Mark Kelderman & Maarten Kuivenhoven

The concept of authority in the home, society, and work has fallen on hard times, particularly in the digital age, where technology has begun to master some. This article is a call to return to biblical authority structures and to bring them to bear on our use of technology. As we consider the arrangement of authority in our world, Paul gives us a clear indication in 1 Corinthians 11:3 of what he understands the levels of authority to be. “That the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” The order is clear: God, Christ, man, woman, and we could add child.

Sometimes it seems that our society has elevated the information found on Wikipedia and Google above the Word of God. Instead of submitting to the authority of the Word of God, people are entrenched in the belief that computers are the ultimate authority. A humorous illustration of this happened when someone had stolen some blankets from a mission post. Several of the indigenous people at the post suggested to the missionary to “just look it up on the internet to find out who did this.” To us this was an obvious ridiculous response, but we are afraid that many, in more subtle ways, are turning away from the Word of God and are submitting themselves to other digital authorities.

This is a two-edged sword. On the one hand, when Christians are involved in a proper use of the digital world they are able to use this venue to bring God’s Word to others. On the other hand, when so many ideas and teachings are elevated to the same level as the Word of God, the authority of the Word of God is becoming silenced. Because there is so much information in our digital age and people claim to speak with authority all over the internet, we need the special gift of discernment in our day in order to keep the proper balance. If we are not grounded in the Word of God and do not have Christ as our head and teacher, we are open to deception at every turn. It is God’s design that leaders in the church and fathers in the home, both under the authority of Christ, are the ones to whom youth look for leadership and authority. Today there is a daily or hourly distribution of information, misinformation, and deception through various digital devices.

If you do not hold to the authority of the Word of God as the bedrock upon which you stand, you will be swept away with every wind of doctrine set before you. There is a growing movement in some churches and on the internet that the traditional authority structures in our culture are a thing of the past.

There is a temptation to believe that we have finally come of age as a society. Before we realize it, we submit ourselves to the “authority” of another voice instead of God’s. There is also the temptation to minimize the wisdom of the older generation who may not be able to provide an answer to the latest question under discussion within seconds with their iphone and Google app; but if we are Christ’s, we realize that He calls us to come under the authority of those whom He has placed over us. This means we submit ourselves to them so that, even in their weakness and lack of knowledge in some areas, we trust that God is going to use them to help us grow in the likeness to Christ. Our Lord knew all things and yet He humbled Himself to become as a little child and to submit Himself to the authority of His parents. Certainly Joseph and Mary did not do everything right and in the most upto-date fashion, yet our Lord humbled Himself and even through this suffering He learned obedience. How much more do we sinners need correction and guidance! God in His wisdom gives us those in authority over us to lead us to Himself. They are also accountable to Christ and to God. Take a few moments to ponder if you question the authority of the Word of God and those whom God has placed over you. Ask yourself if the digital world has distracted you from your obedience to their authority.

Published by The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, used with permission.