Every one of us is accountable to someone else’s authority in one way or another. So, we need to be mindful of what it takes to be a steward of these relationships. The following five scriptural guidelines will help us better manage these relationships as we incorporate the principles into our lives.
- Let every soul be submitted to authority (Rom. 13:1).
- Servants, be obedient to them (Eph. 6:5).
- Serve as unto the Lord and not unto men (Eph. 6:7).
- Let your light shine (Matt. 5:16).
- Pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
We must recognize that the office of authority, regardless of the person standing in it, is ordained of God.
We as Christians must obey the direction or instruction that comes from an office of authority. Of course, we must measure everything against the standard of the Word. Submitting to authority does not mean we blindly obey what someone tells us to do when it contradicts God’s Word.
We need to do our very best to contribute to the corporate effort by making an effort to give 100 percent. But we need to work as unto the Lord. Arrive early and work hard—not to please man, but to please the Lord. And, in return, we’ll be blessed when we do.
Don’t preach or lecture to that unsanctified husband or wife, and don’t preach to that unsaved boss. The Bible tells us that if we live our lives by the standard of God’s Word, God can change the life of an unbeliever. Our lifestyles, lived according to the standard of the Word, will convict another person of sin.
The Bible tells us to pray for those in positions of authority. It doesn’t matter who the person is or whether or not we agree with his or her theological or political viewpoint. We are nevertheless called to pray earnestly for those we serve.
We are commanded to respect, honor, and esteem that office of authority because God ordained it, and when we line ourselves up with it, we’ll be blessed.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Mac and Lynne Hammond are senior pastors of Living Word in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which they started in 1980. Many outreaches and ministries have launched from Living Word since that time, including Maranatha Christian Academy, a Pre-K through grade 12 school with nearly 900 in attendance, and Living Free Recovery Services, a licensed outpatient treatment program.
Most recently, Mac and Lynne have launched a vision to plant fifty churches across the globe in the next five years. As of August 2024, nine churches have been planted in the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, and Guatemala with construction underway for seven more churches in El Salvador, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Prior to becoming a pastor, Mac was a pilot. He served in the Air Force, served two tours of duty in Southeast Asia, and was honorably discharged in 1970 with the rank of Captain. Between 1970 and 1980, Mac was involved in varying capacities in the general aviation industry, including ownership of a successful air cargo business serving the Midwestern United States. A business acquisition brought the Hammonds to Minneapolis, where they ultimately founded Living Word. Currently, Mac is the host of The Winner’s Way and The Winner’s Minute broadcasts and the author of several internationally distributed books. Mac is broadly acclaimed for his ability to apply the principles of the Bible to practical situations and the challenges of daily living.