Four Unpopular Words - Glenn Conjurske
Abstract of a Sermon Preached on December 6, 1999
Introduction: The Unpopular Words in Hebrews 13:17
In Hebrews 13:17 we read, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.” This verse contains four unpopular words, and this morning I will speak on these words.
The Unpopular Word: “Obey”
The first unpopular word is “obey.” The whole human race has a strong aversion to obedience. We prefer to do our own will rather than submit to the will of another. To do our own will is the essence of sin. Since the fall of Adam, all of us are sinful and naturally love to do our own will. We dislike being told what to do and prefer to determine that ourselves. This is true of all of us by nature—nature as it now exists, fallen and sinful. We are not born with a natural inclination to obey our parents but quite the reverse. When my first child was small, I taught her a little rhyme: “Obey, obey, right away.” But though this rhyme was often in her mouth, it was not in her heart. Neither was it in yours, or mine. We had to be forced to obey, often by hard strokes, and most of us didn’t learn it very well after all.
As though it were not enough that we were born with an aversion to obedience, we have been nurtured in that aversion since birth. In America, at least, the principles of democracy have immeasurably strengthened this aversion. We grew up in an atmosphere of self-will, told repeatedly, “This is a free country,” with the implication that we may do as we please.
Our nature, education, and environment have thus combined to make obedience extremely unpopular. We do not care to obey anyone. The carnal will do as they please. Some who think they are spiritual profess that they owe obedience to God alone. They will obey God, but not man. They believe they need no pastors or elders to tell them what to do, and certainly no church hierarchy. They proceed on the assumption that they are as competent as any pastor or elder to know God’s will and inclined to do it, but the plain fact is, if they truly followed God’s will, they would submit to those in authority over them. The text does not command us to obey God only, but men. Yet they repudiate the command of God under the excuse of obeying Him. This shows that it is not God’s will that moves them, but self-will and pride.
The Unpopular Word: “Rule”
The second unpopular word is “rule.” People don’t like to be ruled for the same reasons they dislike obedience. They want to do their own will, with no one telling them what to do. But here is the plain fact: if you belong to the church of God, you are under rule—not only God’s rule but the rule of “them that have the rule” under God. Someone has the rule, and those who have it have been given it by God. Paul says to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.” The flock is bound to obey these leaders and submit to them—not merely follow their advice if they please, but obey them.
I am well aware that there are many who occupy the office of elder who are unfit for the role. They may be worldly, unspiritual, and ignorant of the Scriptures, and have no business in the office. This is true, without a doubt, but this does not negate the fact that there are true elders in the church to whom God has given authority. The flock is commanded to obey such leaders.
The church is no democracy. Democracy is not God’s way of government. God has never established a democracy and never will. Marriage is no democracy, the family is no democracy, and neither is the church. People today are so steeped in democracy that they often cannot understand God’s method of government. The only notion they have of obedience is the keeping of laws they themselves have enacted and approve. But God does not command obedience to laws but to rulers. “Obey them that have the rule over you.” They may require things you do not understand, or cannot comprehend, but if God has made them overseers in the church, your business is to obey them, not just what you happen to understand or agree with.
The Issue of Church Membership and Self-Will
This message is particularly relevant to the subject of church membership. Many reject church membership on principle, claiming they cannot find such a concept in the Bible. Others decline membership out of self-will—they do not want to be ruled. They want their independence. Let any man attempt to rule them, and they will immediately declare their independence. I have seen people leave churches over the most trivial issues, when the real issue was their unwillingness to be ruled. This scripture is a dead letter to them, and that is exactly how they want it. They refuse to have anyone rule over them and are as confused and unsettled as the Israelites were in the book of Judges, where “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
I used to have great hopes for those who could never find a church to join, but experience has taught me that most of these independent souls are simply unwilling to be ruled. They are ruled by pride and self-will. God says, “Obey them that have the rule over you,” and this assumes that someone has that rule, even if it is unpopular.
The Unpopular Word: “Submit”
The third unpopular word is “submit.” “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves.” Submission is as unpopular as obedience, for the same reasons. But submission is deeper than mere obedience. It goes further. “Submit yourselves,” the text says. This means more than obeying a command.
Before we explain submission, we must first clarify what it is not. We are absolutely opposed to any cultish ideas of submission. We are not to sacrifice our mind or conscience to any man, no matter his authority. This is the cultish doctrine of groups like the Mormons, Catholics, and Jehovah’s Witnesses, which elevate authorities to the level of God. Authorities do not have the right to compel anyone to act against their conscience. If authorities require you to do what God forbids, you may plead conscience. However, if they require you to abstain from what God permits, it is mere perversity to invoke conscience.
For example, Paul admonishes us in Romans 14 to voluntarily abstain from things which are right, and we may do so without violating our conscience. It is not a sin to sleep on the floor, but if your mother forbids it, you submit to her authority. To claim your conscience is violated because she forbids it is simply absurd.
Authorities in the church have the God-given right to require submission to their standards, but they cannot compel agreement. Authority is meant to control behavior, not thoughts. The primary role of authority is to guide conduct, particularly in areas where people are ignorant or unwilling to act correctly. For instance, new believers may not understand why certain actions are wrong. Authorities help guide them by setting standards.
The Unpopular Word: “Watch”
The fourth unpopular word is “watch.” In Hebrews 13:17, the leaders are said to “watch for your souls.” Most people dislike the idea of being watched. In our modern culture, which values privacy, many resist oversight. But those who are doing wrong tend to object to being watched. When I hear someone criticize methods used by police to catch speeders, I know they likely speed themselves. Likewise, those who are misbehaving dislike being watched.
Those with integrity have no objection to being watched. A man once told me how pleased he was that an elder was watching over him, as he wanted to be corrected if needed. The proud, however, cannot bear to be watched. Yet, God has set elders in the church precisely to watch over the flock. This is not about the elder being a tyrant; it is about the love and responsibility they carry.
If you think your position is hard, consider the elder’s role. John Wesley, for example, frequently spoke of the heavy burden of authority. The Lord commands, “Lovest thou me? Shepherd my sheep.” Shepherding is not just feeding the sheep, but keeping them in order, guiding them, and ensuring they stay on the right path. This responsibility is not easy, but the humble elder takes it on with love for God and His people.
Conclusion: The Call to Obey, Submit, and Be Watched
Here, then, are the four unpopular words: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls.” Though these words may be unpopular, they are commanded by God for our good. While God knows that our rulers are not perfect, His command remains that we submit to them. This submission leads to spiritual growth, peace, and ultimately, joy.