One of the greatest challenges is discerning when not to submit to authority. Even a causal read of the Bible makes it clear that God is interested in having things in order even though at the same time He greatly values giving us freedom. The problem, however, is not simply discerning absolutes. Some things are easy to reject. We are, however, rarely faced with a single step moving from peaceful reverie into actions that perpetrate carnage. We are more likely to face incrementalism where the first compromises seem inconsequential, but a whole series of them leads us down a terrible path. Godly authority establishes boundaries that help us prosper.
Authority is intended to provide a framework which multiplies our Kingdom effectiveness. Imagine floating in a swimming pool and deciding to head off in a certain direction. Assuming one can swim, it is just possible to start off swimming in a given direction. The pace and power of that start is entirely determined by the swimmer’s strength and skill. If, instead of just starting off swimming, one pushes off the wall of the swimming pool at the same time the strokes begin, the natural power that the swimmer possesses is multiplied by being able to push off from the side. The swimmer is the same. His or her strength is the same. The strokes are the same, but the power is greater by a magnitude because of the wall. Institutional authority often seems as stogy as an unmovable wall, but in God’s economy, it serves a purpose.
As long as we are in a right relationship with authority, our strength will be multiplied like that in the Kingdom.
No swimming pool wall is perfect. There will always be lots of bumps and cracks in the wall. The question is whether it is cracked so much that the structural integrity is ruined, or that the cracks are so bad that the water leaks out of the pool leaving nothing in which to swim!
In that metaphor, the cracks in the pool wall are like the fidelity of the leader who is exercising authority. The more cracks there are in their theology, the more things “leak” out. No leader is perfect except Jesus. We all have moments of failure and lapses of judgment. Theological integrity must be cohesive enough to preserve the Gospel. In dealing with secular authorities, discernment is needed to know when secular authorities are violating God’s Word and will.
For example, Romans 13 speaks of submission to authority. At the same time in Acts (5:29), Peter states, “We must obey God rather than men.” How does one know when to do which? In Acts 5, the text implies that the apostles submitted to the punishment for violating the demands of the authorities, but did not stop preaching as they were instructed. In fact, they counted it a privilege to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. Being in order meant that they obeyed what God called them to do and accepted the price that was required to carry it out. That is a challenging perspective!
There are many modern day examples. What does a believer do in China when the authorities in some areas say that it is not lawful to meet for prayer and fellowship in anything other than the official state church? One might well imagine that the official church survives by “getting along” with the government. Does this mean that believers cannot meet? In fact they do. A friend fluent in Mandarin (they call it Putonghua [pronounced Poo-tong-wah] for “Main Central Language”) was visiting a home in a small rural village in China.
Over the course of several hours, people dribbled in, one or two at a time until the small living room of the home was packed with people. Each time someone would come in, they would remain silent and sit with the others who had gathered without saying a word. It was erie to have so many people in a small room, so my friend just watched. When the room was so packed it could not hold any more people, the host couple climbed over bodies to each of the four walls of the home. Laying hands on each wall, the couple prayed for protection and that their sounds and prayers would not be overheard by the authorities. When the prayer finished, the packed room broke into noisy prayer and choruses of praise.
When my friend was introduced, she said, “I bring you greetings from fellow believers in Jesus who live in the West. They greet you and are praying for you.” Many of the people began to cry.
My friend asked, “Why are so many crying? What is happening?”
The answer was astounding. “They did not know that there were other believers in Jesus Christ outside China.” The atmosphere was so repressive that they had not been in contact with any other Christ-followers.
After a joyful and prayerful celebration of exuberant worship, the meeting closed with a prayer. The room fell silent again and people left in ones and twos until they were all gone.
Westerners may dismiss their strategy as naïve, but it had been going on for years as they remained unmolested.
In places with radical Muslim populations, other challenges exist. Where there is Sharia Law, at any time a Christian can be charged with blasphemy. How does a Christian comport oneself in such an atmosphere. Many people have given up their lives rather than deny their faith in Christ. Not only that, what does one say to authorities if they ask a question about where people are worshipping or to name other believers. It is one thing to bear testimony to Christ in a costly environment, it is entirely another to identify someone else who is a believer when doing so could cost them suffering or lead to their death.
In Western Churches, people have had to grapple with leaders who range from Gospel indifference to radical departures from Scriptural faith and practice. When is enough, enough?
Basically, the answer to that can go back to the swimming pool analogy. Unbiblical faith and practice is a crack in the wall. Is what is going on a small thing? Even if the leak through the cracks is small, over time, will the water leak out? The right issue to deal with is not just asking what is the impact now, but what is the trajectory? Where will the decisions and practices lead? Taking off from New York, a 3˚ course error can cause a plane to miss Europe and hit Africa. It is not immediately obvious, but it should be corrected as soon as possible.
In Nazi Germany, many soldiers put forward the defense that they were “just following orders.” Some have suggested the same logic for why they have remained linked with unbiblical leaders, saying “I was just staying under the authority of the Bishop and/or the church. When the Bishop departs from Biblical teaching, there is no moral requirement to follow them away from Christ. In fact, just the opposite is true. The “Nürnberg defense” did not work about war crimes. Neither will it work in the face of the throne of judgment. Maintaining institutional cohesion when the institution is diverging from Christ is not fidelity. If the “cracks” are such in the faith and practice of a Province that the “water will eventually drain out of the pool,” it is time to find another pool.
Polycarp passed a story down to Irenaeus about St. John the Apostle. He was in a Roman bath washing, as was the custom of the time. When through the steam he saw the heretic Cerinthus, John jumped up and fled the bath house. He said he did not want to be killed when the building collapsed under God’s righteous judgment on Cerinthus. Why was he so convinced that Cerinthus was a heretic? Because Cerinthus had departed from the faith that was “once for all delivered to the saints.”
There are many points of disagreement about nuances of the faith. There are many views of eschatology, differing views on the work of the Holy Spirit, and different understandings of the Eucharist. Hope that we will all agree about everything is in vain while we await the Lord’s return and the heavenly banquet. That does not mean, however, that we do not have a grip on what the Gospel actually means, how redemption is wrought, or that Jesus Christ is both God and man. The Bible is utterly clear that some things lead people away from Christ. Other things are just disagreements. What makes heresy? Heresy is belief or practice which engaged and maintained will lead people away from Christ, and therefor away from redemption. Following those who believe and practice those things is eternally folly, but folly with a terrible end. Now, not only are there individual heretics, there are actions afoot to export heresy to other parts of the world.
We are called to reject action that is outside God’s plan and revelation in Scripture. When we speak against those things, liberals are “spring loaded” to accuse us of judging and say, “Who do you think you are to judge anyone?” The real question is “Who do they think they are to reject the clear word of Scripture?” That is not what we are called to do. Jesus said “Follow me.” He is still saying the same thing. Stay under His authority. Seek to stay under authority of leaders where possible, but when leaders are going away from Christ, don’t follow them. Follow Him.
Bishop Bill Atwood is Bishop of the ACNA International Diocese and is a contributing writer to the American Anglican Council’s website.
