HONORING ALL IN AUTHORITY
Sermon by Rev. Steven R. Key
L.D. 39
Scripture: Ephesians 5:22 - 6:9; Exodus 20:12
The times in which we live, beloved, are indeed perilous times. That is evident when you put our times and the behavior of our society under the light of Holy Scripture. Paul wrote to Timothy in I Timothy 3, that in the last days perilous times shall come. They are here. And one of the signs of which Paul wrote, one of the signs of the perilous times in which we live, is the increasing dishonor and growing disrespect shown toward those in authority. Not only is that evident among children in their disobedience to parents. For certainly children have always been disobedient to parents, frequently showing the corruption of their sinful natures. But it is evident in the increasing crime rates among children and youth, crimes which often reflect a disregard toward law and order, and a dishonor toward all in authority. That is evident in the lack of respect which children show toward superiors, whether teachers, preachers and elders, police officers, or any other authority figures. But the dishonor and disrespect toward those in authority is also a sign of perilous times because of the fact that more and more we see adults leading the way in this sin. And when Paul wrote to Timothy, he wrote of this fact happening particularly within the church! For he speaks of those "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."
The fifth commandment, as we have seen with the other commandments, is given to you and to me. It was spoken to Israel, the Church. "Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." Although this commandment speaks specifically only to that relationship between children and parents, it is intended to cover every aspect of life in which we stand in a position of subjection to others. That becomes clear in the passage which we read together, the last part of Ephesians 5 and into the sixth chapter. That is also evident from those passages of Scripture that speak of our calling to live in subjection to those whom God has placed in positions of government, as well as toward the officebearers of the Church. Those things we shall see presently, as we consider the Heidelberg Catechism's exposition of this commandment.
This commandment has to do with a fundamental relationship of life, one that affects all other relationships. That is why this commandment stands at the head of what we call the second table of the law. We have seen that the Ten Commandments were revealed by God on two tables of stone. That doesn't mean that the second table is separated from the first. Rather, the second table of the law is subservient to and dependent upon the first. That first table of the law, as we have seen, has to do very directly with our relationship to God, and our calling to love Him. We love God as the only true God; we love Him in our worship for how He has revealed Himself to us; we love Him in His name and in the enjoyment of His fellowship especially on the day of the week which He has set apart. But true love for God comes to expression in love toward the neighbor as well. That is invariable. And so the second table of the law, which has to do with our earthly relationships, flows out of the first table. There is no love for the neighbor, and there is no obedience to God with respect to the neighbor, where the love of God is absent from our hearts. We either love God, and then we can love the neighbor; or we live in hatred toward the neighbor as a reflection of the hatred of our hearts toward the living God. No matter how things may appear sometimes, that is exactly how it is — according to Scripture. That is very evident in John's first epistle. To love the neighbor is to walk in the will of God concerning that neighbor.
Now I say again, obedience to the fifth commandment is fundamental to everything that follows in the law. When this commandment is transgressed, the very foundations of love toward the neighbor are destroyed, and the very principles that govern the second table of the law are trodden under foot. Which is exactly why the increasing evidence of this sin is so very alarming. When there is a rejection of the authority which God Himself has established and ordained, there follow all kinds of other sins — whether sins of deceit and slander and backbiting, or sins of murder and covetousness, adultery and every other form of hatred. Where God-ordained authority is denied or violated, there results nothing but confusion and disharmony in all the relationships of life. So it is important that we give careful consideration to our calling, as we hear the Word of God concerning the fifth commandment. I call your attention to this subject under the theme:
HONORING ALL IN AUTHORITY
I. DIVINELY APPOINTED AUTHORITY
II. RESPECTFUL SUBMISSION REQUIRED
III. WONDERFUL PROMISE ATTACHED
THOSE VARIOUS POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY ARE ALL INSTITUTED BY GOD HIMSELF.
Authority is the power of an office that God has given to an individual. In that official capacity — as a father or mother, a king, judge, police officer or other government official, as an elder in the church, as a teacher — that officebearer of whatever sort, appointed by God, exercises authority. That authority is not something that comes by physical strength. That authority is not even something that comes by intellectual superiority or age. That authority is a God-given right.
To that authority belongs three things.
In the first place, authority implies the right to determine for others what is right and what is wrong, and to demand compliance by all those under that authority. Now, understand, authority properly exercised does not make its own determination concerning right and wrong, but sets forth God's precepts as the standard. But even so, the very position of authority given by God is the office whereby one has the right to determine for others what is right and what is wrong, and to demand conformity to that standard.
In the second place, one who occupies a position of authority is called by God to pass judgment on whether there is proper conformity to the standards announced. So a father, e.g., has the right not only to impose upon the will of his son or daughter his own determination of what is right or wrong for that child, but he has the calling to judge his son's actions, and to determine that those actions are good or evil. That stands to reason, you understand. One who is in authority, cannot possibly announce the standards of right and wrong, and leave to his subjects as to whether or not they will conform. The whole point of that God-given position of authority, is that God will have His standard, His precepts, upheld in that very sphere where He has appointed the one to exercise authority. For that very reason judgment must certainly be exercised by those in authority, whether in the home by father and mother, or in places of government, or by the elders of the church, or by the teachers in the schools.
And then in the third place, a position of authority implies that God requires of the one to whom He has given that position that they will uphold His authority by following up on that judgment, praising the good, and punishing those who do evil. That is authority as ordained by God. And those are the three aspects that follow from the exercise of that authority.
THAT AUTHORITY COMES TO EXPRESSION IN THE HOME, FIRST OF ALL, AND FROM THAT FOUNDATION REACHES ALSO INTO THE OTHER SPHERE OF LIFE.
The home, the family, is the fundamental institution of God in our earthly society. All other institutions develop from the family. That is even seen in the historical development of all the institutions of men. First came the marriage relationship, established by God Himself. Immediately in that first marriage of Adam and Eve, God instituted a relationship of authority and submission. To speak in those terms is unacceptable in this day and age, we are well aware. It makes no difference. The Bible is very clear on this matter. The man was created first; and the woman taken out of the man. And so we read in Ephesians 5:22 and following that the wife must always be in submission to her husband. Is that because the husband is better? Not at all. Scripture certainly makes clear that with respect to their creation all men and women are created equal. They are equally handiworks of God. They are also, because of the fall, equally sinners. So that no man ever occupies a position of authority because of anything that is found in him that makes him better than the next guy, or woman. But God Himself determined different roles for man and woman, and announced that immediately after their creation. And He maintains those roles today. So the woman is to serve her husband, being subject unto him in everything (Ephesians 5:24). "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body" (Eph. 5:23). And the husband, in that position of headship and authority, is to love his wife even as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her.
It is only when the proper relation between husband and wife is maintained, that a proper relationship may be established and maintained between parents and children. Parents, in the raising of their children, are called to exercise their authority over their children according to God's Word and out of love for Him. So we read in Ephesians 6:4: "And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." The Book of Proverbs explains that biblical parental calling in depth, with many different passages shedding light upon it. As parents we must exercise our authority according to the Word of God, carefully maintaining His standards, and insisting that our children walk in obedience.
But then, when we talk about divinely appointed authority, we must recognize that all relationships of authority developed historically from the family relationship. It is directly from the home that the school arises. The authority of the teacher in school arises out of the parent's authority. That means, of course, that the teacher will have the subjection of his or her students, only when the parents exercise authority in the home, and teach their children a proper honor toward those in authority. But that relationship of teacher to student arises directly from the home. The same is true of the employer's relationship toward his employee. That relationship arose from the relation between servants and masters. But originally, the father was the head of all his servants. As society developed, we were brought to many various relationships between employers and employees. But also this relationship developed organically out of the home.
So it is also in government. That institution also is based upon the institution of the family. In the development of society the father was the head of the family, or the tribe, as long as he lived. As the human race grew and society developed into a more complex form, a special institution of government developed, to which God also gave the sword power to enforce the laws and punish evildoers. Government officials are called by God to serve Him faithfully, by executing His will in their own particular sphere. Still more, they are called to execute His will and to maintain God's precepts in righteousness, out of love for God and for His sake. That is their calling. But even where they do not, they still occupy a position of divinely appointed authority.
But so we see that the various relationships of life arise out of the family relationship, and that therefore this fifth commandment is far more broad in its application than to speak only to children in their relationship toward their parents. But to children this commandment most certainly speaks. You children stand in a relationship to your parents and all those in authority over you. This commandment is spoken specially to you. You are to honor father and mother.
NOTICE THAT THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT CALLS THE CHILDREN PARTICULARLY TO HONOR FATHER AND MOTHER.
Perhaps that seems a rather strange calling. Perhaps we would think that the calling would be to obey. Oh, but as Ephesians 6 makes clear, obedience is included in this calling. Perhaps we would consider it more proper if the commandment had spoken of the obligation of the child to love his father and mother. But there is a reason why the commandment does not speak of love. It is not that the fifth commandment ignores that aspect of love. After all, the whole law is summarized by the calling to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. And so as our Catechism explains this fifth commandment, it says that God requires of me that I show all honor, love, and fidelity or faithfulness, to my father and mother and all in authority over me. I must show that.
But the calling to honor focuses attention on the fact that this is a spiritual calling. Generally speaking, there most always exists a love between children and parents. But this common parental love and the love of children toward their parents is not spiritual, but natural. It exists even among the ungodly. One doesn't have to love God in order to be attached to his child. In fact, most parents put their children above God when it comes to their affection and devotion. And God would not have us think that this fifth commandment refers to a mere natural love. Then most anyone, though he walks in bold defiance of this law of God, will say, "Well, I love my mother, my father. I may be going a different direction from what they taught me, and they may not be happy with what I'm doing; but at least I love them." No, no; that is not the fulfillment of this law of God.
To honor them is to show respect to them in their God ordained position, and to submit to them in all things for God's sake. With the love of God in our hearts, desiring to obey our Lord in heaven, we willingly bow the knee in love and honor to those who are placed above us by God. You children are not to ask "why" all the time, when you parents tell you to do something. Your calling is to honor them with obedience for God's sake. You are to obey without hesitation. The Bible doesn't give a list of possible exceptions to the rule. It simply says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right." Sometimes parents can be rather difficult. Sometimes our sinful nature comes to expression in our dealings with you. Scripture reminds us of that too. But that doesn't change your calling at all as children. All it does is to add to the calling this, that you "also patiently bear with their weaknesses and infirmities," since it pleases God to govern you by their hand.
The same respectful submission is required of us in every relationship where we stand as subjects of those whom God has placed in authority over us. I'm not going to spend much time on this today, seeing we have given extensive instruction more than once concerning our calling in relationship to the magistrates or those who govern, and our calling in relationship to God's appointed officebearers in the church. But the same calling that applies to children concerning their relationship to their parents is that which God requires of us in these other relationships.
We must stand in respectful submission to those who rule over us. Why is that? Because they stand before us as God's representatives, nothing less. So we look at the President of the United States. We hear the words that he speaks, we see what he stands for, and we probably disagree with virtually all that he says and does. But what is his authority? Where did he get his power? Perhaps we like to say, "From the people, by a bare majority. And I didn't vote him." That's all right that you didn't vote for him. But that does not change your calling toward him at all. Because he didn't get his office from the people. He didn't. The power is not in the people. The power, the authority, that our President has, is from God. We must not forget that! That is the strong emphasis in Romans 13. That is why a Reformed Christian is one who can be counted on to be submissive to government, and will not be found among those who rebel. We believe, and we confess that too in our Belgic Confession, Article 36, that "it is the bounden duty of every one...to subject himself to the magistrates; to pay tribute, to show due honor and respect to them, and to obey them in all things which are not repugnant to the Word of God." Moreover, we believe it is our calling to pray for them, "that God may rule and guide them in all their ways, and that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." So strongly do we believe this truth, that we "detest the error of the Anabaptists and other seditious people, and in general all those who reject the higher powers and magistrates."
The same holds true of those who serve in the offices of the Church. Maybe we didn't vote for them. It makes no difference. We recognize that the Holy Spirit is the One Who governs the Church, even calling to the office the men of His choosing by the lawful election of the Church. So true is that, that when the elders come to our homes in the capacity of their office, Christ Himself enters our homes with them. And to us He says (Hebrews 13:17), "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account." And to His servants He says (Luke 10:16): "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." As with our calling toward those in government, so with those in the offices of the Church, we recognize God's appointed authority, and therefore with honor we submit ourselves as unto the Lord.
THIS RESPECTFUL SUBMISSION TO DIVINELY APPOINTED AUTHORITY IS EVIDENCE OF OUR TRUE FREEDOM IN CHRIST, BELOVED.
It comes as a result of seeing that we are servants of the living God. And that is true freedom indeed. For that is salvation. Respectful submission to all those in authority is motivated not by the fear of men or the terror of punishment. We are not men-pleasers, when we walk in obedience to the fifth commandment. For our obedience is rendered not merely to men, but to God. We obey and honor those who rule over us because God has written His law upon our hearts. And when those in authority exercise their authority with their eyes upon the sovereign Lord, and in the name of our God, they also recognize that in their place of authority, they are but servants of the living God.
Applying this only to parents now, the believing parent, who understands this fifth commandment spiritually, will consider himself and herself an officebearer of God in Christ Jesus. A father will look upon his children, and a mother will labor with her children, not as mere possessions, but as gifts entrusted to their care. They will not exercise their authority to bring about their own will, but will labor wholeheartedly to bring those children up in the covenant of God. They will show them the way of God's covenant, reveal their own love for their Redeemer in an example of godliness, and will demand that their children also walk in that way, love the Lord their God, forsake the world and walk as children of the light. These parents will bring their children at earliest age under the ministry of the Word in the Church, will see that they are nurtured in catechism, and will speak with honor and thankfulness to God for faithful preaching and instruction. They will establish schools for their children, where teachers who stand with them in the faith may instruct them in the same truth of God. And these parents will impress upon their children the virtue of walking in respectful submission to all who are in authority.
THE PROMISE IS "THAT THY DAYS MAY BE LONG UPON THE LAND WHICH THE LORD THY GOD GIVETH THEE."
As the Apostle emphasizes in his letter to the Ephesian Christians, this is the first commandment with promise. A significant promise this is! It is a promise that God will continue us in the line of our generations, even forever! No, the promise does not refer simply to individuals. Rarely does Scripture speak in terms of individuals. It often emphasizes the personal element in our faith. But the approach of Scripture and particularly the promise is almost always organic, that is, it looks upon the church as a living organism, one body, gathered from believers and their seed in the line of continued generations. So that we must not understand by this promise that if only our children obey their parents, they will live a long life on this earth. If that is how you would understand this, you are left with a faulty promise! We know that such cannot be the correct interpretation of this text. Many of God's children have died in infancy or in youth. Many very godly members of God's Church are taken to glory well before the years of old age, not having lived long on the earth. So that, again, we must understand this promise as meaning that in the way of obedience to this commandment, children shall continue to stand before God in the line of their generations. And there shall continue to be seen a reflection of God's handiwork in those who stand in a proper godly relationship of authority and obedience one to another.
In the second place, the promise speaks of dwelling long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. That land, don't forget, was the promised land, the land of Canaan. And the land of Canaan was not just any land. It wasn't merely the land where today the earthly nation of Israel is situated. Canaan was the land which to the Old Testament Church signified the land of promise, a picture of the new creation that still awaited them. The promise, therefore, is that the children of Israel, in the way of obedience to the fifth commandment, will enjoy everlasting life in the promised land which is heaven. But it is true that in the Old Testament that land was seen concretely in the earthly Canaan. And so attached to the promise of long life in Canaan, according to Deuteronomy 5 and Ephesians 6:3 is the promise that it shall go well there for those who keep this commandment.
THE FULFILLMENT OF THIS PROMISE IS SEEN THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
God is faithful to His promise, beloved. The contrary is also true, of course. In multitudes of families today, there is little honor for those in authority. Parents abandon their own God-given place and honor, letting their children rule and run their own way. In many homes the parents themselves show utter disregard for this commandment. Instead of showing all honor, love and fidelity to all those in authority, and submitting themselves to their instruction and correction, they are constantly criticizing and casting dishonor upon them, whether they be those that rule in places of government, or teachers in the schools, or elders and ministers. And with such disobedience to the fifth commandment, they serve as ungodly examples to their children. The price is steep. It is the loss of this promise. Their lines are cut off in their generations, often their immediate generations. That also happens even as God said. For He warned us again in Romans 13, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive unto themselves damnation" (Romans 13:1,2,). God upholds also the fifth commandment with utter seriousness.
But He is faithful to His promise. Though the wicked shall not inhabit the earth, the righteous shall never be removed. So we read in Proverbs 10:30. Or (Proverbs 2:21,22), "the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it." The promise is spoken to those who have been brought out of the land of Egypt, out of the bondage of sin and death. It is spoken to you who are in Christ Jesus by a true and living faith. And when God comes to make His dwelling place in our hearts by the Spirit of Christ, then all the proper relationships which had been distorted by sin and corrupted by our own sinful minds, are again set in order by the wonder of grace. Christ has accomplished His work, walking in perfect submission and obedience to God, even to the cross. Now the law is written upon our hearts. It is, isn't it? Then turning from our sinful rejection of authority, we begin to do that which is pleasing in God's sight. And at the same time we look with eager anticipation when all that is of sin will pass away, and the authority and perfect sovereignty of God will be forever acknowledged in that land which God shall give us. That will be glory, indeed.
Amen.
Preached: Randolph PRC 11/9/97 (am)
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