Authority Comes from God

All human authority is derivative from God. He has chosen a plurality of repositories for the authority He dispenses to human beings. These are:

• self-governance (1 Thess. 4:11-12; Nov. 16:17; 19:16; Deut. 5:21; 1 Cor. 11:28; 2 Cor. 13:5).

• family governance (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:7-9; Eph. 6:1-4, 5:22-33; Col. 3:18-21; l Tim. 2:13; 3:4-5; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:1-7).

• church governance (2 Thess. 4:11-12; Prov 16:17; 19:16; 1 Tim. 2:11-15; 3:1-13; 5; Titus 1:5-9; 3:9-11; Ex. 20:12).

• workplace governance (Eph. 6:5-9; Col. 3:22-4:1; 1 Tim. 6:1,2; Titus 2:9-10; 1 Peter 2:18-19).

• civil governance (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 17:14-20; Luke 20:25; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17).

Analagous to the complementary spiritual gifts in the body of Christ, these deposits of authority from God are intended to work together. The tools available to each locus of government, and the extent of authority of each are different. The power of the death penalty belongs to the civil governor. Parents may not execute their children (Deut. 21:18-21). Corporal punishment belongs to the family (Prov. 23:13-14). To the Church belongs spiritual authority and discipline (2 Cor. 10:3-6). Confusion reigns when the various repositories raid each other's domain, usurping what is not theirs to have. The tortures, executions, and property seizures of the Inquisition in Europe are a blot against the Name of Christ, seizing civil authority. Through nepotism, family government has illegitimately usurped civil authority.

In our time however, it appears to be the civil state that is the chief usurper. Family governance, among other loci, is under heavy assault by the civil state. Voices abound which would allow minors to engage in sexual intercourse, even homosexual liaisons, freely, provided of course that they practice birth control or submit to abortion. Children already are tapped to become spies for the civil authorities within the sanctity of the home on the excuse that because some homes contain evil, all homes are thus legitimate targets for surveillance….

Christians need to be careful that we are not enlisted into the wrong army on these matters.


Excerpt from "Parental Authority in Medicine"