Authority and Submission

[Peter Debelak]

Originally Posted by Igzy

This is the way I look at authority. If you are going to join a group, then you should respect the order in that group. If you can't, for whatever reason good or bad, then don't make a big fuss, and perhaps the answer (which might very well be fully of the Lord) is to move on.

I believe the pastors of my church should be respected. But I don't believe they have authority in the way Nee/Lee taught it. God asks me to respect the role he has given them. If I cannot handle that then I need to come to grips with why. If the why is God, perhaps I need to confront them in a respectable way. Or perhaps I just need to move on. All as the Lord leads. But blessed are the peacemakers.

I don't disagree with this view outright. I only disagree with it when it is next to a view that I must be in a particular group in order to be right with God (as a matter of doctrine, not personal conviction for the Lord). When I am required to remain in a group, then the authority problems come in. When I am free to leave, according to my conscience, then I have no problem with the view that leaders should be respected and submitted to within the sphere of their organization.