Is Submitting to Authority Inherently Wrong? (Guest Post by Tsouloufis)

Is Submitting to Authority Inherently Wrong? (Guest Post by Tsouloufis)

Someone recently asked me: “Do you think that hierarchy, which was the dominant form of society until more recently, is inherently wrong?”  This is a fair question in 21st century America, which continues to drift further into libertarianism and secularism.  However, not only is the notion of hierarchy right, it is God-ordained.  Submission is commanded for all believers (male and female, young and old), and it remains God’s standard for all time.  Children submit to parents; parents submit to God; wives submit to husbands; husbands submit to God; parishioners submit to elders and pastors; elders and pastors submit to God; civilians submit to civil authorities; civil authorities submit to God (ideally); and the Church submits to God and to God’s Word. 

God is the foundation of this hierarchical structure, and God is the head of this hierarchical structure.  God created and ordained all of this for His good purposes, with His glory and authority in mind.  However, a submissive spirit runs counter to society’s values, and it always has.  When any man (or child) decides he doesn’t need to submit to any authority, what he’s really saying is: “I want my freedom to do what I want, and I don’t want anyone telling me what to do.”  Unfortunately, our society and culture feeds into this lie, by encouraging kids to dishonor and disobey their parents, by encouraging women to not submit to any man, and by encouraging people in general to submit to no authority beyond themselves.  But when people become a law unto themselves, nothing but chaos and destruction will follow.  Such is the pride and foolishness of man when he dethrones God and places himself there.  And such is the hubris of man when he encourages others to do the same.  In truth, we need this authority in our lives – all of us.  

Can this authority be abused?  Of course it can; and shame on us when we abuse it.  And shame on husbands when, instead of being a servant leader to their wives, they lord their authority over them and disregard their feelings.  That is not how God designed marriage to function.  But God’s design isn’t nullified just because some foolish men abdicate their biblical role as servant leaders.  It just means those men need to repent and set a better example for their families.