Any Other Use Of Authority Is Sin

2 Corinthians 13:10
This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

Apostle Paul plans to again visit the Corinthian church. He writes to them to alert them that he will soon be visiting. He writes and visits to answer questions, give advice, and generally propagate spiritual growth in that church. He also writes and visits to correct mistakes and stop those who oppose and mislead the church. While explaining this purpose of his writing and visit, he gives the clearest reason why God gives leaders like him authority. Any other use of authority is sin!

Romans 13:1
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Romans 13:2
Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

1 Peter 2:13
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,
1 Peter 2:14
or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

All authority at any and every level in life is God-given. Even the authority that is opposed to God and the things of God. Even the authority that came by the military might see an example in Daniel 1:1-2. Even authority that came by fraud and cheated in election. Even the authority that we hate passionately and actively wish it ill. Apostles Paul and Peter write separately but affirmatively that any and every authority is established by God. There is a reason why God gives authority. Any other use of authority is sin!

God is sovereign. God doesn’t have to work with our preference of leaders. Our disliking of leaders does not change the scriptural fact that they are established by God. God created all of us and some of us are extremely diabolic, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is God who created us. God creating us does not mean He supports our evils. God creating all authority does not mean He supports the evil of some regimes. Just like people are free to make choices for or against the will of God, the various authorities can make decisions for or against the will of God. Therefore an authority does not have to God’s will for it to be established by God. There is a reason why God establishes authority. Any other use of authority is sin!

In Daniel 2 when through a king’s dream God predicted the future governments of the world, even the worst governments that persecuted God’s people were listed as part of God’s future plan. The Babylonians, Medo-Persians, and Greeks under who Israelites were slaves were established by God according to that dream. The Romans under who Jesus suffered and the early church got persecuted were established by God according to that dream. Papal Rome that corrupted scriptures and killed so many believers were established by God according to that dream and its interpretation. If God did not want any regime in power, He is omnipotent and could stop them. God allowed them and by allowing them, He established them for a purpose. Any other use of authority is sin!

God will hold all people and authorities accountable. God will punish their wrong doing. God will revenge the pain they cause. It is God who kicks them out of power. God can use us to oppose them in order to point out to them their wrong doing. God can use us to bring regimes down. When God uses you, you will succeed. Without God, you will fail. If it is just selfish pursuit or pure hate, you will not succeed. You need to be sure that God has sent you.

While authorities are established by God, and we must obey them, we only do it to the extent that we are consistent with God’s will. Obedience must be in the Lord. Wives submit to your husbands in the Lord. Children obey your parents in the Lord. Any obedience of anyone or any authority must be in the Lord.

In our text today, God tells the Corinthians that the only reason God gives authority to anyone is for the purposes of building up God’s people. When authority is used to tear down anyone or any people, it is contrary to God’s will. Authority must build-up people. Authority must develop people. Authority must correct people and make them better. The authority must enable careers to grow and dreams to be realized. Authority must give chances for the errant to correct their mistakes. Any other use of authority is sin!

To use authority to revenge against those who offend you is to operate against the will of God. If you use authority to transfer your enemies to punitive positions or places you are acting contrary to God’s will. If you use authority to amass wealth and deny others the opportunity to grow, you are defying God and the reasons He gave you the authority. If you use authority to instill fear of you in others, it is contrary to God’s will. If you use authority to trump up unsustainable or false charges against those who do not tow your line, you are abusing God-given authority. If you use authority to satisfy your ego by being almost worshipped and silencing people from ever questioning you, you are abusing that authority. Authority is to build others up and not to tear them down. Any other use of authority is sin!

How are you using your authority in the family, in the church, in the community, in business, at the work place and even in school? Are you building others as the Bible teaches or you are only building yourself? Are you tearing others down? How are you treating those who oppose you? Would God approve of what you are doing in your authority? James 3:1 warns teachers and leaders that our judgment will be much more strict than that of anyone else. Use authority properly or else it will bring you eternal loss and a curse upon your family and subsequent generations. Use authority to build and not to tear. Any other use of authority is sin!

We normally get stuck in authority because we are using it to benefit ourselves instead of building others. Yet authority is designed to benefit others and not just us. Others should be the greatest beneficiaries of our authority and not us. No one should be torn down by our authority. If anyone’s life and livelihood are torn by our authority, we will be accountable to God for the rest of our lives. Use the authority to build others and not to tear anyone down. Any other use of authority is sin!

Forgive us God for abusing authority. Forgive us for tearing others down. Teach us to build others up. May others benefit more than us during our tenure in any leadership. May our authority and that of others be a blessing to us, in Jesus’ name, Amen!