DELEGATED AUTHORITY
John
8:31-32
To the Jews who believed him, Jesus
said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will
know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Let us suppose you are the
head of an institution. In sending a representative out, you tell him that you
will acknowledge whatever he does according to his best judgment and that
people listening to him will be considered as listening to you. Surely you will
require him to report to you daily lest he make a mistake. But the Lord makes
us representatives of himself, fully authorized to act on his behalf. What
confidence He has in us! Can we trust any less when our Lord displays such
trust in His delegated authority?
People will perhaps argue,
“What if the authority is wrong?” The answer is, If God dares to entrust His
authority to men, then we can dare to obey. Whether the one in authority is
right or wrong does not concern us, since he has to be responsible directly to
God. The obedient needs only to obey; the Lord will not hold us responsible for
any mistaken obedience, rather will He hold the delegated authority responsible
for his erroneous act. Insubordination, however, is rebellion, and for this the
one under authority must answer to God.
Spiritual Authority. By Watchman Nee, pgs. 70-71.