"To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you're not allowed to criticize." - Voltaire "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:" Acts 10:34Based on scripture God is no respecter of persons meaning rich or poor, Prince or pauper you stand on equal ground in the eyes of The Lord.Studies have been done as to what makes certain companies more successful than others and some results indicate that accountability plays a key role in that any employee can address concerns to any other regardless of rank or status.Being no respecters of persons ourselves and holding ourselves to the same standard by which we hold others does wonders for us and our government, company and even church.The Church is defined in The Bible as the body of members not the leaders alone. And in the early church when Peter and Paul wrote their epistles the view of church leaders was the same as the American government in its own infancy. The idea was that the leaders are there to serve the people, or the body of members, not the other way around. We ought not answer to them above the standard that they are answerable to us. We are all members so we ought to be equal in accountability. We would be all the better for being no respecter of persons.Having authority is no excuse for leveling inequality or being above criticism. One should not be labeled a Judas for having questions, even hard questions.We would do better to listen to what God has said in scripture. Many would add what the Prophet's have said but only a revelation is the word of God. The Prophet's every utterance, however inspired, is not the same as the word of God Himself as in a revelation.Most of the time, the rare few times I hear about Christ in church it is always about His authority not His teachings. But it was by living His teachings that He had the authority. Jesus lived the law to a degree never duplicated since His time.Jesus said this about the commandments and Prophets:"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:37-40
And here is the one commandment Jesus gave us:
"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
John 13:34-35
Any commandment or teaching or creed or law we follow must first be in harmony with the love of God and all His children.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Where there is authority we must be on gaurd against its abuse.
Raising concerns does not equate to a witch hunt. It's not about asking questions but it is about the manner in which we question that makes the difference.
Authority is not a birthright. Without truly living the teachings of Christ any authority attributed to Him has no power or validation.
When we are taught by anyone, me included, prayer and thought ought to go into processing the ideas of others. We must follow the promptings of the spirit instead of engaging in blind obedience or hero worship.
Because the only person worthy of worship is Christ.
