A city has a hierarchy and structure (The City on the Hill, Matthew 5:14-16)

A city has a hierarchy and structure (The City on the Hill, Matthew 5:14-16)
We live in rural West Virginia and when you are driving along on our winding roads it is not unusual to see a sign marking a community with this word written at the bottom of the sign, “unincorporated.” This simply means that the community does not have a municipal structure in place to govern their community such as a mayor, city council, police force, etc. They are still governed by county and state regulations and laws, but all citizens are on a level playing field when it comes to government hierarchy. A lot of people in the church want to live in the Body of Christ like they would live in an unincorporated community, with a since that all is equal only that is not the way God’s Kingdom works. God’s Kingdom is one of structure, organization, and leadership appointment from heaven not the voting booth. We must be able to willingly to submit to those whom God has given spiritual authority over us in our lives.
Instead of respecting and honoring those in church authority many simply choose to challenge, ignore, or abandon those God has placed over them. When things do not go their way, they get angry, try to stir up a revolt, or simply leave the congregation all together. For any city to function effectively and efficient there must be structure and order within its borders, and this is no different in the church. We must understand submitting to those in authority does not mean we are of less importance or of lower standing it means that this is the role God has chosen for us at this moment in our life. Will we be obedient and respectful when an elder lovingly challenges us or will we be offended and outraged their audacity. God’s kingdom does not work like our world, you do not receive social status by the title that you hold, you receive status upgrades by how obedient you are to God’s plan for your life. There is nothing wrong with serving others, being corrected in love, or not getting to set in the front pew; the problem is how our ego’s respond to and respect to the established authority of God’s church.