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NASB | Exodus 20:14 ¶ "You shall not commit adultery. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Exodus 20:14 ¶ "You shall not commit adultery. [Prov 6:25, 26; Matt 5:27, 28; Rom 1:24; Eph 5:3] |
Bible Question:
Charis, Thank you for your biblical and straightforward response. You are correct in that I tend not to have faith in men/women of any stripe - whether they be doctors, clergy or anything else. Your biblical reference pinpointed this problem. As a thinking person, though, I am not sure how to overcome this. My observation, personally and from history, is that clergy are just as prone to error and self-will as the rest of us. Must I ignore history and personal observation? If not, how can I, in good faith, "Obey your leaders and submit to them"? Even Paul commended his listeners when they compared what he said with the scriptures, to see if they lined up (Acts 17:11). Jesus directed us to be as wise as serpents yet as harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). How can we balance obedience and submission with discernment and wisdom? Obviously clergy who incite violence at abortion clinics should not be followed, and there are many other examples, both contemporary and historical. How is this reconciled with submission and obedience? If I say that I will submit and obey only in as much as what they say lines up with the Bible, then there is always room for contention on minor points of doctrine and practice. If I say I will submit and obey even in contradiction to the Bible, as long as the issue is minor - then how can I be sure what is minor in the Lord's eyes? The above paragraph is an attempt to clarify my dilemna in hopes of a usefull response and subsequent solution. I am confident that with His blessing, through the written word, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and brethren who are vessels of His blessing, this attitude can be changed to one which pleases Him. Thanks, Listener |
Bible Answer: Listener: Every submission of one human being to another is a submission to a fallible person. Nonetheless, it is commanded in Scripture. The elders at my church, for example, are certainly no more sinless than I am; however, they have God's authority to rule over the congregation (Hebrews 13:17). We are to submit to earthly rulers as well, even the non-Christian ones (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:13)! My wife will be the first to tell you my shortcomings, but she is called to submit to me as the church submits to Christ (Ephesians 5:24). The apostles demonstrated what it means to be in submission to the God-ordained authority of the state, civilly disobeying only when the state's directives would cause them to sin in not fulfilling Christ's commandments (Acts 4:19-20). And I think that is where we should draw the line as well. As one who is particularly gifted with discernment, I often disagree with decisions that those in authority over me make. However, it is not my place to "do what I feel like" unless I am being told by those in authority to commit an offense against God. A good example would be an assignment a pastor gives you in the context of a church ministry. You may feel that you are better suited elsewhere (which may be either your own self-will and error or a lack of wisdom on his part). It would be sin for you to bail out of that particular ministry simply on those grounds. In the situation which prompted this thread, I am not in a position to give advice, but a biblically-centered pastor is very well-equipped to give wise counsel to a couple in such a situation. They are not bound to take his counsel, but God has certainly provided him for a reason. The bottom line is that failure to submit to authorities simply because they are fallible people is a sin, forbidden in Scripture. --Joe! |