“Institutional Authority – Part One”
“Institutional Authority – Part One”
“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have
spoken unto you the word of God:” Hebrews 13:7a
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit
yourselves: … ” Hebrews 13:17
“Salute all them that have the rule over you ,… “
Hebrews 13:24
Most Christians are aware that God created three
institutions: those being the home, government and the
church. These are not supposed to be contrary to each other;
they are to support each other. Each one of them is given a
measure of authority and none usurps the authority of the other.
It is clear from several Scriptures that the authority in the
family begins with the husband/dad. The wife/mother is
under the umbrella of his leadership and the children are
subject to both of their parents. The authority provided the
family unit is for the purpose of raising a godly seed, “That he
might seek a godly seed …. ” (Mal. 2:15b)
It is clear from Scripture that government was given
authority for “the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise
of them that do well” (I Peter 2:14). When government
oversteps its jurisdiction and interferes with a person’s
obedience to Almighty God, then it has gone too far. We have
biblical examples of God’s people disobeying governmental
laws that were outside its jurisdiction.
That brings us to the institution of the local church and to
the question, “What authority, if any, did God give to the local
church?” That is a fair question, and we see some reference to
that authority in our text passage. (Cont.) -T.A.
TERRY ANGLEA, Pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Bourbonnais, IL
Prepared by Roger Fulk, from excerpts from the “Baptist Bread” JULY 26 , 2025, devotional by author Dr. Tim Green, Revival In Our Time, Day Heights, OH. With permission from Tim Green, editor of Baptist Bread.
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