In this chapter we will consider the matter of the authority of the church.
When God created the universe, He ordained authority as the governing principle for His rule over it. He alone is the highest authority. He is also the origin of all authorities. Some archangels were under Him, and under these archangels were many other angels. The record in Jeremiah and Isaiah shows us that there were other living creatures on earth during that time. This was God’s original order of administration over the universe. Not only was man upheld by His authority, but even the stars in the universe, including the earth and all the living creatures, were upheld by His authority. God established natural laws through His word of authority over every living creature and every natural element. Authority is crucial to the universe. If any object or creature acts contrary to God’s ordained laws, the whole universe will be thrown into confusion.
What happened after God’s creation? We know that the previous world became fallen when Satan, the archangel appointed by God, tried to exalt himself.
He said in his heart, “I will ascend to heaven; / ...I will exalt my throne. / ...I will be like the Most High” (Isa. 14:13-14). Satan’s rebellion was not against other things but against authority. He wanted to be equal with God. He wanted to exalt himself to be God. He did not think that being the lord over everything under God was enough. He rebelled against God’s authority and tried to usurp His authority. As a result, the morning star became Satan; the angel of light became the devil. This happened before the creation of man.
God placed man in the garden of Eden after his creation. He arranged everything and appointed authorities in the world. He created man first, and then the woman. He created the husband first, and then the wife. God’s intention was for Eve to submit to Adam and for Adam to submit to Him. In this arrangement He laid the foundation for children to obey their parents, slaves to obey their masters, and citizens to obey their rulers and kings. God arranged things in a definite way. He established authority in the universe.
Then Satan came in and tempted man in the garden of Eden. Through temptation Satan induced man not only to sin but also to overthrow God’s appointed authority. God ordained for the woman to obey the man. But in the garden of Eden the man followed the woman. God appointed Adam to be the head, but in the garden of Eden, Eve took the lead. She taught and made decisions and suggestions. The rest of mankind was not yet born; only Adam and Eve were there. The only rule was that the woman should submit to the man. The wife should submit to the husband. But this unique arrangement was immediately broken because of Satan.
Though only two persons rebelled in this catastrophe, it was in effect a rebellion of the whole world. Not only was the authority of man over man overthrown, but even the authority of God over man was overthrown. Satan said that in the day they ate thereof, they would be as God, and that God had forbidden them to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so that they would not become as Him. There were two rebellions: One was man’s rebellion against God’s appointed authority among men. The other was man’s rebellion against God’s own authority. In other words, God’s direct authority was overturned, and His deputy authority was overturned as well. Man did not submit to God. He thought he could become God by doing what he did. God’s authority was overthrown in this way. Man wanted to be God himself; he wanted to overthrow God’s authority.
Eve should have submitted to Adam. She should have consulted with Adam about everything, but she did not check with him. Instead, she considered and made the decision. She took the lead to sin. Please bear in mind that independence in thought is the first step toward sin. If a man refuses to learn from God’s appointed deputy authority and if he never presents things to God but cultivates his own independent thought, considering only what is pleasant to the eyes, what is good for food, and what is desirous to make one wise, he is rebelling not only against God but also against His appointed authority on the earth. The single act of transgression in the garden of Eden overthrew two authorities at the same time: God’s deputy authority and His direct authority.