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God's Nature and Church Leadership
The good authority relationships in the Godhead serve as a model for
good authority relationships among ourselves.
- Just as the Son submits in all things to the Father even though the former
is equally divine with the latter, so we as humans are called to submit
happily to those in authority even though we are all of equal human essence
and value.
- Since we are made in God's image, it should come as no surprise that we
have the desire and capability to exercise godly authority in a way that
is good for those under it.
- Jesus Himself modeled recognition of human authority as a God-given thing,
even when exercised by those who were not Christians (Matt 22:15-22; John
19:11).
The commands of God serve as motivations to exercise godly authority
for the good of those we lead.
- The first command God ever gave to humanity had to do with the exercise
of godly authority (Gen 1:28).
- God commands us to submit to the authority of secular leaders because
their authority has been established by God (Rom 13:1-2).
- God commands us to submit to the authority of church leaders because our
obedient submission makes their task more joyful for them and more beneficial
for us (Heb 13:17).
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