Quote:
Originally Posted by jaxfam6
Well I must say I am a bit surprised. I have always heard it said OBEY them which have the rule over you. Guess what? It's NOT.
I had never had reason to really look it up or question it. I still did not look it up as even after these posts. So how did I figure it out? Our message today. Our pastor had a minor surgery a week or so ago and our assistant pastor preached today. This is one of the passages he used:
Hbr 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of [their] conversation.
Now you want to know what this scripture means? Well to me is says that we should remember them which have taught us the word of God. Obeying the word of God is something we are supposed to do because we love God. Obeying them that rule over us is certainly an option to ignore if it is not of GOD.
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There is another verse 10 verses down (13:17) which says "Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves...."
I can get "over" a commandment of men, but if God's Word says it, I feel I must pay attention. IMO, often, obeying men IS obedience to God. Even just obeying your boss at a secular job is in compliance with scriptural principle.
Obviously if any authority and God conflict, it is better to obey God than man. But there's a difference between something that would cause me to go against God, and something I simply don't want to do for another, personal (e.g., less important) reason.
Submission to my husband, for instance--it doesn't even deserve to be called submission if I only respect his wishes and authority when I agree with his decisions. There's no sacrifice in that at all.