Dr. Hernes M. Abante

Hebrews 13:17 - “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

Ephesians 6:1-3 - “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 

[2] Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 

[3] That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

A well-known Pastor recently made a statement during a Q&A that went viral, which prompted me to respond. He said that Pastors have no authority over their flock. He further explained that only God and His Word have authority, and He has none whatsoever.

To me, that sounds like a statement coming from someone with authority. I am sure that because of who he is, many people are easily convinced by whatever he says.

I believe his statement that God possesses all authority. He is the source of everything, including all authority and power. However, we cannot declare that God has not given us the authority to fulfill His will.

Obeying His mandate requires authority. Performing pastoral duties involves authority. For people to learn how to submit to authority, we need someone to teach them how to recognize proper submission.

We do have authority. It is a God-given authority that can never surpass the authority of God. It is an authority that must always be subordinate to divine authority. I call this the Authority of Divine Stewardship to care for God’s people.

In fact, man was given authority when God told Adam to subdue the animals and to take care of the Garden of Eden. They sinned not because they had authority; instead, they sinned because, instead of using their God-given authority to subdue and control the serpent, they obeyed it. Adam and Eve failed to use their God-given authority.

Pastoral or Ministerial authority is not a human right. It is not a right that anyone can abuse or use arrogantly. It is a privilege from God through His grace. That’s why those in authority must always remain humble and not be proud or arrogant when exercising their God-given authority.

Authority is essential for fulfilling the mandate God has given us. It is needed to teach God's people to listen, be instructed, obey, and serve. New believers need to be guided by an under shepherd, a figure of authority.

Authority is also necessary at home. Our children need an authority figure to respect and learn proper behavior from. It is the parents and teachers who must provide them with moral and spiritual authority.

Our scripture says that Pastors must rule. Without authority, they cannot rule. They also must be obeyed, and God’s people are instructed to submit to their God-given authority.

God gave us authority not for us to abuse or be proud of it. It’s not for boasting but a gift from God to teach us how to submit fully to the final authority—GOD.

Our world today is deteriorating because of a lack of godly authority. Some have surrendered their Christian authority to the world. Our children and youth are listening more to their peers and following worldly influences. It’s time for believers to boldly claim our divine authority from God, preach His Word without compromise, and rebuke the sins of this generation.

Christians, use your divine authority to declare your faith in God openly. Our God-given authority is more powerful than all the authorities in this world combined.