Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Rejecting Authority
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Judges 21:25
Anarchism, a political theory based on anarchy, was a widespread movement in the early 1800s. The word "anarchy" begins with the prefix an-, meaning "without," and the root, archos, means "leader," "ruler," or "authority." Thus, an-archos, or anarchy, simply means "without rulers" or "without leaders." We commonly think of anarchy as being chaotic and lawless, which is partly correct, but the chaos and lawlessness are actually effects of an absence of leaders to give direction and establish parameters. Being without leaders results in every man doing what is right in his own eyes. As a political idea, anarchism rejects authority and governance in human affairs. It posits that man is essentially good, and if any sort of human oversight is removed, that inner goodness will automatically come out. Because man has a good nature—the theory goes—the best will be produced if he is left to his own devices. In anarchism, the enemy is human authority, because that authority is seen as inhibiting the natural growth of the supposed better nature that is inside. The concept of anarchism spread throughout Europe, Russia, and America during the nineteenth century. At its height, tens of thousands considered themselves dedicated anarchists, and countless more thought that authority impedes man from reaching his potential.
David C. Grabbe
Anarchy in God's Church? (Part One)
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Ephesians 4:11-14
Ephesians 4:11-14 gives instruction on how God gifts some more than others in the church. The "He" in verse 11 refers to God in verse 6. Our Father has given these additional spiritual gifts to some for the purpose of perfecting and fully equipping the saints toward building up Christ's Body. Verse 13 shows that these roles or positions will help the Body function until all of us attain "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." This is the order God has established until the Body is glorified in the resurrection. Verse 14 adds another reason why these roles are given. Religious anarchists believe that structure and authority hinder us from attaining our potential. In contrast, Paul says that God places people into these roles as a means of attaining spiritual maturity: He gives these spiritual gifts to a few so that the rest do not continue to be spiritual children. A hallmark of immaturity is not knowing what we do not know, but at the same time, believing that we are right and feeling as if we are invincible. The immature are especially susceptible to novel concepts and charismatic personalities that may tickle their particular fancy. Spiritually, the stakes are high; some winds of doctrine blow the immature so far off course that they never return. To protect against this, God has provided a bulwark against such storms, giving additional spiritual gifts to some to keep the rest headed in the right direction by declaring and expounding the whole counsel of God. If we reject the spiritual gifts God has given to others, we put ourselves at risk of being deceived, and we may find ourselves radically altering our belief system in response to every shiny new idea that comes our way. But the human leadership God provides is intended to be a steadying force, which is not to suggest that it is perfect or infallible. Nevertheless, it is part of the order God has established. Conversely, anarchy has come to be synonymous with chaos and confusion because those are the results of rejecting leadership. Even worse than confusion, to paraphrase Jesus, rejecting someone God has sent is the same as rejecting God Himself (Luke 10:16).
David C. Grabbe
Anarchy in God's Church? (Part Three)
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Jude 1:8
Jude calls these false ministers "dreamers," but this really is a poor translation. It should properly be: "Likewise also these, as a result of dreaming, defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries." Their new beliefs that they teach to the church are based on dreams, on visions, on foolish imaginations of their hearts, and—who knows?—trips on LSD. The basis for their false teachings is from anywhere but from God. The apostle is pinpointing specific Gnostic beliefs: debauchery, total freedom from authority, and even insulting angels (the literal understanding of "speaking evil of dignitaries." Dignitaries is literally "glorious ones"). Gnostics believed that a person was free to do whatever he wanted, debauch himself to any extent, and God would forgive it, for He is gracious. They believed that no one had authority over them, that they were free from law, and that they were free from government because they were spiritual. No one, then, could tell them what to do. They had progressed beyond all need for physical law of any type of authority, court, or physical government. Lastly, they were so self-willed that they would even reject the authority of angels, believing that they were higher than the angels, forgetting or ignoring that Psalm 8:5 and Hebrews 2:7 say that God has left man for a little while lower than the angels. The Gnostics had already exalted themselves above the angels, so they had no fear of speaking evil of them. This put them in an exalted position, and the ideas that lesser humans have to adhere to are below them and thus comtemptible. Being beyond all law and government, they can do whatever they want, and no one can stop them. It's no coincidence that one of the hallmarks of apostasy today is a total rejection of government. It is the number one problem in the church. No one wants to be governed. Such modern Gnostics say such pious things as, "Only God governs me," which is a false teaching. They have placed themselves above their station, which is exactly what Korah did, as Jude goes on to mention. Since government tends to point out and punish evil doing, these apostates thing that, if they get rid of government and law, they will be free to do whatever they please without any oversight.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Jude
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