Authority's Purpose

I stopped the other day to think: "What is the purpose of authority?" You see for a long time I was under the impression that you needed to get authority to be somebody. Those in authority were really somebody. The (world's) purpose of authority was to gain status, respect and
wealth. But was this the purpose that God gave authority to man in the garden?

The purpose of authority is to bring glory to the one with the power. If the state has authority, what do they use it for? Is it not to perpetuate the state? For the good of the state. If a man has gotten authority, what does he use it for? 9.5 times out of 10, a man will use his authority for his own personal gain.

But the primary purpose God gave man authority was to bring God glory. The purpose I've been given authority over my children was not to tell them what to do, but rather to help them become all that God created them to be. To release them to bring as much glory to the Father as they're capable of.

It's very simple to distinguish between lawful and unlawful authority, by looking at who gets the glory. If the glory goes to God, then that authority is lawful. If the authority brings glory to men or institutions, then there is a good chance that the authority is not lawful.

That is not to say however that unlawful authority cannot bring the Father glory. You've got to remember that God is sovereign. He is over all. He can use anything to bring Himself glory, even a dumb donkey!