Usually, leaders in every sector bear the burden of failures, successes, troubles, and whatever may happen to the body they are overseeing. Still, they most times suffer insubordination from the followers they seem to be doing everything for. What does the bible say about government, and what should be our attitude towards them as Christians?
Text: Exodus 2: 1Corinthinas 4:8-11, Isaiah 42:19-20, Romans 13:1-4, 1Timothy 2:1, Galatians 1:10, Hebrew 12:1-8, Genesis 3:1-6, 17, Proverbs 18:13, Proverb 29:15, Exodus 28:1, Leviticus 10:1-6, Numbers 16: 1-41, Acts 4:32-37, Acts 5:1-5, 2Samuel 24:1-15
Authority comes from God, and anyone in a position of authority deserves to be respected -those in government parastatals, churches, and offices. The Bible commands that we honor all men. However, we know that the greatest work God has on earth is the gospel, thus, God loves to see submission to authority in His Church, (authority in God’s church begins from the ushers). We need to recognize leadership and honor it.
It is not possible for a leader to please every one of his followers. Paul said he cannot be a servant of Christ if he chooses to please men. A leader cannot but offend friends, families, brethren, and even himself, if he must be faithful to God -who called him. The spiritual maturity of a church is in recognizing that whatever correction God made through the leader is for the church’s beauty, not to her hurt. If a man is truly called by God, he stays loyal to God and to the course he is sent to banner up, regardless of whose ox is gored. A man of God doesn’t ridicule, rather, he corrects with love. He shouldn’t see you going astray and keeps quiet because he doesn’t want to offend you.
Jesus Christ, with several acts of compassion demonstrated and love for the people, healing them, delivering them, feeding them, yet he was despised by the same people he was leading. He had to despise the shame, endure the cross, endure such contradictions of sinners against himself. God will not come down to correct you, He uses His Servants (your leaders). Therefore, you are not supposed to despise God’s chastening and rebuke, because being chastised and enduring it proves that you are a son.
Prophet Branham relayed to us the vision of the bride preview he saw when he was caught up in heaven. It was said to be a beautiful scenario, with the bride well arranged, matching onward, then he suddenly saw a lady trying to leave the line (distracted so to say), and he screamed, “go back to the line!” then he said that was his ministry. So, it is the responsibility of leader, especially one who is ordained to watch over the souls of God’s children. God will ask them; every leader will be accountable for what God commits to them. And if they can grasp this revelation, regardless of how you feel, he wouldn’t mind, as long as he knows that is what God wants. In the garden of Eden, after Eve messed up, God never called her first to question, it was the man Adam that He called, and he had his fair share of judgment.
There was a phenomenon in the Bible with Moses and the two children of Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu. These two offered strange fire before the Lord, and Moses spoke, correcting them and God killed them right there. Imagine what you would do as a mother. And while that was going on, Moses warned Aaron not to cry if he didn’t want to die. Wow! Wouldn’t you have arrested Moses as a killer? But that’s the dilemma of ledershipship. In Numbers 16:33, Korah, Dathan and Abiram went against Moses, while he was doing his responsibility, and the fire of God came down to consume them but guess what? The people murmured against Moses saying, he has killed the people of God.
Ananias and Sapphira his wife conspired together to lie to the Holy Spirit, and they got the reward of their seed -death. But what would be the condition of the leader, Peter? The foundation of the church of Christ must be solid and right, and God would do anything regardless, to make sure His church is not corrupted. He couldn’t stand the lie of Ananias and his wife, because He was laying the foundation of His church. But then, the dilemma falls every time on the shepherd, because he is the one representing God to the people, but there is nothing he can do but stand for the One who has commissioned him. A spiritual man however would understand spiritual things. Carnal people cannot be your friend when you’re doing spiritual things.
God can punish the family by dealing with the husband, God can punish a congregation by dealing with the pastor. The sin of Israel made God to move David to do wrong, and the judgment of God descended thereafter. God can never err in judgment! All that is required of us is to be spiritually selfless enough to understand the things that God ordains for our salvation and peace, and if we can humble ourselves, then we can reap the fruit of righteousness.