“I love Jesus, but I can’t stand the church. I obey Jesus, but I won’t submit to any human authorities.” We hear these sentiments a lot in American Christianity. American Christians like to separate Jesus from His people, the Shepherd’s authority from the authority of His undershepherds.

Jesus doesn’t allow this. When He sends out the Twelve, He says, “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (10:40). He sent the Twelve out with no money or support, so that people who received their message would have to receive them as well. Receiving Jesus means receiving His apostles; rejecting the apostles is rejecting Jesus.

Ahh, but we don’t have apostles anymore, comes the reply. That’s true. But the principle stands. When Jesus describes the judgment in Matthew 25, the fate of sheep and goats is determined by how they treat “the least of these My brothers,” since whatever is done to the least is done to Jesus.

John makes the point plain in his first epistle: We cannot love the God we have not seen if we hate our brothers whom we have seen. Every time we hate our brothers, we hate Christ who dwells in them.

Hebrews tells us, “Obey your leaders, and submit to them,” and this is based on the fact that the church’s leaders are shepherds, pastors, who lead the flock as representatives of the Chief Shepherd.

Augustine wisely said that God rules us through human authorities to teach us humility. Submitting to and listening to a human being as weak and sinful as ourselves is good for our souls. During this season of fasting and humiliation, repent of all pride and rebelliousness, and receive the ones Jesus sends.