Governmental

“But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’”  (Hebrews 1:8-9, ESV)

Government ensures order, makes secure, and provides a foundation to build on. Each of us has areas in which we govern and we each are governed, probably in many settings. Spiritually, every Christian believer has governmental authority—authority to govern spiritually—and also understands the personal responsibility of submission to authority.

Authority includes dominance and say-so within prescribed boundaries. Within those boundaries, authority does include a measure of control over, and little is as disheartening as squandered or weak authority. At the same time and in contrast, abusive authority is paralyzing, whether abusive by force or abusive by overstepping.

Governmental authority is God’s idea, and some are definitely just born to it—they are expert, decisive, and confident of their authority to the extent they trust the source. For those under authority, establishing the source and discerning the one to whom authority has been given to “speak with authority” settles the issue, sets the boundaries, and sets in order, while the opposite is true of governance that looks like something less than leadership, and more like fellowship—sweet, but not world-changing.

Governmental men and women are a gift from God. Look around you. Who is the authority where you are? Who is leading decisively? Who has the mantle to lead and the authority from God to govern? In matters that concern you, with whom do you discern governmental authority from the Lord?

“My son, fear the Lord and the king.”

Amen.

Isaiah 9:6-7 | Hebrews 1:8-9, ESV  | Proverbs 24:21-22, ESV | Verses@Once