Authority in the Believer's Life
by David Krueger

Perhaps you've heard the story of the ship's captain who was sailing late at night and he saw a distant light on a collision course with his ship. He told the signal officer to send the message, "Alter your course ten degrees south." The message came back, "Alter your course ten degrees north." The captain became angry with the impertinence and signaled back, "Alter your course ten degrees south; I'm a commander." The response was, "Alter your course ten degrees north; I'm a seaman third-class." By then the captain was furious, and signaled back, "Alter your course; I'm a battleship." The response was, "Alter your course; I'm a lighthouse."

God's authority is like that lighthouse it doesn't move. No matter how much authority we have in life, God's authority trumps our authority. Either we alter our course, getting our lives in line with God's authority, or we crash onto the rocks of life. This means that no government, no family member, no nation, no court, and no church can trump God's authority.

Now please understand we all have to live under proper authority in our lives. Children need to respect their parents. Citizens need to respect the law of their land. Athletes need to respect referees. Employees need to respect bosses, and so forth. Authority is an important part of our lives, and without it total anarchy would break out in our communities. But our ultimate allegiance is always to God first.

Sometimes we're faced with circumstances where a person in authority over us demands that we do something that goes against God's authority in our lives. Not too long ago, my brother-in-law was asked to use some "creative accounting" with the books he had oversight of. As a Christian man, he made the decision that it was something he could not and would not do, and he quit that position. He still has a job with the same company, but he is making significantly less money then he was making previously. God's authority in his life was more precious to him than man's authority. His decision to remain faithful to Godly principles of honesty was not a difficult decision for him, but it was a costly -- in worldly terms -- for him.

Have your placed yourself under God's authority in your life?