Authority and Power

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Marvin Byers said it well...

"Give me the money!" shouted the police officer to the bank teller as he pulled out his .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun.  Of course, with that kind of fire power being brandished in her face, the bank teller quickly responded to his order.  She did not even notice that he was dressed in an authentic police uniform; nor did she notice that he was wearing his badge, a symbol of authority that comes with being a duly authorized police officer.  Actually, the only thing she could see at the moment was the barrel of his gun pointed straight toward her.  In this situation, the badge of authority he wore meant nothing to her.  The only thing that mattered to her, or that moved her, was the power that he was wielding through his gun.  Of course, if caught, this officer will go straight to jail, regardless of how many years of faithful service he has rendered to the police department.

Suppose this same bank teller is driving her car down a main thoroughfare of her city, and suddenly she hears a shout, "Stop, in the name of the law!"  The first thing she sees is an open hand extended toward her, signaling her to stop her car.  The next thing she sees is the police officer's uniform and the badge he is wearing.  This time she obeys the command of a police officer, not because of fear of his gun but out of respect for his authority.  In fact, in this instance, she will probably not even notice that he has a gun.  She knows that if she chooses to ignore his order and run him over, she will be the one to go to jail as soon as she is caught.

Why do most people obey policemen who direct traffic?  Obviously, any officer involved in this work is doing so under the direction of his chief, or someone authorized by his chief.  However, this fact alone is not what usually elicits our obedient response to a police officer.  A sudden fear of the chief of police does not usually grip us in these situations.  Our concern, although usually subconscious, would probably be based on other considerations.  For example, the chief of police was appointed by the mayor, and the mayor has the power and authority of the governor behind him, and the governor has the power and authority of the National Guard behind him.  If that is not enough, and if necessary, all the power and authority of the president and national government could be brought to bear on us if we choose to mow down a policeman with our car.

In both of the above scenarios involving police officers, most sane people would obey immediately.  In the first case, we would obey because the officer has power behind him--a gun.  In the second case, we would obey because the officer has authority behind him--an entire nation.  In the first case, the officer has power but he has absolutely no authority.  He was not sent by the government to rob the bank.  In the second case, the officer who is directing traffic is not only backed by the authority of an entire nation or kingdom, but he also has access to power, and it is enough power to stop almost anyone.  If he sees that someone is going to run him over, he can draw his gun and shoot the tires on the person's car or shoot the person himself, or both.  The issue here is the difference between power and authority.  (Marvin Byers, "The Mystery: A Lost Key", ©2000, pp 89-90, emphasis in original)

The Byers book is about spiritual authority.  The Michiganian Free Press (MFP) publisher wrote some posts about that "Mystery" book over on his personal faith blog, starting: here.  Readers are invited to go over there if they are interested in Christian ideas.

When Byers wrote his book, people were not aware corporations were posing as governments under Color of Law.  When people saw police in uniforms, they assumed they had authority.

Unfortunately, the world has turned out to be a much different place.

The point is, power and authority are two different things.

The Bible is full of wisdom.  Some people may not be interested in what it says, but they would probably agree with the wisdom.  Byers continues with some of that wisdom...

An individual has authority only when he or she is rightly related to a higher authority.  This is why the centurion said to Jesus,

"For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.  And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." (Mt. 8:9)

Notice that he does not say, "I am a man of authority."  Rather, he was a man under authority; for that reason, his soldiers obeyed him.  In other words, they obeyed him because he had been sent by Caesar to do what he was doing.  If they did not obey him, they might have faced the judgment and wrath of Caesar and the entire Roman Empire.  [The MFP publisher's analysis continues here, for those who are interested.]

Living people have authority over corporations.  Corporations are created by people and they only have authority over the employees and dependents of those same corporations.

But corporations are currently acting as though they have authority over all people, as an unincorporated government would rightly have.  This is not right, and is at the root of what the American Federation Fiduciary calls, "The Great Fraud."

Those who are reconstructing the Land and Soil Jurisdiction governments they are owed must comprehend the difference between power and authority.