REBEL Without A Cause!

Many of us struggle with perspectives of authority, leadership and order. I have great compassion on those who have been hurt by abusive authority as I myself have also experienced the pains of abusive leadership. I aim to bring a balance and simplicity to these sometimes confusing and controversial concepts. 

We must first recognize the necessity of authority, leadership and order. For there to be any progress in  a society, community or with any group of people, there must be authority and order. Authority, leadership and order provide the framework for unity and the foundation for development. Without these principal effects, we, as people would be bound to a lawless society. Even the term 'lawless society' in and of itself is an oxymoron. You can't have any enduring society without laws and law enforcement. Any society without laws and law enforcement would immediately destroy itself.

Justice is a foundation for peace. If justice (which is true fairness and the preservation of human rights) is removed from a society the people will fight and the end result will be uncontrolled chaos and unbridled war resulting in the ultimate annihilation of the society. Laws define justice and law enforcement ensures it. So, then, without either there can be no true cohesion between men. God has established law and order to govern, restrain and balance mankind and it's evil deeds. He has established it for the protection of the innocent and the weak and for the punishment of evildoers for their crimes against society. So, to resist authority, is to resist God - and rebellion is scripturally classified as a work of the flesh and a sin.

Rebellion is only cute or cool in the eyes of ignorant babes who are immature in their mental development and naive in regards to the destructive nature of the rebel without a cause. I assure you that rebellion is neither cute nor funny and any mature and thoughtful person should despise rebellion. A single rebel in the mix literally threatens the progress and unity of a congregation of people. It threatens to swiftly destroy the many years of hard work, investment, and labor done by the multitude to bring it's community to a state of prosperity and peace. If a society leaves a rebel unpunished, that society will suffer.

Now the counterbalances to the concepts of law and order come into play when the subject of abusive government or leadership is placed on the table. The question arises 'if  to rebel is to err, what can and should be done for an oppressed people plagued by abusive leadership?' What about a wife suffering under an abusive and tyrannical husband? What about children that are suffering under an abusive or alcoholic parent? What about a church with leadership that is abusing the congregation and practicing unscripturally founded and ungodly things? What should be done for them that are abused and harmed by the leadership to which they are subjugated? Would leaving be constituted as rebellion?

The answer, my dear Sir or dear Madam, is an emphatic NO! Rebellion is only scripturally classified as 'rebellion' when there is no substantial, reasonable, valid or verifiable cause! Those that fight to deliver those oppressed under evil regimes are not rebels, but freedom fighters! There is a difference between a rebel and a freedom fighter! I would to God that we all were freedom fighters!

Now to distinguish a rebel from a freedom fighter takes discernment and good judgment. Most rebels will masquerade as freedom fighters, though they are truly rebels without a cause. Yet, when you look closely at the evidence of abuse and carefully listen to the witnesses of the alleged abuse, you will find the rebel's argument lacking in substance and wanting in reason.

Rebellion is a contagion and is usually passed to simple-minded persons very easily. It's usually passed by those that are embittered from their own past, unhealed injuries under abusive authority. For example, there are many bitter, divorced women who subversively promulgate the extreme doctrine of man-hating; teaching young, impressionable women to despise and resist their husbands. Or perhaps those that have been members of a bad church and they promulgate the extreme doctrine of anti-assembly; teaching that all worshipful gatherings are bad and that the only and best worship is solitary. This contagious disease of rebellion is also often passed through those that are enraged at authority in general; possibly because they are angry about being punished in the past by authority for their own wrongdoings. The wise leader should take note of the simple-minded persons that are in their flock which have weak constitutions and are easily susceptible to these types of deceptions. And wise leadership should do all that is within it's power to succor their soul and establish them in sound doctrine and proper respect for Godly authority.

Godly, spiritual authority is discerned in the spirit and perceived in the soul. Spiritual authority is not a physically enforced authority; therefore, it is an authority easier to despise. Nevertheless, it is still authority nonetheless in the eyes of God and will be treated as such and enforced through the powers of heaven. As natural authority is necessary to build a natural construct, spiritual authority is even more vital in the erection of a spiritual house. Natural authority is established by power and external force, but spiritual authority is established by love, revelation, and internal conviction. As those that are wielding natural authority struggle continually through natural means to hold together their feeble governmental constructs, we should no doubt even more so tirelessly fight to establish the reality and enduring power of spiritual authority in the consciences of the people.

Now, because of this enduring power and faith, the enemy is persistently attempting to plant the seeds of rebellion into the hearts of the people. As he is called the Accuser of the brethren, his favorite and most visible target is leadership. He hurls accusations at the minds of those in alignment with their leadership continually as seed; trying to establish in the heart of God's vineyard the root of rebellion which is... wait for it... SUSPICION! Suspicion often masquerades as true discernment but it is always unclear and always promotes fear. Beware the suspicious spirit!

No leader can lead if his following challenges him at every turn and fights him at every decision made. There needs to be an inherent trust in authority. We should always trust and respect our authority until it is proven that the delegated authority is untrustworthy. We should lean to the side of order, not to the side of chaos. We should not be quick to resist authority. The scripture tells us not to give authority a hard time, especially spiritual authority, because authority is set up by God to protect and serve you. If you tear down your authority, you are tearing down your own covering of protection that God set up for you. As the scripture says "Leaders watch over your soul!" Build up your leadership. Protect your leadership.

There is no perfect leadership but God, yet that is not a substantial and reasonable excuse for rebellion. Any true Godly person would hold leadership resistance as a last and final ditch-effort after all other avenues, attempts, discussions and efforts for peace have been exhausted. When abuse of leadership is suspected by the mature and balanced, there should be attempts to entreat the leader with humility and wisdom. As the scripture says "Don't rebuke a leader, but entreat him as a father".

If, after carefully listening to the leader's argument (or lack thereof), you are certain that the leader is unmoved and that his or her abuse is truly substantial, then and only then should a third party be brought to assist in the entreatment. This is the pattern Jesus laid for the church. Grievances should never be discussed first  with anyone other than the leader that has caused the offense. Neither should a person jump over a leader's head when dealing with a grievance. If the issue has not been addressed with the corresponding leader, the issue should not be brought to a higher authority. If this is the case, and the higher authority finds that the issue has not gone through the proper channels, the leader should disregard whatever the grievance is. For, to give ear to such a disorderly complaint, would be to support disorder, undermine corporate cohesion, and to, ultimately, commit a trespass in regards to our collective unity and peace.

Encourage one another to obey the word of God and submit to Godly authority! Attempt to ease the burden of Godly authority! And pray for Godly authority! If you ever have the unfortunate allotment and necessity of having to become a freedom fighter, do so with wisdom, understanding and love; trying to promote as little bloodshed as possible.

Separation is bloodshed! There is a curse upon all who are quick to shed innocent blood, whether literal or figurative. There are some gruesome divorces and church splits that look, in the spirit, like massacres. Some individuals in the spirit, by those who have spiritual eyes to see, are comparable to Freddy Kreuger for the amount of brutalities and fatalities that follow their acts. Some in the church have no respect for the body; they only have respect for themselves and they leave only carnage and wounded souls in their aftermath. Such men should be avoided by those who are wise; having understanding.

Your Servant,

Dr. Nathaniel Duffey III