a strong marriage. Making this commitment up front will preserve us from ever considering that divorce is an option, barring adultery, abandonment, or abuse, and even then there may be hope for reconciliation.

Making the commitment to keep our covenant promises is a huge key to the happiness that comes from building a lasting and strong marriage.

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Why Do People Hate Marriage?

 

 

 

 

 

Why is marriage such a controversial topic? Is it an outdated man-made contrivance that we should discard, or is it a God-given protection and blessing? The assault on traditional marriage by many in power today is spiritual warfare and an attempt to undermine God’s benevolent rule. Those who reject marriage reject God’s plan and the inherent blessings attached. We are sowing the wind and will reap the whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7)

The Naturalistic Worldview and Marriage

One prevalent modern way of interpreting reality is through the lens of the naturalistic worldview, which conjectures that there is no God, no Creator, and no being outside of ourselves to whom people are ultimately accountable. According to this viewpoint, life is strictly biologically mechanistic, having no spiritual component. We are sentient beings that randomly evolved from unconscious and uncaring matter of an unknown origin. This worldview allows for no sort of conscious creation or involvement by an outside intelligent force or being.

In this way of seeing the world, all morality, laws, and values are human constructs that can be altered or abolished at will. There is no ultimate test for what is right or wrong. All that we have are socially accepted norms enforced by those in power.

The West is increasingly embracing this way of looking at life, which is fueling our drift away from traditional marriage values, which derive from the ancient Judaeo-Christian ethic and tradition.

Under the naturalistic worldview, marriage is a primitive social contrivance, perhaps needed in an age when women were unable to fend for themselves and were more at risk. It is not needed today when women have been empowered by society to forge their own destinies and compete on an equal footing with men.

According to this worldview, the institution of marriage can be tinkered with or even abolished, according to the whims or preferences of whoever is in power politically, without any fear of repercussions coming from a Supreme Being. Man is evolving and so should society and its laws.

Marriage may be viewed by naturalists as limiting people and against “nature,” since we often are drawn to other sexual partners than the one we happen to be with now. Why should we limit ourselves to one person over a lifetime or encumber ourselves with all the legal and financial obligations of the marriage “contract?” Today sex is readily available outside of the marriage bond: so, being wed is no longer viewed as the only safe and legitimate way to enjoy sexual privileges, as was the case in years past.

In addition, why should a primary wage earner or wealthy person take the financial risks associated with marriage? We see examples all around us of unfaithful partners exacting financial revenge on their former spouses or leaving their wealthy partner with half of his or her assets, perhaps never having intended to be faithful over the long haul. Former husbands, who may have done nothing to destroy their marriages, often are forced to carry the impossible burden of supporting two households, even in the cases when the wife abandons the marriage to pursue someone else and takes the children.

The only reason for marriage under the naturalistic worldview is for the stability it offers to the one who is not the primary wage earner and to the children.

If not for the marriage agreement, many primary wage earners might abandon their spouse and children, leaving them destitute.

However, even the naturalist must acknowledge the emotional forces that influence people to marry. It seems that humans have a built in desire, at least at first, to be forever faithful. Multitudes of love songs illustrate that lovers regularly promise lifelong fidelity to the one they desire. Unfortunately, over the long haul, those strong feelings of love and sexual desire often fade, leaving people feeling as if they have been somehow robbed, and setting them up to go looking for another with whom to go through the cycle again, producing serial monogamy at best, and transient sexual partners at worst.

It is easy to see why, looking at life through the naturalistic worldview, marriage may not be a great idea.

Why not cohabit without legal ties with the person with whom we want to share life? Why not depend on a person’s desire to remain in the relationship, instead of binding the person legally? Why not leave the door open for escape without the costs involved with legal divorce? That is the reasoning many today use as they forego marriage and choose to simply live together, many times having and raising children under this set up. Time will tell if this is a wise course of action. Our aging populace may one day rue not having a firmer relational foundation.

The Biblical Worldview

The God-centered worldview has many subsets. I will limit myself to the Christian biblical viewpoint, because that is mine.

This approach accepts that the Bible is a completely reliable source of truth and its account of creation is accurate.

Therefore, Scripture provides us with the truth about God, mankind, life, destiny, judgment, salvation, and many other things, including our subject, marriage. Faith in the God of the Bible shapes our entire way of looking at life.

The biblical worldview teaches us that God created the first man, named Adam. Out of Adam, he created, Eve, a suitable or complementary partner for him.

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.” Genesis 2:18 (HCSB)

The Bible teaches that God created humans in his image. The logic here is that by pulling Eve out of Adam, God requires the recombination of male and female in marriage to get back to the whole. Another way to put this is that it takes both the male and female to give us a more complete idea of what God is like. This complementarian view acknowledges that men and women need each other for more than just producing children.

God prefaced the creation of Eve with the acknowledgement that “it is not good for the man to be alone.” The first reason God brought a man and woman together was to alleviate loneliness.

Some have called marriage first and foremost a “covenant of companionship.”  The second paramount reason for a man and woman to be joined together in marriage, according to the Bible, is to fulfill God’s first commandment following creation to be fruitful and multiply. God created marriage therefore, to provide companionship and children. This is called the family, the basic unit of society, the most important social institution on the planet.

The family provides protection, provision, training, and guidance to its members and stability to society.

Since God created us male and female, and joined a man and woman together for life, humanity does not have permission to alter what God instituted.

Nor can we lightly terminate marriages without going against God’s created order. Jesus taught us the following:

Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?" 4  And He answered and said, "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, 5  and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? 6  "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." 7  They *said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?" 8  He *said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. 9  "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." Matthew 19:3-9 (NASB)

Why Marriage Is Hated by Many

The basic sin of humankind is rebellion against God. People who do not acknowledge that God is the Creator have declared war against God. Their mission is to try to throw off any rules and regulations that God has instituted. This is what Adam and Eve did in the garden, when they decided to disobey God’s simple command and make a go of doing life independently.

Since marriage was  instituted by God and declared by Jesus to non-violable, it is only reasonable that those who will not acknowledge or surrender to Jesus’ lordship will not submit to this ordinance either.

Just as Adam and Eve decided to make their own decisions regarding right and wrong, mankind today continues with this exercise in futility by questioning and discarding something as foundational as marriage.

The Bible teaches that those who launch out on this course become foolish and bring destruction upon themselves. (Romans 1:21-22)

Today marriage is a controversial topic because Satan and those under his influence are working hard to destroy it. The devil knows that if marriage goes, so does society. He is a destroyer, thief, and murderer. He wants humanity to suffer and society to be overthrown.

Experience, research, and statistics show that broken marriages harm everyone involved, particularly children. In single family homes, children are far more likely to drop out of school, turn to crime, and under-perform in life. In addition, children from broken and single parent homes usually lack a good model for marriage. Therefore, they do not know what a good marriage is or how to work toward having one. Generally, broken families perpetuate themselves for generations, unless with God’s help people rise to the occasion and make a stand to build and maintain good marriages.

Making the Commitment to Build a Strong Marriage

Hopefully, you see the importance of marriage and are willing to make a commitment to build a strong one for your own good, the good of your children, the good of society, and, most importantly, the glory of God. The articles that follow will provide you with some keys and insights that will help you build a great marriage, if you are willing to follow Christ’s teachings and trust in the Holy Spirit to do in you and your spouse the deep inner work that will be necessary.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that you are the Lord of my life. I submit myself, my marriage, my spouse, and my family to you. I ask you to teach me your ways and change me on the inside, so that I can better obey you and love my family. I ask you to bless my spouse and marriage. Amen.

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Is there ever a right way to judge people?

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s cut right to the heart of the matter. We all hate to be judged, but are usually fairly comfortable dishing it out. We hate the hypocrisy of people who judge others for doing what they are guilty of themselves. We resist acknowledging that anyone has the “high moral ground” that allows them to judge us. We have all been hurt by someone who misjudged us. Our post-modern society condemns (judges) everyone who passes judgment. Go figure. The core problem is that we are all rebellious creatures. We want to be independent and not accountable to anyone but ourselves.

It all began when Adam and Eve elected to try to be unaccountable to God, but their rebellion against their Creator brought his judgment upon them for their betrayal of the One who loved and cared for them the most. Their attempt to escape God’s righteous judgment brought his judgment down on their heads. That is the way judgment works. As Jesus put it:

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2  For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Matthew 7:1-2 (NLT)

Before their fall, our first parents lived in a judgment free world. Imagine such a place. All they had to do was fellowship with God and do what he said. There was no need to discern between good and evil or make complicated ethical decisions. Everything was simple as long as Adam and Eve listened to God. Believe it or not, for those who have put their faith in Christ, it is still that simple. It certainly was for Jesus when he walked this earth. Consider his words.

I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. John 5:30 (NASB)

Jesus listened to what his Father told him; therefore, he always judged people and situations correctly. This is what Adam and Eve were supposed to do, but failed. Jesus came as the Second Adam to set things right (1 Corinthians 15:45). He had no selfish personal agenda that clouded his judgment . But he did judge sin, people, and situations. He had to, and so must we. If we operate as he did, listening to God in every matter, we can judge properly, too. Not judging people and situations correctly is naive and can destroy us.

Everyone has to properly evaluate things every day. The key is to do it properly, in a way that is constructive, without condemning anyone, even though we may have to denounce their behavior.

Jesus gave us a great example in John Chapter 8, when he showed mercy to an adulterous woman, while commanding her to “sin no more.” Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13), without minimizing the seriousness of sin. Unfortunately, some of us so identify with our sin that we find it impossible to accept someone pointing out our sin, without feeling condemned by them. This is extremely unfortunate and sabotages our ability to acknowledge our sin, repent, and find mercy, forgiveness, and freedom.

Anytime we express a judgment against a sinful behavior, we must be extremely careful to acknowledge that we are just as much a sinner as anyone. We must seek to come across as sinners who need mercy who want other sinners to receive the same mercy. Otherwise, we may repel the very people we hope to reach because of the stench of our hypocrisy.

Church leaders have a special responsibility to evaluate people’s actions and words and render proper judgments. They do this to protect the church from harm. If they fail to do this, they will answer to our Lord, the Chief Shepherd. In the church setting, every member has a responsibility to confront unrepentant sin, without becoming self-righteous or condemning. It is part of what it means to be a disciple.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2  Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3  If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Galatians 6:1-3 (NLT)

To conclude, we are to refrain from condemnatory judgments against one another, especially regarding motives; while, at the same time, we all, and especially church leaders, are commanded to make discriminating functional judgments against those whose unrepentant sinful ways threaten to harm God’s people or lead them astray. In every case, however, the long-term good of the person or persons being so judged must always remain in view. Our hope is always that such judgments will provoke the offender to repent and be reinstated to the church and live according to God’s truth. (To read more on the purpose of church discipline, click there.) We must never judge those outside the church (1 Corinthians 5:12), but we must judge their sinful behavior in order to call them to repentance. If they choose to identify with their sin and become offended at us, we cannot help that

Love must infuse every proper judgment and motivate every refusal to judge incorrectly.

If we fail to properly judge, people will get hurt. If we judge properly, sometimes people get hurt, and sometimes it comes back to bite us, because none of us are without fault. The important thing is for each of us to operate in wisdom, courage, faith, and love as led by the Holy Spirit in conformity to the teachings of the Bible. Beyond that, we must trust the Lord for the results. May He have mercy on us all!

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13 (ESV)
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The only way to escape God’s judgment upon America…

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years I have worked with a lot of people who have asked me to help them find freedom from significant bondage in their lives.

One of the qualities in those who find their way to freedom is the courage to face the truth.

It is scary to pursue truth because it often forces us to face our fears and pain. The truth is not necessarily safe or comfortable. Many people prefer to avoid it, thinking if they can repress or suppress the truth, things will be better for them. Our relationship with truth affects every area of our lives. It determines the rise and fall of nations and will be a main topic at the Last Judgment.

The Light of the World

Before Jesus came to earth, everyone lived under a shroud of darkness, a sin induced spiritual blindness, a kind of deafness to God, and a mind numbing suppression of truth, that kept people chained in slavery to sin, death, and the devil.

Jesus said that our eyes were blind, our ears deaf, and our hearts hardened against truth. (Matthew 13:13-15) Isaiah the prophet, speaking for God the Father, announced Jesus’s coming ministry centuries prior to our Lord’s birth.

…”It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6 (NASB)

Jesus said about himself:

I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. John 12:46 (NASB)

Jesus, the Light of the world, shines brightly, but, sadly, many, if not most, prefer to remain in the darkness.

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20  For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. John 3:19-20 (NASB)

Why do we so often refuse to admit when we are wrong? Why do alcoholics and drug addicts have such difficulty admitting their problem? Why are many of us so afraid to go to the doctor?

We hate to be criticized, evaluated, and judged by others because one of the scariest things in the world is to face up to the truth about ourselves.

We don’t want to be exposed because we expect that people will reject and condemn us, if they find out what we are really like, just as we have so often done to others! Most of us instinctively know that we deserve to be punished for our many sins and evil thoughts, and we are embarrassed and ashamed of our sins and failures.  Often we are able to hide these things from other people, but we can never escape God’s penetrating gaze. We can be sure that our sins will find us out. (Numbers 32:23) We observe God exposing sin right and left, and we have not even come to Last Judgment yet.

Believing Lies – The Origin of Our Problem

Humankind’s descent into the world of chaotic suffering and evil can be traced back to the lie that was heard, embraced, and acted upon in the Garden of Eden. Satan deceived Adam and Eve into believing that God is not to be trusted and that doing what God forbids is actually a good thing. The devil told them that they could disobey God without suffering any negative consequences. They would not die! What a lie! Embracing the lie caused them and us to die. Ever since, their descendants, including us, have struggled with truth and lies.

Due to an inherited sin nature, by default, we tend to believe lies. Humanity is still at war with God in our hearts. We still are mired in rebellion against God’s authority and truth.

Every time we choose to reject or go astray from God’s instructions in the Bible, we participate in Adam’s and Eve’s sin and bring upon ourselves similar negative consequences. We have all done this and are reaping the fruit of our disobedience. The formula is simple: believing lies leads to acting upon them (sin) and brings suffering, sorrow, destruction, and death into our lives.

Fortresses Against Truth

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans 1:18 (ESV)

The Bible calls such suppression of truth a stronghold or fortress.

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5  We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NLT)

Human reasoning and logical arguments are used by the mind as a shield to deflect and suppress God’s truth.

Even when the truth is presented to us, we fend it off with our proud arguments and faulty reasoning. When we do this, we cannot see truth. It is a self-imposed spiritual blindness, which the devil more than willingly helps us maintain. I have done this to myself and I see others doing it to themselves. It is one thing to be deceived by another, but when we deceive ourselves, our situation is dire. When we stubbornly refuse the truth over and over again, eventually God gives us over to what we want – a mind devoid of God’s truth, which is unable to properly reason any longer. I see evidence of our having been given over to such illogical thinking right now in our nation, and I find it quite scary. People simply believe whatever they want to believe, facts and evidence be damned.

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, Romans 1:28 (NASB)

Embracing Lies – the Root of Societal Decay

Since people and groups of people – governments, nations, etc. – are at war with God and reject his authority to tell them what to do, it is unavoidable that over time nations and other entities, unless constantly brought back to obedience through the gospel, will drift farther away from God and his truth. This means they also will distance themselves from his blessings and protection. Once the drift has begun, it can quickly escalate, and it is extremely difficult to overcome or reverse.

The more a group of people suppresses truth and elevates falsehood, the more quickly and devastatingly it plunges into destruction and chaos.

When individuals suppress truth, it gives sin a foothold that is difficult to break. When an entire culture does it, its demise is just around the corner. Can you see that the United States is now in mortal danger? We have spurned the God who before protected us. Yes, we have been really wrong about some very big things over our history, but, despite all that, our people generally trusted in God. Increasingly, this is no longer the case.

Legitimizing the Lie Is a False Hope

Behind our willingness to believe lies is our absolute determination to cast off every trace of God’s authority and rule.

Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? 2  The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 3  “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” 4  He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. 5  Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, 6  “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” Psalm 2:1-6 (NASB)

It should be no surprise to us that society by default always moves away from truth and seeks to legitimize the lie.

Groups of people (mobs) often do far worse things than most of the individuals comprising it would do on their own. The mob feels safe in its numbers, believing it can avoid being accountable or brought to justice. When nations legitimize a sinful lie and act on it, it becomes a kind of mob. But God will not only hold individuals accountable. He will judge entire nations. If this does not put the fear of God in us, I don’t know what will!

Abortion – Our National Mass Murder Lie

Perhaps one of the easiest examples of how a nation can embrace a rebellious lie is how the United States relates to abortion.

Since the Supreme Court Decision of Roe v. Wade on January 22, 1973, we have held ourselves up as a paragon of freedom and equality for women without batting an eye regarding the mass murder of over 60 million unborn defenseless babies. This is right now, under our watch! Consider that this number equals some estimates of the total number of lives lost in WWII! Let that sink in! We should be appalled, ashamed, aghast, disgusted, and fearful of what God will do to such a people. The freedom to kill an unborn baby is the law of the land, but that does not make it just or right!

It does not matter what man’s laws say. God’s law trumps human law and is the standard God will use at the Last Judgment.

Women’s reproductive rights is a euphemism for the mother’s right to terminate the life of the defenseless baby in her womb. That’s murder, no matter how we slice and dice it. Whether or not we ever consented personally to an abortion, we all are guilty as a nation.

We use the convenient lie is that the developing baby in the womb is not yet a human being, but any fair minded person knows this is not honest.

People in our nation used the same argument to justify slavery and the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans. Dehumanizing those we enslave, oppress, and murder is an age old ruse. We now look back with sorrow and shame as we contemplate our forefathers’ reasoning and actions. How will future generations judge us? More importantly, how will God judge us? God is the defender of the helpless and innocent. Should it not scare us to think how deserving of judgment our nation is? And this is only one sin!

But most people would rather not think about it. We prefer to live in denial and try to evade the truth. We may be able to do that for a while, but eventually the truth will find us and make us own our sin.

Evolution – Suppressing the Truth of Creation

The hypothesis of evolution is a prime example of the suppression of truth, which is being done worldwide. The Bible teaches that God’s existence is clearly evident through observing of his creation. In other words, we have to be willingly blind to miss it.

…that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20 (NASB)

By denying the existence of the Creator and his work, we attempt to free ourselves from any moral obligation to worship and serve God or keep his commandments.

If man evolved, we are accountable to no one for how we live our lives. We are our own god. No wonder this lie is so popular. It appears to give solid scientific footing to the desire to throw off God’s rule.

Transgenderism – Rebelling against God’s Sovereignty

Another lie that is sweeping our culture is that gender is psychologically determined rather than divinely ordained.

In other words, we are not limited to how God made us. We can choose whatever gender we want. The Bible teaches that God created us as he saw fit, which is male and female, which is determined at conception and permeates our being all the way down to the chromosomal level.

All of us come into this world with most of the really important factors already determined for us by God.

God sovereignly chooses for us our sex, intelligence level, physical strength, race, family, nation, looks, general health, etc. None of us chose to be born and none of us can stop the aging or death process. We cannot undo gravity or much of anything else God has built into his creation, much less our gender.

Nevertheless, many rebel against the idea of anything being predetermined by God and try to undo it.

Rather than accept how God made us, we want to change it. We can change our dress. We can surgically alter our bodies. We can inject unnatural levels of hormones, but we cannot change ourselves at the most fundamental level. Our  chromosomes tell the true story.

We cannot change what God has created. We can only accept it or rail against it.

Railing against Authority – A Society in Rebellion against God

The Bible teaches that all authority comes from God, and, when we oppose and speak against authority, we bring condemnation and judgment upon ourselves.

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2  Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. Romans 13:1-2 (NASB)

There is a place for conscientious objection and making a stand against tyranny, but generally we should submit to authority, unless it commands us to disobey God. In the Bible, God severely deals with rebels. In the United States, our rebellion is much deeper than half our nation rejecting our president and most of the media ranting against him continuously.

Speaking evil of authority betrays a much deeper rebellion against God and his truth revealed in the Bible.

There has been an ongoing war against God’s authority for decades now. Under the cloak of separating church and state, enemies of God have removed Bible reading and prayers from our public schools, banned God talk at work, and forbidden coaches from praying with their teams. Christians who dare to speak out about their faith are openly mocked and persecuted.

My generation, the Boomers, began this current wave of rebellion in the 60s and 70s by casting off restraint sexually, experimenting with drugs, introducing various Eastern religions into the culture, and entertaining ideas of government overthrow espoused by such groups as the Weather Underground and SDS. People became increasingly unwilling to acknowledge authority and became uncomfortable with being in authority. Children were encouraged to be very informal with adults, corporal punishment was abandoned in favor of new unproven psychological methods, and society has only gotten more and more off track since then.

We believe that we can safely rant against authority, invalidate elections, violate established sexual mores, alter or do away with the family structure,  teach our children that God did not create the world or us, and the list goes on – all without reaping any negative consequences. This is a huge lie.

Is It Too Late?

America has reached a critical point in her history.

As a nation, we have turned our backs repeatedly on God and his truth. Right now we are locked in a battle for the soul of the nation. Sadly, the momentum lies on the side of the rebellion against God.

Many of our nation’s leaders and influencers  -the educational establishment, the main stream media, and Hollywood – are actively suppressing truth, and the American people seem to like it that way.

It is increasingly coming into question whether we are capable any longer of responsible self-government. We are being set up for tyranny. Many of our citizens now believe that there is no God, no absolute truth, no ultimate authority, no coming judgment, and no everlasting consequences for rejecting God and disobeying him. They (we) could not be more wrong! Those who believe in no God are more than willing to surrender to a human or institution, such as government, which claims to provide what God alone can do. The suppression of the truth about God leads to idolatry.

Will judgment come to America or is it already here? It’s here now. The only question is will it destroy us, or do we still have space for repentance?

Making the Decision to Pursue Truth

Truth seekers are fairly rare it seems. Sadly, the more comfortable we are, the more likely we will be unconcerned about eternal things. My own personal journey to God was a search for truth. I wanted to know if what the Bible says about Jesus and his resurrection is true or not. At one point, I called myself an agnostic, thinking that God cannot be known, simply because I had not yet come to know him. How ludicrous to make a judgment about God based solely on my own experience; yet, how common it is for people to suppose that what we think and have experienced determines reality.

Paul wrote that people grope about in their search for God. (Acts 17:27) Spiritually blind people fall all over themselves and unseen obstacles in their pursuit of reality and truth.

We cannot find God on our own, but, if we seek him, he promises that we will find him. He makes sure of that!

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8  “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NASB)

What the Pursuit of Truth Is Not

  • Seeking truth is not limiting ourselves to some predetermined position.
  • It is not going to be found by going to ungodly sources, especially non-truth seeking groups.
  • It not not necessarily something that will make us feel good or confident or that will help us to fit in with the crowd.
  • It’s almost surely not something that is politically correct.

What truth Is

  • Even though Jesus is full of love, truth is always “cold,” in the sense that it is doesn’t care if it pleases us or not.
  • Truth is often “hard” – something that won’t change no matter how much we wish it would, or how hard we try to make it change.
  • Truth will make our lives less comfortable, less convenient, and less agreeable to non-truth seekers. It cost Jesus his life.
  • Truth will force us to abandon any of our current beliefs and understandings that are wrong.
  • Truth sometimes will embarrass us by exposing our sinfulness, ignorance, or blindness.

Humility

The pride of man resists God and his truth. It comes up with all sorts of alternate versions of reality that will allow us to dodge truth and continue in our rebellion.

It takes humility to believe in God and in the truth of his words in the Bible.

Humility teaches us that we are created beings, not independent operators. Humility teaches us that unless we admit our need for God, we will be lost in the downward spiral of death and deception. It takes humility to admit we need help, and that help is found in Jesus!

The Terrible Day of the Lord

Imagine how the Nazi leaders felt as they faced charges at Nuremberg! Some were unrepentant, but I imagine most were afraid and ashamed as their evil deeds were exposed and their sentences imposed. I imagine that many of them felt horribly guilty. Saying, “I am sorry” did not fix things. Justice was meted out. The Last Judgment will be even more terrifying and severe.

Near is the great day of the LORD, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD! In it the warrior cries out bitterly. 15  A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness, 16  A day of trumpet and battle cry Against the fortified cities And the high corner towers. 17  I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the blind, Because they have sinned against the LORD; And their blood will be poured out like dust And their flesh like dung. 18  Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the LORD’S wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth. Zephaniah 1:14-18 (NASB)

There is a coming day when our pretenses and shams will be stripped away and everything will be exposed in the clear blinding light of God’s truth.

What will we do on that day? Will there be any place to hide? Will there be any safe place?

The Only Safe Place

Absolute truth is a person named Jesus who identified himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only way to the Father in heaven. (John 14:6)

He sees through all pretext and lies. No one can hide from his gaze. No one can escape his judgment. He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart as well as everything we have ever said or done. He knows what we did not do, when we should have. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

Absolute truth is also absolute holiness.

His standards do not bend. His righteousness is inflexible. His justice is firm and fierce. His wrath will be released upon all those who reject the truth and refuse his mercy offered through the Gospel in Christ.

Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9  that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10  and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11  For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12  in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 (NASB)

How Will You Know Him?

But that is in the future, and this is now. We yet have the opportunity of coming into the light of God’s truth about our sin and finding mercy. We can know him as the one who said:

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NASB)

Or we can reject his generous offer of forgiveness and one day meet him as the glorious Son of Man coming in the clouds to judge all people, who will say to us:

…Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; Matthew 25:41 (NASB)

This is the same Jesus speaking to different groups of people. It’s our choice of what we will hear and how we will know him. Regardless, we will all bow before him. Why not do it now willingly? Don’t wait until you are forced to cower before him awaiting his judgment and justice!

The Truth Will Set You Free

Jesus wants to liberate us from death, destruction, deception, and sin. He said:

…“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (ESV)

Those who humbly and courageously pursue truth, no matter what, will indeed be set free, experience true joy, and know God and his mercy. They will see the God of all truth extend his merciful hand toward them with a smile of favor.

Jesus faced the truth about sin when he went to the cross.

The truth about our sin nailed the Truth of God to the cross and put him to death.

The truth about sin poured out God’s wrath on the innocent Lamb of God who willingly took upon himself the just penalty for our sins. The Truth died that day to provide us with eternal life.

The only way for anyone to escape the same God’s righteous wrath against sin is to put his or her faith in what Christ has accomplished on our behalf and to pledge our loyalty and faithfulness to the Truth.

This is the only way to be set free. It takes courage and humility and faith. The path to truth is narrow and difficult, but definitely worth it!

For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:14 (NASB)

The society in which we live may be hell bent on going down the wide road to destruction, but we don’t have to join them!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I  believe that you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the only way to the Father. I ask you to forgive me for my sins. I deserve judgment, but I joyfully receive mercy from you, who took my punishment upon yourself. I deserve death, but I gladly receive eternal life from you. I deserve to be eternally cut off from God, but I happily accept my reconciliation to Father God through you. I confess that you are the risen Lord of Lords who is coming back again to judge all people.  I thank you that I now can confidently look forward to that day because you have put me in right standing with God the Father. Thank you for giving me your Holy Spirit to live inside me forever and transform me on the inside. Thank you for setting me free! Help me to serve you the rest of my days on earth and forever in heaven.  Help me to be a faithful witness to Jesus, a proclaimer of the Gospel, and a discipler of men. Amen.

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Authority and Church Discipline

 

 

 

 

 

Although many present the “gospel” primarily as an offer of forgiveness, with little or no emphasis on the necessity of repenting from going our own way in willful rebellion against God, the true gospel is mainly about reestablishing the authority of God’s Son, the Messianic King of Israel and the Lord of Lords.

“Coming to Jesus” (Matthew 11:28-30) means turning from living independent, self-reliant lives and coming under Jesus’ rule (yoke) and surrendering every aspect of life to the Holy Spirit. When we do this, we find rest. Living as a rebel is a hard life with no future.

Churches today are filled with people who have never truly submitted to Jesus the Lord, perhaps because they were never told they must do so. They expect Jesus to forgive them (I have heard people say that it is his job.), provide for them, and welcome them to heaven, but they do not practically recognize him as their Lord. They live the way they want to live, regardless of what the Bible says.

Many so called Christians today reject the Bible’s teachings, especially when it comes to morality. Jesus taught that those who call him Lord, but do not live according to his teachings, do not truly belong to him. (Matthew 7:21-23) It’s a matter of the heart and it is all about authority. Either we want to submit to Christ’s authority or we do not. If there is nothing in us that motivates us to do so, it is doubtful we have his Spirit abiding in us.

Forgiveness is a happy by-product for those who confess that he is Lord, mean it, and live accordingly. (Romans 10:9-10) it is not something that stands alone, independent from acknowledging Jesus’ lordship.

Church Discipline

Our churches are a proving ground for the genuineness of our willingness to live in subjection to Christ’s authority.

Anyone can say they are under authority, but we never know until our wills are challenged by that authority. When God’s authority or will crosses ours is when the true condition of our hearts is exposed.

God has placed leaders in his local churches in whom he has invested a measure of his authority. (God’s delegated authority also resides in the home, work, school, government, etc., but we will limit this article to church government.)  The biblical pattern is for the church to be governed by proven men of godly character and commitment to Christ, who are called elders. (1 Tim. 5:17, etc.) Elders have a responsibility from God to watch over the people under their care.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 (NASB)

We all have something called the “old man” or the “flesh,” which inwardly tempts us to be rebellious and unruly. Even though Christ “disarmed” the flesh on the cross for those who believe in him (Romans 6:6), it is still there and ready to spring into action, if we make room for it. Unfortunately for us, as Jesus taught us, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” That being the case, we all sin, and, over time, we all need to be corrected from time to time when we err and sin – some of us more than others.

In every organization, there have to be standards of behavior. If the organization’s leaders do not uphold and enforce those standards, human nature being what it is, people begin to slide, to see what they can get away with.

We tend to press the boundaries, and, unless we are corrected, we will get less and less fearful of the negative consequences of sin. A great example of this is how people disobey the speed limits on the Interstate. If the Highway Patrol does not aggressively enforce the speed limit, people go faster and faster. It’s human nature, and it works this way in the church, too.

In the local church, elders have the responsibility to uphold Christ’s authority, which is clearly demarcated in the teachings of the New Testament. Certainly elders have no business micromanaging people’s affairs, but, I hope we can all agree that when church members clearly violate Christ’s teachings in a major way, and  refuse to repent, something must be done. This is called church discipline.

Jesus told us how to carry out church discipline in Matthew 18:15-18. The normal order is for the aggrieved party to first confront an “offender” privately. Hopefully that will be sufficient to solve the problem. Unfortunately, some of us are little slower on the uptake or a little more stubborn and need to go to stage two. This is when another person is brought into the mix as a “reinforcement.” The hope here is that the “offender” will listen to their combined testimony and repent. The third stage is to bring church leaders into the mix in order to press upon the “offender” the gravity of their sinful behavior. If this does not work either, the only thing left, according to Paul, is expulsion from the church. (1 Cor. 5:9-13)

In my experience, it is rare that anyone has to be expelled. Usually offenders see “the handwriting on the wall” and remove themselves from the fray before it gets to that stage. There are plenty of churches around where people can hide their sinful behavior from other church members. Many churches only want people to show up on Sunday and give. They do not really get to know their people and are consequently blind to what is going on beneath the surface. To be fair, the flip side of the issue is that sometimes church leaders are reluctant to bring correction to recalcitrant members; so, the fault lies on both sides.

My point is this: church discipline is needed to help people live under Christ’s benevolent rule.

We all need help from others because following Christ is not easy. Over the years, I have observed that people who are unwilling to recognize and follow the counsel of the local church’s elder team are the ones who cause trouble, leave, or, rarely, are asked to leave. If they are not confronted, it can negatively impact the entire church by bringing down morale or teaching by example that sin is no big deal.

Because the local church is an assembly of people who choose to come under Christ’s authority and recognize his delegated authority in elders, unrepentant rebels have no place in a local church. Our inability to come under, in the right way, the authority of local church leaders, is proof that we have not yet properly surrendered to Christ.

Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica:

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NASB)

Concluding Thoughts

I have not covered many important aspects of the proper use of authority, which is a topic I have written about elsewhere. I take it for granted that you understand that I am not endorsing a heavy handed use of authority to browbeat or domineer others. That is wrong. Nevertheless, unless Christ’s true servant authority is properly upheld in the church and in our lives as individuals, we are in danger of being very deceived by sin and put at risk of incurring God’s discipline in our lives.

My counsel is this. Let us…

  1. Renew our commitment to live each day in submission to Christ, as best we can, in dependence upon God’s grace and the Holy Spirit. No one expects perfection, just an honest effort on a continuing basis.
  2. Take seriously the application of God’s truth found in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, to our everyday lives.
  3. Voluntarily submit to the delegated authority God has placed in our lives – at home, work, school, government, and in the church. Learning to listen to and receive needed correction is a big part of life. Those who take heed are wise. (Proverbs 6:23)
  4. Elders in the local church should take seriously their responsibility to oversee Christ’s people and properly use their God-given servant authority for good, to help others learn to live under Christ’s benevolent rule, all the while realizing that they are “sheep” under a Shepherd, too.
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Does Having a Right Attitude toward Authority Really Matter?

 

 

 

 

 

Our attitude reveals the condition of our hearts.

A poor attitude reveals a heart that is not fully engaged or in agreement with its circumstances or assignment. People who have a poor attitude usually do poor work and have strained relationships and are a drain on everyone else.

Attitudes are contagious.

People with negative attitudes can rub off on others, pulling down an entire community or team. Wise coaches and leaders must properly handle individual attitude problems before they escalate into something worse. Conversely, people who have a great attitude can lift a group.

How we think will eventually be reflected in the words we speak and the actions we take.

Principle #1: God uses authority to work for good in our lives.

The Bible teaches us that our attitude toward those in authority is crucial. This is because all authority is derived from God. As such, when we resist authority, we resist God.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. Romans 13:1 (NLT)

Such a Biblical stance is based on the foundational doctrine of God’s sovereignty.

The Bible states unequivocally that God rules over all and works all things in accordance with his plans, even the things that we consider to be calamities.

Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission? 38  Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? 39  Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? 40  Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the LORD. Lamentations 3:37-40 (NLT)

As followers of Christ, everything always works for our ultimate good.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29  For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:28-29 (NLT)

The good toward which God is always working is to conform us to Christ’s likeness on the inside. Therefore, using this divine logic, even when God allows evil people to be in authority over us, he still is working for our good.

Principle #2: Complaining against authority is dangerous to our well-being.

A second principle, therefore, is that to complain against those God has placed in authority over us is to complain against God and his plan for our lives, which is never a good idea.

The first being who is recorded to have had a bad relationship with authority is Satan. He rebelled and revolted against God directly and was forced out of God’s presence. He ultimately will  be consigned to the lake of fire. As mentioned before, bad attitudes are contagious. He passed his to Adam and Eve, who blamed God for their sin of rebellion. Adam blamed Eve, whom God had provided to be his helper/assistant/completer. In Adam’s mind, it was God’s fault that he disobeyed God, since God had provided him with Eve. Never mind that Adam chose to go along with her misguided revolt instead of using his influence to dissuade her. Such is the logic of the rebel. Bad attitudes toward authority produce bad words, which accuse, blame, or find fault with authority, which result in rebellious actions.

Thankfully, the converse is also true. A great attitude toward authority will produce wholesome words and positive acts of obedience. Jesus is our finest example. It was his delight to do everything he saw his Father doing and speak everything he heard his Father speak. His goal was to bring his Father glory, even when his Father’s will was extremely difficult and personally very costly.

No fear, pride, or resentment had any hold on Jesus; therefore, he did not fall to these three main temptations that can lead us into having a bad attitude toward authority. You and I, however, have to contend with each. The Bible gives us some clear examples of how not to relate to God’s delegated authority, as well as how to do it correctly.

The Fear Factor

Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water. 23  When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”). 24  Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded. Exodus 15:22-24 (NLT)

There is nothing like a little adversity to bring out the rebel in all of us! This is especially true when our expectations are out of line with what God is doing in our lives. Many people think that God wants us to be trouble free. Nothing is further from the truth. Adversity is what tests and refines our character and transforms us into Christ’s image, which is one of God’s main goals for us during our short stay here on planet earth.

If self-preservation and a life of ease are our top priorities, we will surely become a complainer; but, if God’s glory and his will are our main objectives, we will be able to pass every test.

When things do not go as we expect, we often slip into fear and the blame game. Whoever is leading us when disappointment shows up will likely be the target of our anger and complaining.

When we actually have a problem with God, we will likely blame those in authority. They are convenient targets.

The Old Testament is full of examples of God’s people turning against delegated authority when things went south. Just read Exodus and Numbers to see first hand how poorly it went for the rebels. The takeaway is that God judges rebels, and it’s never a good thing to be their camp.

When Leaders Fall Short

How do we respond when leaders sin and disappoint us by their behavior?

Unless resentment is handled correctly, it can easily morph into bitterness. Untended offenses can propel us to criticize and judge our leader’s misdeeds in an effort to overthrow their authority under the camouflage of self-righteousness.

Let’s consider Absalom’s rebellion for an example. He was infuriated by his father David’s failure to punish his son by a different mother, Amnon, for raping Absalom’s sister by the same mother, Tamar. This was a major failure on David’s part. His reluctance to judge and punish Amnon may well have had its roots in his own previous moral failure with Bathsheba. It’s hard to be tough in an area where we required mercy. It was understandable that Absalom was upset. His sister had been grievously and criminally violated and the perp got away with it! This test revealed Absalom’s heart. It showed that he was filled with pride. He failed to realize his own need for mercy, which allowed him to become judge, jury, and executioner of someone else. Absalom’s resentment escalated into bitterness, hatred, and outright rebellion. He spoke against his father, hatched a plan to overthrow him, and undertook to oust him from being king and to put him to death.

Proverbs says:

A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Proverbs 17:11 (NASB)

This is exactly what happened to Absalom. General Joab took care of the rebellion by eliminating the source of the infection, driving several spears into David’s embittered son as he hung by his hair in a tree. His pride, as exemplified by his long flowing hair, is what did him in. Ultimately bitterness is fueled by pride, and pride always precedes a fall.

One of Absalom’s chief co-conspirators was Ahithophel, Bathsheba’s grandfather. This man was reputed to be the wisest man in Israel, and his counsel was considered to be almost infallible. Despite his great wisdom, he also fell to the power of resentment and harbored bitterness toward David for having committed adultery with his granddaughter, Bathsheba, and murdering her husband, Uriah, who was one of the most faithful men in Israel. As with Absalom, Ahithophel had grounds for being upset with David, who had selfishly robbed his family of something precious. His inability to forgive David, even after God did, led to his downfall. His bitterness overcame his wisdom, leading him, against all wisdom, to join a plot against God’s appointed authority. As might be expected, things ended very poorly for Ahithophel. He committed suicide when he realized the coup would fail.

David sinned mightily against God, Absalom, Bathsheba, Uriah, and Ahithophel, indeed against the entire nation, for which he deserved to die according the Law of Moses. Nevertheless, after David repented of his sin, God forgave him and promised to spare his life and retain him as king. Absalom and Ahithophel were not able to go along with this act of mercy and demanded that David be punished with death. They were even willing to carry out the sentence themselves! Could anyone have had a more just sounding position than those two? Surely God must have been on their side in this matter. David needed to go! Or did he?

David had been in a similar position as Absalom and Ahithophel many years before when Saul betrayed the trust of the Israelites by putting his own goals ahead of God’s purposes. Saul tried to kill David on multiple occasions for no other reason than that David was favored by God and was suspected of being God’s choice to replace Saul. Surely Saul deserved to die for his transgressions! But David knew better than to show disrespect toward God’s appointed authority. He refused to take matters into his own hands. The Bible records an instance where David showed mercy to his master and refused to harm him when he could have.

Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9  He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10  This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’s anointed.‘ 1 Samuel 24:4-10 (NIV)

As a result, David’s eventual accession to the throne after Saul was killed in battle with the Philistines was not tainted by his having been an agent of rebellion against the sitting king earlier.

Later, during Absalom’s rebellion, David reaped, positively, what he had sown years before. When Absalom attacked Jerusalem, David cast himself upon the mercies and protection of God. Those who show mercy will receive mercy in return. Humility leads to greatness in God’s kingdom.

The moral of the story is that we must not take it upon ourselves to punish and oust God’s delegated authority over us, even when he or she may fail miserably.

God is perfectly capable of doing that himself.

Conclusion

Complaining against authority derives from a lack of faith in God’s sovereignty and his promise to work things for our good and his glory. It shows that we do not understand that all authority ultimately derives from God himself and must be respected. It reveals that we lack a proper fear of God regarding what happens to those who rebel against God’s delegated authority.

So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. Romans 13:2 (NLT)

Since God’s Word is true, we know for sure that those who are actively resisting our government’s elected officials will suffer God’s judgment, even if they succeed for the short run. But what about us? If we are chronic complainers against authority, it is time to repent. Allow the Holy Spirit to examine your life. He is perfectly capable of making us aware of any shortcoming he wishes to expose. We don’t need to resort to becoming unduly introspective. It is not enough to merely repent, however. We should begin acting and speaking with an opposite spirit, respecting those in authority over us, even when we disagree with their actions and agenda.

Is there ever a time to resort to revolution and violence? Our founding fathers and many preachers of that day thought so, but others did not. Antifa thinks so. What about us? This is a gnarly question with which each of us must wrestle. If a government violates its own laws and becomes oppressive, does this give us the right to seek its overthrow? Our founding fathers thought so. What does the Bible say? Should our respect for authority always lead to passive acceptance of oppression, or should we defend the government from enemies on the inside, even elected officials who have violated their pledge to govern according to the Constitution?

The Jews fought against the repressive Roman government and suffered a massive judgment in 70 AD. The Christians living during that general time period suffered a great persecution under Emperor Nero, in which thousands were cruelly martyred for their faith in Christ. They did not rise up against Rome; yet, they still suffered. Jesus stood for God’s kingdom, incurring the wrath of the authorities of Israel and Rome, without showing disrespect or resorting to violence. As a result,  great violence was done to him. What is the paradigm for us believers going forward? Are we to be like sheep, as Paul wrote during the great persecution of Nero?

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36  (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:35-37 (NLT)

There may be coming a day when you and I will have to face these questions.

Now is the time to be seeking the Lord and to make sure our attitude toward God and his delegated authority is that which will bring honor to him and blessings to us.

If the day arrives for us to make momentous decisions regarding our stance toward an increasingly oppressive US government, may we make the wise decision and be on God’s side.

Prayer

Lord, I have been guilty of harboring a bad attitude toward those you have placed in authority over me. (Name them.) Also, help me to model what it means to have a proper attitude toward authority in the future. Let me become an asset to those you have placed over me, rather than a hindrance. Prepare me and those I love for whatever may be coming down the road. Show us what we need to know,  so that when the time arrives we will be secure in our position and know what to do. Amen.

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