by Gabriel Williams

All genuine believers experience the reality of living in a world filled with sin, selfishness, and corruption. For this reason, we are called to pick up our cross, die to ourselves, and follow Jesus daily so that we may escape from the corruption of this world. Many of us pray earnestly, as scripture commands, to keep ourselves unstained from the sin of this world and many of us have experienced personal victories in these areas. However, one of the most difficult situations that virtually all believers find themselves in is having to submit to authorities and leaders who are, at best, imperfect, and, at worst, carnal and hostile towards God. However, scripture is quite clear on the matter:

Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. Romans 13:1

This scripture refers mainly to submission to civil government, but in regards to any work of service, whether we are in the position of servant or employee, Paul states our attitude towards earthly authorities quite clearly:

Urge bond servants to be submissive to their masters, to be pleasing and give satisfaction in every way. Warn them not to be argumentative or contradict, nor to steal by taking things of small value, but to prove themselves truly loyal and entirely reliable and faithful throughout, so that in everything they may be an ornament and do credit to the teaching which is from and about God our Savior. Titus 2:9

Servants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. Ephesians 6:5-8 (also cf. Colossians 3:22-24)

and finally:

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffered unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 1 Peter 2:18-20

For most of us, the reality and testimony of the Christian life is not experienced as we spend time around fellow believers, but it is spent in our secular profession. After all, if we spend 40+ hours per week at a job, then our witness will be seen mainly by our fellow co-workers, and our greatest chance for evangelism and ministry comes in the simplicity of our daily work. This is not a coincidence, but it is God’s specific plan that as believers, we become the light of the world (cf. Matthew 5:14). In a very practical way, the “world” that we engage in daily is our jobs and we are meant to be light there. For this reason, our character and behavior around earthly authorities reveals the true depth of our Christian walk and ultimately, the effectiveness of our witness to the world.

In my personal experience, no trial or tribulation that I have encountered in my life reveals more of my need for Christ and His Spirit than my interactions with the authorities that I’ve been called to submit under. As I’ve had to submit under earthly authority, I’ve realized that I lack two major elements in my Christian walk: a deep, unconditional love for others and a full repentance from dead works. John states that any person who does not love abides in death (cf. 1 John 3:14). This verse is usually applied to loving the brotherhood, but we, as believers, are called to love even our enemies. Therefore, this verse applies not only to brotherhood, but it applies to all who we come in contact with… even those who are unreasonable. If we say that we love God and lack in this area, then we are as those who walk in darkness and have no spiritual life in us. Secondly, I realized that repentance from dead works doesn’t just apply to our devotion to God, but it applies to all areas of service to Him. This also includes the attitude of service towards our earthly authorities. If we merely pay lip service to those who are have authority over us or work in a half-hearted way just to appease our conscience, we are performing dead works to God, since our service to God-ordained authorities is really a service towards God. It is easy to state one’s devotion and wholeheartedness to God in words, but it is a completely different matter to prove it through submission to imperfect authority. God does not desire for us to simply yield, acquiesce, and tolerate leaders in an apathetic way, but the challenge offered by Paul and Peter is to serve our earthly authorities earnestly, sincerely, and in a way that honors God. This attitude was exemplified by Jesus, who was under submission to the imperfect and godless Roman authorities. The words of the Sermon on the Mount illustrate this:

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone wants to sue you, and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two. Matthew 5:38-41M

This passage does not encourage believers to be gullible and naïve, but it teaches us not to pursue personal retaliation against those who have acted unreasonably against us. This applies equally as well to earthly authorities who place irrational and unreasonable burdens over our lives. The response of the world is either to retaliate against them or to harbor bitterness toward them; however, Jesus emphasized that we should love and pray for them, knowing that our service to them is service towards Our Father. In the world around us, we see many of our co-workers exercising many of the characteristics that Jesus and the apostles urged us not to do. In our work places, we see hypocrisy, where co-workers smile in their employer’s face and curse them behind their back. We see acts of rebellion, half-hearted work, gossiping, jealousy, self-promoting, divisiveness, and all other matters of wickedness among our co-workers. Usually, most of the cursing and criticism towards the leaders are very well-justified, but the real question is- will you conform to the world’s standards or will you conform to Christ’s standards? Will you patiently endure while being treated harshly or will you respond to the temptations of your flesh and retaliate against such treatment in your heart? Will you honor God with your service to imperfect authority or will you dishonor God by your rebellion to this authority?

A reasonable question that can be asked is what is God trying to produce in us through our submission to earthly authority. Peter sums this up nicely in the context of submission to elders:

You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God that He may exult you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5-7

Ultimately, through our submission to these authorities, God continuously produces humility and endurance in our lives, and as this humility is produced in our lives, He gives us grace to continue to serve our earthly leaders with a sincere heart. This humility enables the marvelous grace of God to cover our weaknesses and sin; however, when we are prideful and rebellious, we expose ourselves and bring shame to ourselves and to God. Notice here that our anxiety is placed upon Christ after our initial submission to authorities. This means that the anxiety that we are casting on Christ is the anxiety and worry associated with humbling ourselves to these authorities. Our example is Christ who “while being reviled, He did not revile in return and while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” When we humble ourselves to these authorities, we are entrusting Our Father to keep, guide, and protect us, while not attempting to preserve ourselves. The grace needed to be a witness in this area is more than abundant for us so that we may walk as Christ walks. I pray that we are convicted by this because there are few things in our lives that are as great of a witness as the privilege and opportunity demonstrating the love and power of God through submission to our earthly authorities. When our co-workers observe us consistently obeying the commands of the scripture by serving our employers or other authorities with joy and sincerity, our lifestyle serves as a dramatic distinction and witness to those around them and verifies to a dying world the reality and truth of the God that we serve.