«　WEEK 8　DAY 2　»

　　Heb. 13:17 Obey the ones leading you and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who will render an account, that they may do this with joy and not groaning; for this would be unprofitable to you.

　　1 Pet. 5:5 In like manner, younger men, be subject to elders; and all of you gird yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

　　No one dares to say that he would not submit to the Lord's authority. But there is also the authority of the members in coordination that we have to submit to. We have to realize that all the members are joined together….Sometimes the Lord uses one member directly. At other times, the Lord uses a member to supply another member. When the head directs the eyes to see, the whole body takes the seeing of the eyes as its own seeing because when the eyes see, the whole body sees. This delegated function, which is deputy authority, is also the authority of the Head. If any other members think that they can see for themselves, they are in rebellion. We cannot be so foolish as to think that we are almighty.

　　Never forget that we are just members. We need to receive the function of the other members. When we submit to the authority of the seeing function, we will have no barrier with the Head, because the supply is in the authority. Whoever has the gift has that ministry; and whoever has the ministry has the authority. No one else can see except the eyes. If we want to see, we have to submit to the authority of the eyes and receive their supply. God's appointed ministry is His authority. No one should reject it. Everyone wants to receive God's direct authority. But God wants us to submit to indirect authorities (i.e., deputy authorities) so that we may receive spiritual supply. (CWWN, vol. 47,”Authority and Submission,” p. 175)

　　Other than God Himself, everyone, including the Lord Jesus, has to submit to authority on earth. We should see authority everywhere….Some never realize who their authority is. They have never submitted to anyone…. If you know who you have to submit to, you will spontaneously know what position you should occupy in the Body, and you will stand in your proper position….Submission is the first lesson for those who work. It is actually the major part of their work. (CWWN, vol. 47,”Authority and Submission,” p. 120)

　　In the universe, only God is the direct authority to man. Other than God, all authorities are delegated. The parents represent God as the children's authority, and the husbands represent God as the wives' authority. The civil officers represent God as the citizens' authority, and even the teachers in the schools, the managers in the offices, and the policemen on the streets are all delegated authorities. The elders in the church also represent God as authority. Today while living on earth, seldom do we live under God's direct authority. Almost all the authorities that we submit to are delegated authorities….There are not many cases where God acts directly as authority. In almost all circumstances, God's authority is delegated.

　　It is easy today for man to submit to God's direct authority, but it is not easy to submit to the delegated authority God has appointed. The reason for this is that you may not consider the delegated authority better or stronger than you are….When you come to a local church, the elders there may not have been saved as long ago as you were. They may not be as spiritual as you are, may not have received as much education as you have received, and may not be as capable as you are. But when you are there, you have to accept that delegated authority and submit to it. (CWWL, 1960, vol. 2,”The Elders' Management of the Church,” p. 141)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1960, vol. 2,”The Elders' Management of the Church,” chs. 5-6; CWWL, 1989, vol. 4,”The Apostles' Teaching and the New Testament Leadership,” ch. 2; CWWL, 1956, vol. 2,”Three Aspects of the Church, Book 3: The Organization of the Church,” chs. 2-9