Are all authorities equal and righteous?

Does God require blind submission?

> >From: Gordon Southcott

> >Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 8:49 AM

. . . If I had been here she would have known not to waste her time emailing you. I would

simply have told her you were booted from Abba Ministries for refusal to

submit and to listen to those in authority over you. Everyone, even Jesus,

submitted unto the authorities over Him so why shouldn't we all do the

same or was your past behaviour indicative of the fact you believe yourself

above the authority set by God Himself/ I've got to wonder.

> > >

> > > Take care and God bless,

> > >

> > > Gordon Southcott, Bishop

Public consensus: One should submit to ruling authorities.

D.Lim: How often do we assume that authorities are of God and godly.

How often we make mistakes.

John 19vv20,21:

Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

19:11 耶穌回答說, 若不是從上頭賜給你的, 你就毫無權柄辨我. 所以把我交給你的那人, 罪更重了.

D.Lim: Those who exercise authorities are not free from sin. Their acts serve to judge and condemn them. We have to know from Scriptures (The Word of God) what exactly is given to whom to exercise.

Matt 26vv53,54:

26:53 你想我不能求我父, 現在為我差遣十二營多天使來麼.

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

26:54 若是這樣, 經上所說, 事情必須如此的話, 怎麼應驗呢.

But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

D.Lim: The acts of Jesus is for fulfilment of Scriptures, instead of rendering all authority to men and secular societies.

Acts 5v29:

5:27 帶到了, 便叫使徒站在公會前, 大祭司問他們說,

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

5:28 我們不是嚴嚴的禁止你們, 不可奉這名教訓人麼. 你們倒把你們的道理充滿了耶路撒冷, 想要叫這人的血歸到我們身上.

Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

5:29 彼得和眾使徒回答說, 順從神, 不順從人, 是應當的.

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

D.Lim: This is the Apostolic position, the Christian position, the Scriptural position. God first in all things in consideration. No body has authority over The Word of God(Christ).

We ought to obey God rather than men.

Gal 1v8,9:

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

D.Lim: The Apostle Paul clearly teaches through Divine inspiration that we are not to follow just any authority.

We are to follow just one gospel and let all others be accursed.

Rev 2v6,15:

2:6 然而你還有一個可取的事, 就是你恨惡尼哥拉一黨人的行為, 這也是我所恨惡的.

D.Lim: The Angel of God (Christ) does not teach that we Christians ought to love and follow all that are in the church regardless of their authoritative positions. We are to love the truth and hate falsehood and false teachers/leaders/believers.

2:15 你那裡也有人照樣服從了尼哥拉一黨人的教訓.

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.

2:16 所以你當悔改. 若不悔改, 我就快臨到你那裡, 用我口中的劍, 攻擊他們.

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

D.Lim: We are not to follow just any leaders and teachings. Those who do need to repent quickly. We are to fight falsehood with Christ(The Angel).

D.Lim: Christ Jesus calls for repentance from wrong following may it be in the church or amongst Christians, or else Christ will fight against them(not endorsing them or accepting them).

John 7v24:

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

D.Lim: We are not to accept people by outward appearance (ie: titles and positions).

D.Lim: We are to pass judgment; and to judge righteous judgement!

D.Lim: How often do church leaders lie and teach their congregations to lie, forbidding judgement! How often they take pretexts as the truth of God!

Do we not have myriads of examples in Scriptures about passing judgement?

Rom 1v28:

And even as they did not like (do not see fit) to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

D.Lim: Choice taken by judgement. God passes judgement in the lives of the people walking on earth. Judgement is not something reserved only for matters after life.

Col 2v8:

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

D.Lim: Paul teaches judgement � Beware lest . . .

Heb 12v15,25

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

D.Lim: Paul/the writer teaches judgement � Looking diligently lest. .

Judgement to ensure diligence in action and conduct to avoid defliment.

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Be careful is to be judgemental. We need this.

We will be judged at the end if we do not judge and be careful; If we turn away from Him.

Heb 8v5:

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

D.Lim: See that! Be careful. Be absolute in your acts.

Heb 3v19:

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

D.Lim: We make discernment. The Scriptures do not forbid analysis. We pass judgement and announcment. We are judgemental as to be Godly.