1. God’s Authority
- Paul is defending his spiritual authority Vs 3a
- Paul is sharing that God is speaking through him.
- God sets up Authority
- Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. — Romans 13:1
- Jesus answered [speaking to Pilate], “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.— John 19:11
- By me kings reign…— Proverbs 8:15
- …he removes kings, and sets up kings…— Daniel 2:21
- Then God removed Saul and made David their king…— Acts 13:22
- No one … can exalt themselves. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.— Psalms 75:6-7
- …the Most High has power over human kingdoms. He gives them to whomever he wishes.— Daniel 4:17
- Who does he put in place?
- Hosea 8: 4 They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval.
- 1 Samuel 8: 5 – 9 The people reject God and want a king instead.
- He does not treat us as our sins deserve. Psalm 103: 10
2. Rebellion Against Authority
- 1 Peter 2: 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a kings as the one in authority
- Romans 13: 2 Whoever rebels against authority rebels against what God has instituted
- EXAMPLE: Acts 23: 1 – 5 Paul and the High Priest and recognizing position
- Examples of rebellion against authority
- Hezekiah 2 Kings 18: 7 Assyrian Army show us
- Daniel and prayer Lions Den Daniel 6
- Three wise men against Nebuchadnezzar Fiery Furnace Daniel 3
- Jeroboam against Solomon and God 19 kings and none of them served God.
- Obey God rather than Man Acts 4: 19, 20 Problem is we don’t know when we are obeying God or man.
3. God shows who is his authority Numbers 16
- The timing is soon after the rebellion of the promised land so they are not happy with Moses and Aaron
- They rebel against Moses which is really against God. Numbers 16: 11
- God was going to destroy all the people in rebellion Vs 21
- God will prove his leadership Vs 28- 30
- Ground opens up and swallows them so God proved who was the spiritual leadership.
- The people grumble the next morning about what Moses did Vs 41 Result is a plague that kills 14,700 people
- Budding Rod to prove leadership Numbers 17
4. So Do I just Stay under bad authority?
- There are definitely abusive churches and leadership and to just stay under them is really harmful.
- Romans 13: 1ff is talking about the civil consequences of rebelling against authority. I don’t believe that it is talking about spiritual judgement for rebelling against those over you.
- Apostles did reject the authority of the Sanhedrin Acts 5a; 27
- Jesus rejected the authority of Herod by not talking to him when questioned. Luke 23: 8, 9
- Paul confronted Peter openly Galatians 2: 11even though he was once a mentor of Paul’s Galatians 1: 18
- We are told to question prophetic words 1 Thessalonians 5; 19 – 22
- Paul confronted Diotrephes who loves to be leader and rejects his leadership 3 John 9 – 11
- God rebukes a self proclaimed leader Jezebel Revelation 2: 20
- Realize that there are some things we cannot change.
- Paul was under an evil thorn and grace carried him through it.
- In our actions with authority we are to
- Love mercy
- Seek justice
- Walk humbly with our God.
- Blessing of God when we get it wrong Matthew 7: 21
5. Faith and Authority
- Luke 17: 5 – 10
- Increasing our faith is directly tied to obedience of the person over us.
- We don’t obey out of receiving a reward, we obey out of it being the right thing to do.
- The teaching here is not a person, but the Torah. So we are always under obligation to see what the Bible says in a specific situation.