(Excerpt from the book by the same title)
God is never the author of confusion or disorder (1 Cor. 14:33). He
never establishes a situation, or condition where disorder exists. On the contrary, He
always establishes peace, and the government, or order of authority necessary to maintain
it. Even within the Divine Godhead there is an order of authority. Scripture speaks of the
Father "sending" the Son (John 12:49; 17:23), and of the Father giving the
promise of the Holy Spirit to the Son, Who in turn "sent" the Holy Spirit (John
16:7; Acts 2:33). It also speaks of the Son obeying the Father (John 12:49-50; 17:4; Heb.
10:7, 9). The presence of an order of authority does not imply the superiority of the
Father, or the inferiority of the Son or the Spirit with regard to their Person, for they
are all equally God. Position, not Person, is in view when we speak of
government. Now within the Divine Godhead there is the perfect order of government which
allows the three distinct, coequal, and divine Persons of the eternal
Godhead to function in absolute perfect harmony. This perfect harmony is the result of the
presence of loving authority and willing submission. This perfect order of
government always produces harmony, and never produces disorder. Never!
Loving Authority + Willing Submission = Peace & Blessing
We see this perfect order of government, or authority, practiced
perfectly in the triune Godhead. No one Person of the Godhead ever functions independently
of the others, or for selfish reasons (John 5:19; 16:13). There is complete satisfaction,
and never a thought of seeking a different position. The Father loves the Son (Matt.
3:17), and the Son willingly submits to the Father’s will (Matt. 26:39; Phil. 2:5-8;
Heb. 10:7). The Holy Spirit is willingly submissive to both the Father and the Son (Acts
2:33). This is a "living" harmony, not just a mechanical order. Three living,
coequal, divine, and rational Persons, function in the absolutely perfect harmony of
loving authority and willing submission. Such Divine harmony is worthy of our meditation
and our worship!
This principle of loving authority and willing submission is
taught in other portions of Scripture as well. Paul, speaking to husbands says, "love
your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it" (Eph. 5:25), and to
wives he says, "submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord" (Eph.
5:22; Tit. 2:4). If this order is followed the marriage cannot fail. It is God’s
perfect plan for order and blessing in a marriage. Men and women, in their own wisdom,
have altered this plan, and much disorder and accompanying sorrow has resulted (Prov. 9:
10).
Scripture also says, "Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath,
but bring them up in the nurture (loving care) and admonition of the Lord" (Eph.
6:4). To children He writes, "obey your parents in the Lord" (Eph. 6:1)
God’s Word to those in church leadership is, "Neither be ye lords over
them," but rather "feed the flock" (Ezek. 34:4; 1 Pet. 5:2-3). They
are to care for the saints with the tender loving care of a shepherd. To the saints He
says, "Obey those who have the rule over you (Heb. 13:17). Employers and employees
are also to function by this principle (Col. 4:1; 3:22). Loving authority and willing
submission working together in harmony always results in order and blessing. Nowhere is
this more evident than in the willing submission of God’s Son to the loving authority
of His Father (John 17:4, 21, 26).
Now in whatever God creates He establishes an order of authority, or
government. Whether it be in the angelic hosts, in the lights of heaven, in the inner man,
in marriage, or in the church, God establishes government, or order of authority to
maintain order and produce blessing.
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