We continue tonight with Part 2 of the sermon on the fifth commandment, "Honor your father and your mother." This commandment applies not only to children and their parents, but also to those who are in positions of authority. The Children’s Catechism says that the fifth commandment teaches us "to love and obey our parents and everyone in authority over us." Tonight I want to focus on "everyone in authority over us." Now, this is not only those who are in authority over children, but those who are in positions of established authority in the public realm or in the church.

We live in an anti-authoritarian society. The cultural revolution of the 1960's was a rebellion against all authority: in the home, in the schools, in the legal system, and in the church. All in authority were to be cast down and thrown out. And though that radical, anti-authoritarian spirit may not be as prominent today, its effects are still with us today. It has changed our culture.

A few weeks ago, you might have noticed an article in the newspaper about the challenges which teachers face these days. It is often said that, these days, teachers spend most of their time simply trying to maintain order in the classroom and disciplining their students. The number one concern expressed by teachers is that students show a "lack of respect" for authority.

Now, I’m not down on the students; that’s not what this is about. The students today aren’t any different by nature, aren’t any worse by nature, than the students of my generation or my parents’ or grandparents’ generation. What’s different, and what’s worse, is that today in our culture, there is no commonly held value and esteem for authority. Our society doesn’t like the idea of "authority" and "authority figures." We don’t want anybody telling us what we can and cannot do — nobody has the right to do that — and so we want a society in which we’re all free to do whatever is right in our own eyes. But, that’s true not only in society in general, but also in the Christian community. Many professing Christians today would not want to be part of a fellowship in which there was real moral accountability.

But the fifth commandment, when broadly applied, brings peace and order and harmony not only to our families, but also to the church, and to society at large. Some of you have heard me comment that, in the Westminster Larger Catechism, the fifth commandment receives more treatment, there is more explanation and application of it, than any other commandment. I’d like to call your attention to the Larger Catechism in order to show you the Reformed vision of a peaceable and happy society. The Larger Catechism [Q#124] asks,

Now, let me explain that the Larger Catechism, based on the Bible, teaches that creation is ordered hierarchically. There is an order of hierarchy in creation itself, and there is an order of hierarchy in the family, in the church, and in society which is to be acknowledged and respected. Now this, of course, is highly distasteful to the contemporary American mindset. In our anti-authoritarian age, our culture detests the notion of hierarchy. The popular mindset has really adopted the agenda of the French Revolution, and more and more demands egalitarianism in our society, in which, supposedly, everybody is on the same level. You know, if someone excels at something — academics, athletics, or business — but someone else doesn’t excel, well, there must be something wrong with the system, there must be something unfair about the set-up, the one who excels must have some kind of unjust advantage over the person who does not excel.

Or, another example of "egalitarianism" — where everybody is on the same level — is the idea the family is a pure democracy, and that a child’s opinion or "vote," by "right" counts as much as a parent’s. Well, you know, as parents we really ought to listen to our children, and we need to take their concerns, their needs, their desires, their interests seriously. And, of course, if it’s a matter of where you go out to eat on kids’ night, sure, take a vote and let the majority rule. No big deal. But the family is not a pure democracy. The family is much more like a republic in which the leaders, the authorities, the parents, are entrusted with the responsibility of governing the family with the best-interest of the whole family in mind. You might even say that a family is really like a benevolent monarchy — in which the king and queen rule over the family with love and kindness and wisdom and grace and mercy and justice. But the family is not a pure democracy.

Likewise the church is not ordered as a pure democracy in which everyone is on the same level. Now, we’re all on the same level as sinners in the sight of God. We’re all on the same level as sinners for whom Christ died and rose again. But, in terms of the structure of our covenant-community life, we’re not all on the same level. We have officers, particularly elders, who are elected to govern the church, and who are charged with the duty to protect the purity and peace of the church. Hebrews 13:17 speaks to this when it says, "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you."

Now, this passage is referring to leaders, and those in authority, in the church. It is clear from the context that this is speaking of church leaders, not authorities of secular civil government. In fact, most translations say that these leaders "keep watch over your souls" (and I don’t know why that dropped out of the NIV), so it is clear that this has to do with spiritual leadership, oversight, and authority. Now, what a tremendous responsibility that is, for pastors and elders to "keep watch over" the souls of a congregation, to lead a congregation with spiritual authority, and to be held accountable by God and before God for you. Please pray for us. The Scripture says, "obey your leaders and submit to their authority." I admit that that’s a rather bracing verse. The pastors and elders of this congregation are not accustomed to thinking of ourselves as leaders who are in a position to give instructions or commands to be "obeyed" by members of the congregation. But we are placed by God in a role of governmental and spiritual leadership. Our church membership vows include the question, "Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the church and promise to further its purity and peace?" — and that’s usually the question which prospective new members always look puzzled or unsure about. We’re just not accustomed to the idea of standards, and authority, and discipline in the contemporary American church, and so that question seems strange and confusing. But that question affirms the fact that our congregation does have a government by ruling elders, and that ruling elders do have the responsibility to exercise authority in the church, and that ruling elders are called and commissioned by God to keep watch over the souls of the church members.

Now as leaders of the congregation, your pastors and elders are called to lead following the example of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and under His authority. And that means that we must lead in humility, and in accordance with God’s Word, and with love and care for the congregation. We also lead in the knowledge that we are sinners, and that we make mistakes. And so, this passage calls the church members and the church’s spiritual leaders to maintain a peaceful communion, a fellowship of love, a happy and holy family life together as the people of God, in which it is a joy for leaders to lead, and a joy for church members to follow godly leadership. And I want to commend this congregation, and I have said this to people outside our membership: God has blessed this congregation, and this congregation is a happy and healthy congregation, free from strife, grumbling, murmuring, and factions of self-interest. And for that, we must be deeply grateful to God, (and I am), and we also must, in the words of Ephesians 4, "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Now, you may be wondering: Is this sermon really ‘Part 2' on the fifth commandment? Well, yes, it is, because it is addressing the reality and the role of authority in the family life of the congregation.

But the application of the Fifth Commandment goes even further. The Larger Catechism speaks in terms of "superiors", "inferiors", and "equals." Now, that doesn’t mean that some people are "better" than others in terms of their basic humanity. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). But it does mean that in the structure of society, some are in positions of greater authority — by virtue of their age, or their abilities, or their position in the family, the church, or the commonwealth (the authority structure of society). We are either in the position of an "inferior" or a "superior" or an "equal" in relation to others in terms of our age or our position of authority in the particular social context in which that relationship occurs.

So, if you are an "employer", you are obligated by God to treat your employee with genuine concern for his or her well-being. You are in the position of being a "mother" or "father", so-to-speak, in terms of your position of authority, in relation to your employee. You should pray for your employees, you should seek to notice their good work and reward it accordingly; and you should notice their poor work, and reprove it for the sake of helping them to improve their performance. And, as the person in authority over them, in so far as the work place is concerned, you are responsible for setting before them a godly example. And so it is a sin to abuse your position of authority as an employee or as a supervisor of those under you; it is a sin to use and abuse people in order to seek your own glory, ease, profit, or pleasure. It is a sin to use your authority to command an employee, or a subordinate, to do something that is immoral or against the law.

And, if you are an "employee", then you are obligated by God to honor and respect the employer, or the one who is your immediate "supervisor," in terms of that person’s authoritative position in the workplace. You may not respect that person in terms of his or her personal values or lifestyle, but you are to respect the authority of that position which the person fills. I have heard it said that Chuck Colson was once asked why he rose in respect when President Clinton entered the room. Colson reportedly responded that he rose in respect, not for the individual person, but out of respect for the office of the presidency. And that’s the principle that applies here. And so, those who are employees, or who are in any subordinate position, are to pray for their superiors, and be submissive and receptive to good counsel, and be willing to do all that you can, lawfully, to please, honor, and support those who are in authority over us — as long as that does not require us to violate the law of God. In other passages, the Apostle Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, instructed Christian slaves to show respect and honor for their unchristian masters, and to work hard for them, as unto the Lord. And so it is a sin for employees, or subordinates, to neglect their work, or to grumble and complain about their work, or to disregard the instruction of the employer or the supervisor, or to envy those in position over them, or try to usurp their authority.

And those who are truly "peers" — at an equal station in life — are to treat one another with dignity and respect, to show honor to one another, to encourage one another, and to rejoice with one another in each other’s successes. And all of this applies not just to the "workplace," but also in every area of life: in the schools, as teachers relate to students, and students relate to teachers, and students relate to one another; it applies in public life, in terms of how we as citizens relate to those in positions of civil authority — how we relate to the police officer and the judge, and how the police officer and judge relate to us. In every area of life, it applies. Sometimes, you will be in the position of "superior" authority; sometimes you be under "superior" authority; and sometimes you will be relating to others in a position of equality. It depends on who we are relating to. But in any and all cases, the point is that we are to show proper regard and respect for those in authority, and if we are the ones in authority, then we should show proper care and concern for those under our authority, and relate to them in a way which reflects God’s good and benevolent authority over us.

The Fifth Commandment is the foundation for a peaceful, ordered, happy, harmonious society — in the family, in the church, and in the world at large. May we be a people who honor God and honor His authority over our lives, and who therefore live our lives seeking to bring glory to Him in the way that we relate to others. May His kingdom come, His will be done, on earth, in our lives, in our families, and in the world, as it is in Heaven. AMEN.