The apostle Peter, when describing some of the characteristics of the last days, mentioned about those "...who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority" (2Pet.2:10). Some of the words the apostle Paul used in the same connection were "boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, irreconcilable, without self-control, brutal, treacherous, reckless, conceited" (2Tim.3:2-4).
Many children do not obey their parents any more, wives consider it below their dignity to submit to their husbands, young people have no respect for the elderly, subordinates only pretend respect for their bosses, politicians backstab their leaders in the process of seeking for bigger positions, and people in the church do not recognise or value the authority God has given to leaders.
On the other side of the coin, we see abusive display of authority by people in positions over others. Lord Acton observed, "The measure of a man is what he does with power." He went on to assert, "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." This is a sad commentary on the current situation, perhaps more applicable now than ever before.
On the receiving side, the misuse of authority generates a general distrust of authority and consequent attempts to resist such authorities, leading many times to open rebellion.
Authority and responsibility
We need to understand clearly in our mind that authority goes together with responsibility. In fact, authority is vested in someone for the sake of carrying out one's responsibility. It is not a position of power but an obligation to serve. Authority stands tall on the shoulders of responsibility, but tends to become abuse without that balance.
Those who are under authority expect the leaders to demonstrate concern, but those in authority many times fail to take up their obligation towards those under their care. Those who truly feel responsible for others feel concern for them. Those who focus only on the authority or the position they have with respect to the others tend to neglect what they should be doing for the others. In effect, they 'exploit' the people under them for their own gain.
There are different forms of authority and responsibility, and it is important to recognise that they do not all operate in the same way in their different scenarios. For example, the clear-cut lines of authority within the military system and the requirement in that context for unquestioned submission cannot be taken in the context of church or family situations where authority is to be expressed in terms of love and care (1Pet.5:2;Eph.5:25).
Authority and care
Leaders who care for people feel responsible for them and show it in acts of service, and then it is only natural that people respect them and submit to them. This is the characteristic of a servant-leader; he serves because he cares and not because he aims at impressing people and gaining authority. People develop respect for him when they notice his care and then they are happy to submit to him.
On the other hand, those in positions of authority who do not really care for the welfare of those placed under them will not draw respect towards them, and that makes it difficult for the people to submit to them. In such cases, those in authority will also be unable to carry out their responsibilities properly.
In some positions of authority they are able to impose their authority by punishing or disciplining those who would not submit. Governmental and military forms of authority are examples. But it is not so clear in situations such as the church and family where love is the overarching virtue. In these situations the exercise of authority is not to be done by imposing it on the others but generally by drawing out submission from the people by acting with responsibility and care towards them even though at times discipline may become inevitable. Admittedly, this is more easily said than done.
Authority and accountability
Those in authority are dependent on people under them to carry out their allotted work, for the whole system to function properly. In that way, people under authority are accountable to their leaders who hold them responsible. It is easy to understand that without this sense of accountability the system will fail; leaders will be forced to take disciplinary action to bring in that sense of accountability, and if people refuse to be responsible, the leaders will find themselves helpless to carry out their tasks.
Let us learn about authority by looking at the Trinity first and then at the common areas of human authority.
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