Respecting One Another

All humans have a sinful nature that inherently creates problems in relationships and a nation can only exist if it has laws which govern the behavior of its citizens. God did not want the human race living like a large herd of cattle and this is why there are towns, cities, counties, states and nations.

There was a lot of violence and evil before Noah’s flood and so God wiped out the earth’s population as a result. Capital offense became a cornerstone of the law system Jesus instituted for anyone that committed murder. This threat of punishment keeps most people in line. Christians are citizens in the Kingdom of God, organized into local communities known as churches.

Jesus also set up a chain of command to rule each church. Every local body of believers should have apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, deacons and elders. Having a strong leadership structure makes it easy for members to learn and know what to do. There should be no jealousy; each office is important and the holders of these offices should work in harmony, without envy and competition.