What Does "Obey Those That Have Rule Over You" Mean???

                                                                                        Posted for Thursday, 3/22/12

Hebrews 13:17 (KJV) 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.

The first part of this verse says, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves.” That means that we are to do as our pastor teaches us because God has placed that person over us!!!  We are to submit to their authority!!! 




  
There are folks who do NOT think that they have any reason to obey their pastor, after all, he or she is just a person, too!!!  But in this verse the Lord says that the Pastor and the Leaders in the church have authority over us.  It says that we are to obey them!!!





The 2^nd part of this verse says, “for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account.”  This means that if that the Man of God or the Woman of God is supposed to be looking out for you!!!  And if they do NOT tell you the right thing, then they are in trouble with God!!! 





They have to preach the things that God tells them, because if they don’t and you go to Hell then GOD WILL HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE!!!  YOUR BLOOD WILL BE ON THEIR HANDS!!! 





If they teach and preach what God tells them to, and you refuse to listen, then they are NOT at fault.  God will NOT hold them responsible!!!





The last part of this scripture says, “that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

 

 

This means that if you listen and are obedient, they will be able to give a good report to God about you!!!  They will be able to report good things to God and will NOT have to repeatedly pray and ask God for help with you!!! 





This may sounds trivial, but it is NOT!!!  It is NOT GOOD to grieve the Man or Woman of God!!!  It is NOT good for them to have to cry out to God for you over and over again because of any one person!!!

 

 

I am NOT saying that they shouldn’t have to pray for you.  But if you continue to go the wrong way, causing the pastor to cry out to God over and over again for you, then you may anger God.  Sometimes when God sees that HIS CHILD is distressed in a heartbreaking way by the things that you are doing, it makes HIM very angry!!! 





God is very aware of how we feel!!! 

 

I guess what I am trying to explain to you is that God doesn’t like to see HIS PEOPLE hurt over and over again by someone else!!!  And when we choose to be disobedient, we are NOT only hurting ourselves, but others, as well!!!





It is possible to upset GOD by being willful and stiff necked or stubborn!!!  And if HE SEES that we have NO INTENTION of changing our ways, HE MAY BECOME ANGRY WITH US!!! 





On several occasions, God became very angry with the children of Israel when they were disobedient and rebellious. 

 

 

Exodus 32:9-10 (NCV)

 ⁹ The Lord said to Moses, "I have seen these people, and I know that they are very stubborn.

¹⁰ So now do not stop me. I am so angry with them that I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you and your descendants a great nation."

 

If Moses had NOT intervened, God would have destroyed the children of Israel!!!  So, we would do well to remember that although God loves us ALL so very much, HE IS NOT PLEASED WHEN WE ARE DISOBEDIENT AND REBELLIOUS!!!!




Hebrews 10:31 (KJV) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.