What the Bible says about Our Respect for Authority
1 Peter 5:5 - Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Paul instructs us that the less experienced are to be respectful to the more experienced. He adds that we are all to be respectful of each other and that we are have an appearance of humility. 1 Peter 2:13 - Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake… Peter teaches that it is God’s will for us to respectfully obey every authority. Romans 13:1- Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Paul also teaches that we are to obey those in authority, remembering that their authority comes from God. If we obey authority, we are obeying God. 1 Timothy 5:1-2 - Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren. We are not to criticism or lecture the more experienced, instead we are to address them with respectful honor. Romans 13:7 - Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Are Christians to pay their taxes? Yes, according to Paul, we are to pay what we owe in our taxes, not only that we are to pay what we owe in any fines. He also states we are to have respect and honor to those in government. Ephesians 6:1-3 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. God commands that children are to obey and respect their parents as they obey and respect the Lord. The right way to treat your parents is how you would treat God. Most adults struggle with obeying ns respecting God, because they never learned how to when they were children. We learn how to treat God by how we treat our parents. Acts 4:18 Acts 5:28, 29- And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Christians are to respect those in authority in every matter, but when authority ask us to disobey our main authority, God, then we are to disobey. Our first obligation in obedience is always to God. John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments. As Christians we display our love to God by obeying Him. It is the same for other authority, we display our love to them by obeying them. 1 Corinthians 1:10 - Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Paul begs us that Christians live together in unity and that be no splits among us. To accomplish this unity, we must respect each other. 1 Timothy 2:1, 2- I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Paul instructs us that we are to pray for those in authority. Pray that they use wisdom, compassion, grace, and mercy. Pray that they stay humble and be kind to those that are subject to them. Ephesians 4:2 - With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. We are to put up with others: Humbly, Gently, Patiently, and Loving. That requirement includes those in authority. "Being courteous to others is not only respectful to others, but it directly reflects on you as a person. It means putting yourself in the other person’s shoes instead of thinking of yourself first." M Grossman Only those who respect the personality of others can be of real use to them. Albert Schweitzer |
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