One of the root issues behind our current cultural rot is the question of authority. Who, or what is our authority? By what standard does an individual make decisions, truth claims, or moral judgments? As postmoderns, we pretend to ignore all authority, but that is not how God’s world works. This is his world, and none of us can change the rules. As such, we must appeal to some authority. For many today, that final authority is the inviolable, autonomous self. We are our own authorities, our own gods. Of course, we don’t actually call ourselves gods, that would be silly, but we function as gods as we replace the Creator God with the self.
It should not surprise us then that many modern conceptions of God look a lot like us. Postmoderns fashion a god who is just as relativistic as they are. Instead of man being made in the image of God, we chisel idols into our own image. In this way, someone saying they believe in God is meaningless because that god is often a mere reflection of who they are.
Of course, denying God’s authority is nothing new. It started in the Garden and manifests itself in different ways in every age, but true faith always brings with a recognition of God’s authority. Our only hope is the same as it’s always been—repent and submit to God through faith. The evangelical church is in dire need of this today. While such submission is counterintuitive, it is exactly what is needed.
We see this type of radical faith in Matthew 8:5-13 as Jesus heals the Centurion’s servant. The Roman soldier approaches Jesus and asks him to heal his paralyzed servant, and Jesus offers to go to do just that. But the Centurion insists he doesn’t need Jesus to come to his house because he understands how authority works. He knows that if Jesus merely gives the command, it will happen. Moreover,the centurion submits to the command of Jesus. At this, Jesus marvels as he has not seen such faith in Israel.
A faith that Christ marvels at is one that should catch our attention. Are we a people who properly understand the authority of Christ? Of God? Of his word? If God says forgive, will we submit? If God says homosexuality is a sin, will submit no matter the cultural pressure? The answer for many in our day is a resounding, “No.” The amount of individuals distorting the teachings of Scripture to get along with the culture is breathtaking, but it also shows who/what their authority is. Too many so-called Christians are rebels and traitors to their commander. They determine their own truth, their own gospel, and they carve their own idolatrous image of Christ. When Jesus says, “Do this,” they do the exact opposite.
To believe in Christ necessarily includes recognizing his supreme authority (Col. 1:15-20). To deny this authority, in thought or deed, is to deny Christ. Jesus speaks of the result of such denial after the centurion departs, “I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8.11-12). This is no trifle, you either recognize the authority of Christ, or you face the great judgment of God. Denying his authority will not excuse you. It is time for pastors and Christians to practice this type of submission. We need a faith like that of the centurion. We need the same boldness to say as Christ did, “You either recognize this truth, or you perish. There is no middle way.”
This type of marvel-inducing faith scoffs at the pressure our crooked generation applies to hot-button issues like sexuality, gender, and social justice. When the inevitable pearl-clutching and self-righteous offense comes, the man of God doesn’t care because he is too busy submitting to his marching orders. The Lord of the universe has spoken, and like the centurion, we need to say that is enough.
Levi J. Secord