Taking Orders

“for indeed, I am a man under authority” Luke 7:8

Under Authority – Are you under authority? Most believers would quickly assert that they are. After all, they serve the Lord. But perhaps we are a bit too quick to answer this question, principally because it is not a matter of attitude. It is a matter of obedience. As Jesus exclaimed about this Roman centurion, great faith is found in receiving the word of a superior and carrying out the orders. There is no authority until there is compliance.

The Greek text uses the words hypo exousian tassomenos, literally, “begin set under authority.” The verb, tasso, is about ordered arrangement. In this case, it means that this centurion was himself under the authority of another. He knew his place, his responsibility and his assignment. This is the first thing required of believers. We must know our place. We are slaves (voluntarily) to the King. He reigns over us. We must know our responsibility. We are to do what He asks, whenever and wherever the order comes. We must know our assignment. We are living sacrifices to the glory of the Father. Our behavior must reflect our spiritual DNA. Our actions must exhibit His character. When we were rescued from self-tyranny, we were set in place in the hierarchy of God’s government.

“Under authority.” Hypo exousia. We were put into an ordered command relationship. In that position, we have been granted permission to do something. Furthermore, we have been given the power to carry out that mission. We have been entrusted with a sacred task. Unlike many of our career experiences, we have been granted both the ability and the responsibility to carry out the assignment. But notice that we are not the authority. All authority belongs to God. He grants us permission to use His authority to accomplish His purposes. We don’t generate the orders or the power to complete them. We just carry them out.

And what are those orders? Simple – just do what He says. God gives us position, power and permission to do what He says. Just as He gave Adam the command and the ability to carry it out, so He gives us His instructions and the ability to carry them out. “This commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach” (Deut. 30:11). The Hebrew word for “difficult” (pala’) implies that the commandments can be comprehended and executed. God does not ask more than we can do.

Great! We have it settled. God tells me what to do, permits me to do it and provides me the ability and power to accomplish it. So, then why do I have so much trouble following God’s instructions?  Why do I fail? Why do I fight? Why am I too often disobedient? The answer is that I do not place myself under authority. I sin because I want to be in charge. I don’t really want to follow orders. I want to issue orders. That’s the bottom line of yetzer ha’ra (the evil inclination). I just don’t want to have someone else tell me what to do. In the Bible, this is called rebellion. It is not just sin. It is the attitude of sin. And it leads straight to this: “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?” “I never knew you.”

The Hebrew concept of revelation is confrontational. God doesn’t come to me as the nice, old grandfatherly forgiver. He comes to me as the Holy King. He demands an ordered existence and assigns my place in that order. He expects me to act accordingly. He desires me to give up my rebellion and return to His comfort, protection and mercy – and subsequently live under His authority. But the yetzer ha’ra doesn’t let go easily. I will have to fight to stay under. There will be days when I want to give up, give in and take over. The flesh dies hard! But die it must. I cannot serve two masters. Neither can you.

Topical Index: authority, order, command, yetzer ha’ra, pala’, exousia, tasso, Luke 7:8