Honoring God’s Representatives

What does God desire?

The fourth commandment tells us, "honor your father and your mother".

Luther’s explanation in the small catechism: We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.
 
 

Just who are our authorities?

God places over us authorities in home, government, school, work, and in the church for the purpose of taking care of others.. So our God-given authorities extend beyond our parents and home life into other areas of our lives as well.
 
 

What does God not want us to do?

God says we should not despise our parents or other authorities by not giving them respect or by disobeying them as they exercise their responsibility.
 

Proverbs 23:22 Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don't despise your mother's experience when she is old.

Romans 13:2 So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.
 

God Given Responsibility

People whom God place in positions of authority have a responsibility from God to fulfill.

For instance, parents are to see that their children have what they need to grow up strong and healthy. They are to teach their children good values. They should help their children learn about life so that they can someday take care of themselves and teach their own children. Parents should bring them to church, and teach them about Jesus.

Ephes. 6:4 And now a word to you fathers. Don't make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord.
 

Government officials are to look out for the well being of all its citizens making and enforcing laws to help us lead productive lives together.

Teachers are to help us learn the basic skills we need for life.

Pastors are to teach people about all the God has to say to us about Himself.

Titus 1:9 He must have a strong and steadfast belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with right teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

So what does God want us to do?

God wants us to honor our parents and other authorities as God’s representatives given to us to help us have better lives.

Ephes. 6:2-3 "Honor your father and mother." This is the first of the Ten Commandments that ends with a promise. [3] And this is the promise: If you honor your father and mother, "you will live a long life, full of blessing."

God wants us to serve our parents and other authorities by providing what they need to fulfill their responsibilities in caring for us. For example, we can listen to our parents and give them love. We can pay taxes to our government. We can pray for the pastor, Sunday school teachers, and officers of the congregation that God would help them with their responsibilities.

Romans 13:7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and import duties, and give respect and honor to all to whom it is due.

God wants us to obey our parents and other authorities in all those cases where God has placed someone over us.

Titus 3:1 Remind your people to submit to the government and other authorities. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.

God wants us to love and cherish our parents and other authorities as His gift to us, because they are given by Him to help us have better lives.

Proverbs 23:22 Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don't despise your mother's experience when she is old.

Romans 13:1-4 Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there. All governments have been placed in power by God. [2] So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow. [3] For the authorities do not frighten people who are doing right, but they frighten those who do wrong. So do what they say, and you will get along well. [4] The authorities are sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something wrong, of course you should be afraid, for you will be punished. The authorities are established by God for that very purpose, to punish those who do wrong.

Who is in charge?

Jesus. When Jesus was risen from the dead, he met His chosen disciples and told them that His Father had given Him all authority. With that authority, He commanded that His disciples go forth and make more disciples through baptizing and teaching. Not only does Jesus give authority to others, like parents, pastors, and the government to take care of us, but he Himself uses His authority to send the Gospel out into the world.

Whenever we sin He has the authority from God to forgive our sins. Even when we have not obeyed our parents, when we have ignored someone in authority over us, when we have not listen to God’s Word of authority, in every single case that we have rebelled against God and those whom God has given to us to care for us, Jesus has the authority and right to forgive our sins. Why?

Because Jesus died for our sins, every single one of them and for our condition as being estranged from God. Through His death Jesus won the right to declare us righteous before His Father in heaven. Jesus has the authority to forgive our sins, cleanse them away, and give us better lives.

Romans 3:21-26 [21] But now God has shown us a different way of being right in his sight—not by obeying the law but by the way promised in the Scriptures long ago. [22] We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.

[23] For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. [24] Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. [25] For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times. [26] And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus.

 

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Rev. David D. Reedy 2002

 

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church   

Dayton Tennessee   

423.775.4253

Prince of Peace is a LCMS congregation located in Rhea County Tennessee, serving the entire county of some 32,000 people.