Authority is the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience (Part 1).
Have you ever considered the story of the Roman Officer in Matthew 8:5-13?
For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. Matthew 8:9-10
Jesus saw this as a great faith. This was possible because the Roman Officer was a man under authority. As Christians, we must ensure we are under authority no matter our position, status, level, growth etc. God desires His children to be under authority in order to curtail their excesses as they grow in every aspect. Proverbs 29:18 NLT says, "When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful."
God is a God of purpose, design and objectivity. Whatever He does is done with purpose and profit in mind. He does things that are both purposeful and beneficial. Therefore, God wants His children to be under authority to understand submission; because the nature of man is sometimes unpredictable. However, abuse of this has become rampant in our churches today and we need to be careful in handling the kingdom matters!
The Teaching And Emphasis Of Jesus
Luke 22:24-27 (NEB) A dispute arose between them about which should be reckoned the greatest, but he said to them, "Among pagans it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title Benefactor. This must not happen with you. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves. For who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? [...by worldly standards.] Yet here I am among you as one who serves!"
Mark 10:42-45 (Phi) so Jesus called them all to him, and said, "You know that the so-called rulers of the heathen lord it over them, and their great men have absolute power. But it must not be so among you. No, whoever among you wants to be great must become the slave of all men! For the Son of Man himself has not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life to set many others free."
Even if you don't see the suggested connection of these texts with the so-called "Nicolaitans", do not miss the clear teaching of Jesus concerning those who wish to "lord over" in His kingdom.
Mat 20:25-28 (NIV) Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and that their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
The Desire of The Flesh for The Authority of This World
Jer 5:26-29 (NAS) "For wicked men are found among My people, they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap, they catch men. Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit; therefore they have become great [NIV: powerful] and rich. They are fat, they are sleek, they also excel in deeds of wickedness; they do not plead the cause, the cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; and they do not defend the rights of the poor. 'Shall I not punish these people' declares the Lord, 'On a nation such as this shall I not avenge Myself?'"
Jer 5:30-31 (NAS) "An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?"
God's People Embrace The Authority of This World and Call It "Spiritual"
Jer 23:10 (NIV) ...The prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly.
Eze 34:4 (NIV) You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick, or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.
Gal 2:2,6 (NIV) [Paul:] ...But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders... As for those who seemed to be important--whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance--those men added nothing to my message.
Mark 12:38-40 (NIV) As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the Law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the market-places, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."
Are We Not Carnal?
To justify our disobedience to Scripture, often the following verse is trotted out by the "Nicolaitans" among us to oppose repentance to God's perspective:
2 Pet 2:10 (NAS) and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed...
But the authority being despised here is the authority of God by those who are self-willed, carnal, and unrighteous. God has stated clearly that He is the only spiritual authority, and thinking otherwise is a forbidden sell-out to His lordship. And we should know better...
1 Cor 3:1-4 (NKJ) And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?
The carnal, stiff-necked rebellion in us refuses to recognize true authority and prefers to boast in men. This tendency God would skewer with His word and truth, but the flesh "don't like it". Real, servant authority makes the "Nicolaitans" among us extremely angry, for it exposes their sin in sharp relief. (Our commentary within verses [in brackets], as always.)
2 Pet 2:10 (Amp) And particularly those [the carnal, the unrighteous] who walk after the flesh and indulge in the lust of polluting passion, and scorn and despise [real, servant] authority [as in Mat 21:23-27, above]. Presumptuous and daring--self willed and self loving (creatures)!
Richard Foster: "The authority of which Jesus spoke is not the authority of the "pecking order". We must clearly understand the radical nature of Jesus' teaching on this matter. He was not just reversing the "pecking order" as many suppose. He was abolishing it. The authority of which he spoke was not an authority to manipulate and control. It was an authority of function, not of status... The spiritual authority of Jesus is an authority not found in position or title, but in a towel.
Advice About How To Practice And Recognize Real Authority
Mat 23:10-12 (Phi) "And you must not let people call you 'leaders'--you have only one leader, Christ! The only 'superior' among you is the one who serves the others. For every man who promotes himself will be humbled, and every man who learns to be humble will find promotion."
1 Pet 5:3 (Phi) You should aim not at being dictators but examples of Christian living in the eyes of the flock committed to your charge.
Authority To Do What?
Heb 13:17 (Phi) Obey your leaders and recognize their authority. They keep constant watch over your welfare, and they have great responsibility. Try to make their work a pleasure and not a painful burden--that would be of no advantage to you.
Heb 13:17 (GLT) Yield to those taking the lead of you, and submit, for they watch for your souls, giving an account, that they may do this with joy...
Servant Authority: To Help or Feed, Not To "Lord" or Control
2 Cor 1:24 (NIV) Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.
2 Cor 13:9-10 (NIV) We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection. This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in the use of authority--the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
Mark 9:35 (NIV) Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
John 21:17 (NIV) ...Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."
We have been authorized to imitate Christ, authorized to serve, to meet the needs of others. Often this means assuming a position in the eyes of men, but we are not to revel in this. If we find ourselves in a position of man-made authority, we should do everything with the intent to serve, even if that means making decisions for others. We are to imitate the Chief Shepherd, who will return shortly to have a word with some unfaithful stewards who have exploited, philandered, and "lorded it over" the flock.
1 Pet 5:2-4 (NIV) Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
Shepherds serve the sheep, wolves clothe themselves with so-called "spiritual authority" and serve themselves...
Acts 20:28-31 (NIV) "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseer. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from among your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning you night and day with tears."
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