Obey the Authorities!

Obey the Authorities!

Not long after the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the very great apostles, Paul and Peter, had to begin to instill obedience to the authorities. There was then as in these days an inclination to do the opposite. “There is nothing new under the sun.”

As soon as true liberty came, false liberty appeared. People thought that they followed the laws of the Spirit in their inner man. Therefore they despised the ordinances of the authorities because they were only given by the natural man, by those who had no understanding of God’s kingdom and His righteousness; therefore they believed these ordinances were unjust and were not to be followed.

Yet people are sorely mistaken due to their arrogance and insubordination, “for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the authority of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.”

“Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities . . . .” Ordinances concerning income tax declarations and taxes are from God—neither more nor less!

It is therefore immaterial from which political party God has installed them, either in the local community or in the National Assembly, for those who are there are installed by God, and their ordinances are to be obeyed for as long as we are not required to sin.

The tax percentage is therefore what it is meant to be—for it is from God; for there is no authority except from God!

We have to do only one thing; namely, to obey the ordinances of the authorities just as we obey God and His Word—with thankfulness and joy, faithfully, and with zeal!!! Therefore we receive the income tax declaration form as a love letter and the tax bill as the wedding announcement with the Beloved of our soul.

May God give the land of Norway, and all other countries as well, many subjects like that!