The Strength of Obedienceಮಾದರಿ

For years now, a negative attitude toward submission to authority has crept into the church. It is subtle, but powerful—an idea planted by the enemy that whispers, “You can be right with God while rejecting those He has placed over you.” Yet Scripture does not support this! In fact, God’s Word makes it clear that obedience and submission to authority are part of His design for His children.

I understand this struggle personally. It is easy to convince yourself that you can have a heart fully devoted to God while at the same time resisting or resenting authority here on earth. But that is deception. Satan would love for us to believe that rebellion against parents, teachers, pastors, or leaders is harmless, even justified. But the truth is, it is impossible to be truly obedient to God while maintaining a rebellious spirit toward those He has appointed to lead us.

God created order for His world, and order always requires submission. Children are called to obey their parents. Wives are called to submit to their husbands, just as husbands are called to lay down their lives in sacrificial love for their wives. Believers are called to respect and follow their leaders. In every sphere, God’s design involves humility, obedience, and trust. Is it any wonder that the enemy works so hard to tear down this structure? If he can convince us to be our own authority, he has already won half the battle.

But why does God establish authority in our lives in the first place? One reason is that He knows the stubbornness of our wills! From the very beginning of life, our instinct is to do things our own way. Submission does not come naturally; it must be learned. And so God gives us practice—visible authority figures we can see and respond to as training for obedience to the invisible God we cannot see. When we learn to trust and obey earthly authority in a healthy, God-honoring way, our hearts are shaped to better trust and obey Him.

Submission is not about losing our identity or being diminished. It is about learning humility, honoring God’s order, and trusting that His ways are higher than our ways! Obedience trains our hearts to surrender, and surrender trains us to love God more deeply.

Reflection Question: Where in your life are you tempted to resist authority, and how might God be using that very place to teach you obedience and humility before Him?