We have mixed up the worlds systems of authority with Gods ways regarding authority
We should be careful not to mix the worlds ways and thinking about authority with what God desires from us regarding our relationship with each other and within the church and our relationship with God.
There are many levels of authority and these levels are either higher or lower from other levels of authority. I have found eight that I want to share with you. They are:
1) Sovereign Authority
2) The Authority of the Word (bible, logos)
3) Legal (Contractual) authority
4) Authority of Conscience
5) Authority of family
6) Functional Authority
7) Delegated Authority
Authority of customs
I have made some videos below dealing with this topic. And looking at some of the abuses of authority. The reason is people don’t understand that we are now under the New Covenant and that we are all part of the Royal Priesthood of believers. We give too much positional authority to leaders in the church, that they should not have. Leaders often control the saints in areas where they don’t have any authority to do so. Too much emphasis is places on delegated and functional authority of leaders in the church and believers don’t realize that many of the levels of authority of higher than their elders and pastors. Yes we do need to submit one to another in the fear of the Lord and we do need mentors and leaders in our lives to speak into our lives and help us in areas to grow and develop and discover our calling and destiny in life and leaders do train us for ministry and fruitfulness. Ye so often we see abuse of authority in the churches. Some brothers who call themselves apostles say that everyone needs to be covered by an apostle, each church needs the covering of an apostles. Which often means that the apostle is over the other saint and over the local church. When we read the new testament of the bible, the only mention of covering in the new testament is about women’s head covering, this has nothing to do with governmental authority.
In fact as we begin to study authority we will see that in most cases it’s each saint that has the authority and when he or she wants to have input and accountability from another person, they choose to give their authority to that leader. If abuse takes place they are free to take back that authority, which protects the person from being abused. The only times when leaders demonstrate a kind of authority that is “over” the people, is when it comes to things like serious doctrinal errors and sin among the saints and churches where the leaders need to stand up to these things and confront them face to face and speak with authority from the Lord that is over the people. It is Christ within these leaders that arise and bring order to these serious issues. Even when it comes to functional authority, its the saints that choose to give their authority to the gifted elders and allow these leaders to teach, train, equip, minister to you, impart to you and so on. You still are in a position to give them this authority in your life or you can take it back. This authority for the leaders to train you is not over you, but to serve you and raise you up, its authority that you give them, to help you arise in the purposes that God has for your life.
If you have the time please watch these videos on the topic of LEVELS OF AUTHORITY.
Grace and peace to you all in Jesus Christ
John Marcus
Authority and Submission (1)
Authority and Submission (2)
Authority and Submission (3)
Authority and Submission (4)
