Tag: authority

Jesus alone holds supremacy over all creation and the church

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

Jesus holds a position of complete supremacy, having created everything that exists, and he occupies the place of highest authority within the church as its sovereign Lord.

The church has only one head, and that position does not belong to any pastor or religious leader, regardless of their title, appearance, or location. The one and only head of the true church, made up of everyone who has placed personal faith in Jesus Christ as saviour, is Jesus Christ himself.

While scripture does describe pastors as shepherds who care for God’s people, they function as undershepherds serving beneath the great shepherd, who remains sovereign over the entire body of believers that make up the church of Jesus Christ.

He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

Colossians 1:18

Submitting to government authority

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

JEFF TURNER

Romans 13 instructs believers to submit to governing authorities, pray for their leaders, and pay required taxes, raising an important question about whether disobedience to government is ever justified for a Christian. The exception arises only when government commands believers to do something God explicitly forbids, or forbids believers from doing something God explicitly commands. Outside of that specific intersection, believers are called to obey and submit to governing authority, even when disagreeing strongly with particular policies or decisions made by that government.

Disliking how tax dollars get spent, or opposing certain government positions on moral issues, does not itself justify disobedience or rebellion. Believers can certainly use whatever legitimate influence they have to oppose policies they find objectionable, but submission remains the default posture unless government directly demands sin. This is because government, despite its flaws, functions as an institution established by God specifically to restrain evil and reward good behaviour, providing the order necessary to prevent society from collapsing into lawlessness.

Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good.

1 Peter 2:13-14