“For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed.” 2 Corinthians 10:8 ESV
Reflection: what is the purpose of having authority?
If you decide to ignore the speed limit, you might get to know the authority of the law enforcement. It is not a pleasant experience seeing blue lights flashing in your rear view mirror, then realizing it is you they are after. It is embarrassing having to pull over, waiting for the officer to walk up to you, while other cars pass by. The officer might ask you whether you know why they pulled you over. And I am sure they have heard a thousand stories and excuses for why someone was speeding. Regardless of the excuse, their job is to enforce the law, to make sure everyone follows the traffic laws. But since the officer is just a person like you and I, someone has given them a unique and specific authority to do this. Someone with even higher authority. Therefore, in general we know that
Authority is given or assigned, and it is hierarchical.
And we can see this hierarchy of authority in all parts of society, from the homes to schools, business and of course government. Where authority is perhaps most needed, and on display, is in the military. For the military to work, one level of authority cannot question a higher level of authority. They must do as they are told. There are severe consequences if direct orders are disobeyed. But do you realize that within the spiritual world, there are hierarchies of authority? We looked at one such authority yesterday, where Paul said “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 ESV.
There is a great story that can help us understand this better, in a biblical context. “Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”” Luke 7:2-9 ESV
In our focus verse today, Paul talks about authority, saying “our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you”. He was referring to the authority of the mission the Lord had assigned him and his companions, to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. And, of course, with such an assessment came authority. And, Paul is reminding the Corinthians of his mission authority in Christ, not to tear them down, but to build them up. And, as we looked at, in the same breath he therefore also claimed divine authority to tear down enemy strongholds, needed to build the Corinthians up in Christ.
The centurion understood the importance of authority, and he therefore knew the power that Jesus had with his authority. Paul understood that he could not preach the gospel to the gentiles on his own, and to build them up in Christ without authority in Christ. Jesus has told his followers, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” Matthew 28:18-20 ESV
As followers of Christ, do we believe that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus Christ? I mean, do we act according to what we say we believe? And, then if we are in Christ, what authority we have in him to fulfill the mission he gave us? If he didn’t give us any authority with the assignment, it would be as silly as telling someone to enforce speeding laws without the authority as a police officer.