But what if I don’t like her/him/them?
“Like” has nothing to do with it.
Christians can evade the clear teaching of Scripture when it suits them.
Be wary that our views of authority are reflective of our view of God’s authority.
See our two minute “Truth in Two” to find out why (full text follows below).
Respecting authority begins with respecting God and His Word.
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from Comenius (here). Mark is President of The Comenius Institute (website). Dr. Eckel spends time with Christian young people in public university (1 minute video), hosts a weekly radio program with diverse groups of guests (1 minute video), and interprets culture from a Christian vantage point (1 minute video). Consider becoming a Comenius patron (here).
Picture Credit: Luke Renoe, Snappy Goat
FULL TEXT:
A high school student in my class, questioning my authority, once said to my face, “You have not earned my respect.”
“So,” I began, “If the police officer stops you going 75 in a 55 mile per hour zone, do you say to him, ‘Before you write me a ticket, you have to earn my respect?”
“If you only respect authority with a uniform, badge, and handgun you will never know respect for authority.”
You see, Scripture has clear principles about respect.
- Romans 2 says, Respect for others begins with The God who is no respecter of persons.
- 1 Thessalonians 5 says, Respect for authority is to be given, not earned.
- Hebrews 13 says we are to obey authorities with joy and not groaning.
- 1 Timothy 2 says we are to respect authorities by praying for our authorities.
- 1 Peter 2 says we are to respect those in authority over us, whether we like them or not.
We can probably think of individuals for whom and institutions in which we work where we give our respect through gritted teeth. But remember, when the New Testament was written, authors of Scripture were writing to people living under the hobnailed boot of Rome – a totalitarian state.
In countries like America, we enjoy huge freedoms. But with freedom comes responsibility. To only disapprove of or condemn those in authority sets aside our responsibility toward respect. At the Comenius Institute, we believe a biblical view of respect is not earned but simply, given. I may disagree with people who have different views of identity, authority, or ethics. But I respect them, nonetheless. If I do that with my friends and colleagues, how much more should I do that with others in authority? Teachers, police officers, and presidents, are all included.
For Truth in Two, this is Dr. Mark Eckel, president of the Comenius Institute, personally seeking truth wherever it’s found.