Who Do You Think You Are?

Introduction

We have all experienced rebellious thoughts in one form or another. Some of us have even acted on those thoughts. Others of us continue to operate within this realm of rebellion; somehow justifying it by pointing out the flaws of others or claiming weakness in the designated area of departure from God’s standards.

Some may claim that such preaching is legalistic and overlooks the grace of God. But I am here to tell you the grace of God is for when you slip up, not for your intentioned choice to continue in a known sin.

The area of authority is where most of us begin to slip before the Lord, because we sidestep those things we don’t like about Christianity when they become too intrusive or bothersome to our spirit.

You are not Jesus, and therefore not perfect

We all need to be humbled and held accountable from time to time.

The devil would love to keep you disconnected from authority so that when he takes you down, he can drag others down with you.

Another thing I received in the midst of the week in the Holy Spirit is that His ministry is the ministry of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 ESV

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Let’s be perfectly clear; in order for reconciliation to happen, a reckoning has to first occur. A dealing with an offense or offenses must take place in order for reconciliation to be a future option. Many would love to simply adopt a policy of let’s just forgive and forget...

How convenient!

In other words, let’s pretend nothing ever happened and move on with life. Many popular ministries have adopted that very policy, claiming that the law of grace demands that we let the guilty go free. We are throwing out the baby with the bath water if we adopt such sloppy exegesis of the doctrine of grace.

First of all, we must understand the way authority works within the Body of Christ as it has been delegated from God Himself. It would be easy for us to claim that any authority over our lives is legalistic if we do not properly understand how authority works within the Kingdom of God.

Follow with me as we read I Samuel 24

1 Samuel 24 ESV

When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.” As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

I want to share with you this morning and perhaps next week: Seven Truths about Human Authority. I use the term “Human Authority” to refer to authority God has delegated to individuals over our lives. It is very easy for people to say, “I’m submitted to God; I obey God.”

It’s easy to claim a nebulous, abstract, mystical submission to God. But the reality of our submission to God is tested and expressed in our attitude toward human authority.

This is not something that comes easy for any of us.

The first most toddlers learn to say is “no.”

Later we overhear them say to an older brother or sister “You’re not my boss.”

The in the teen years they say things like “I can’t wait until I get grown, so I can do what I want to do.” Boy, are you in for a surprise!

Whether we boldly and defiantly say it or in a subtle, manipulative way—there is something in all of us that says “Don’t Tell Me What to Do!” That voice must be answered with the word of God.

Seven Truths about Human Authority: I’m glad I can share this with you this morning during a time when to my knowledge no one is opposing my authority or the leadership of the church. This is simply something we all deal with in a variety of situations in our lives.

And our success in life depends upon a solid understanding of how to relate to authority.

I. The Appointment of Human Authority Over You Comes from God!

Look with me at Romans 13:1-5

Romans 13:1–5 ESV

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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

In verse 1 we are given a statement that is a little hard to receive—“…For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God….”

Is that just talking about Christian Presidents and godly Senators? No. Even offices held by ungodly people are appointed by God. God raised up Pharaoh for His purposes. Nebuchadnezzar had his throne because God gave it to him. “For promotion comes neither from the east nor west nor south –Ps 75:7 But God is judge; he puts down one and sets up another.” It is God who places people in positions of authority. They may think they got themselves there, but God rules in the heavens and does whatever He pleases.

Psalm 75:7 ESV

but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.

Until we accept that fact-God sovereignly places people in authority over us –until that truth is embraced in our hearts, we will have trouble submitting to human authority.

We must see God’s authority behind the authority of those God places over us!

David understood how Saul came to be king. It was because God put him there. He understood how Saul continued to reign. It was because God had not yet removed him from that position. That’s why David called him “the anointed of the Lord.” It was because of the office or position he held.

II. All Human Authority is Limited

Only God has absolute authority over your life. All human authority has limitations.

In Romans 13 we just read about civil authority. The scope of civil authority has to do with maintaining law and order, the execution of justice in society, the protection and safety of innocent people. A policeman has no authority to tell you what to believe about God. He is not to invade the private sanctuary of your home. That’s why search warrants have to be justified before any such action is taken. Civil authority is not absolute.

In Acts 5:29 Peter disobeyed the civil and religious authorities when they told him not the preach Jesus. Daniel disobeyed a civil order not to pray. There are rare times when we must obey God rather than man. I think we have to be extremely, extremely careful in those situations that we are not catering to our own rebellious nature—that if we do have to disobey we do it with a gentle, submissive spirit—that the disobedience is not just a justification to do what we want to do but a serious issue of conscience. Its amazing what a person can “prove” from the Bible if he picks and chooses verses to suit his own end.

God segments our lives so that we have different authorities over different areas of our lives. In the home there is the role of the husband and wife and parental authority. In the church there is pastoral leadership. We’ve talked about the various government agencies and their scope of authority. Then there is the authority on the job.

Read I Peter 2:13-20

1 Peter 2:13–20 ESV

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

Most commentators would apply the instructions to servants to the work place. Look closely at verse 18. It is one thing to be under a good, understanding authority. That’s not much of a test. But to be under a King Saul—to be under a selfish, abusive boss will really test our hearts. What do you do when you’re in that kind of situation? You learn what submission is really all about. You learn to trust God. You learn to wait upon the Lord for your deliverance. You learn to not take matters into your own hands. Is there a limit? Yes, there are other authorities we can appeal to. There are spiritual authorities. There are civil authorities. No human authority is absolute.

But many times when we find ourselves in a situation like David found himself in with Saul, God is trying to do a deep work in our own hearts—He’s not only teaching us how to be under authority but also how to be in authority. Sometimes a negative example is more powerful than a positive one. Be sure you learn what you need to learn. Because that’s the way you really win. Had David killed Saul he would have appeared to have won—but in reality he would have lost.

Here is the heart of my message this morning:

III. Submission to Human Authority Is Based On The Office, Not the Person

Not based upon our respect for the person over us but for the Office that person has been given by God!

David was thoroughly trained in that principle in his experiences with King Saul.

The problem most people have with authority is that they see it as an indicator of superiority. Authority is not a matter of who is more capable, more intelligent, more gifted or qualified. It is a matter of God’s sovereign right to put whoever He wants to in authority. It is the position or office we honor. We may have little or no respect for the person in that position. That is not the issue. It doesn’t matter if the person is smarter than I am or dumber than I am. It doesn’t matter if the person is more spiritual than I am or less spiritual. What matter is God has orchestrated the circumstances of my life so that that person is in authority over me. I honor that because I see God behind it.

Think about David’s situation. Saul was demon possessed.(2) God had already rejected him as king, he just has not yet been removed from the office. The way Saul was treating David was totally uncalled for and unjust. There was little in Saul to respect. He was not a man of integrity. He was not a man of his word. He was a selfish, backstabbing, controlling person. That’s not what David was submitting to. What was David submitting to? He was submitting to the God ordained office of the king of Israel.

In the military when a soldier salutes an officer, he does not first analyze the officer’s personality and character to decide whether he will salute. He sees the rank exemplified by the stripes on his shoulders and he salutes in respect to that.

What enabled David to keep a submissive spirit in the midst of all the abuse he was receiving from Saul? It was David’s faith in God. Listen to what David said to Saul in

1 Samuel 24:15 ESV

May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”

God did deliver David from Saul’s harassments- but only after He was finished using Saul to develop David as the future, compassionate king of Israel. David did not become the great king of Israel in spite of King Saul. He became a wise, capable person in authority Because of Saul—because of what he learned about authority while submitting to Saul. (3)

Let me say this: the more authority God plans to give you the more deeply He must train you in submission to authority. No one can function properly in authority who has not yet learned to be in submission to authority. David knew what it felt like to be under an unreasonable boss—that’s what made David such a good boss. He knew what it felt like to be abused by an authority and that caused him to never want to do that to others.

I read a book years ago that helped me understand what I’m sharing with you this morning. Its entitled Spiritual Authority by Watchman Nee. I looked it up and it is still available on Amazon. But if you are struggling with issues of submission I would highly encourage you to read it.