Depending on your Bible translation, Jude 25 may render the greek word kratos as dominion or power. The intention here is to show that because God is all powerful He has dominion over everything.

All creation, spiritual beings and realms?

The entire universe, stars and solar systems?

The laws of physics, space and time?

The totality of nations, rulers and politicians?

Your family, marriage and children?

Your health and finances?

Your very being.

All under His authority.

Some will unknowingly assume a dualistic theism. That the good things of this world fall under God, and the bad things under satan. They will claim their exists a power struggle, a tug of war of light and dark. Some will even say their is a balance, that some will reap what they sow as a result of their action. Many Christians will unknowingly subscribe to a belief that mirrors karma!

Brothers and sisters,

Everything from the very cells that succumb to the sickness that kills, to science used to halt or even cure cancer, all within the timing of each and effectual outcome are in and under Gods authority.

I love the words of Christ recorded in Mathew 5.

⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they?

True, this may not be the first verse that comes to mind when you think of Gods authority but I want to highlight what our subjugated authority is under His.

Using one microscopic example, God has authority over weather patterns and specifically the rain and when it comes. Now of course there is far more to this idea! Meteorology would explore just how many factors go into to play for one acre of land to get rain, and another to stay dry. But there is more even still.

In an agricultural society, especially before mass scale irrigation, rain fall would determine crop yields, and crop yields economic growth. A good harvest could mean bountiful resources and financial freedoms. It could also lead to waste and abuse, and excess living, pride and arrogance. A bad harvest could lead to severe struggle and hardships, even unto starvation or death, yet again it could be a time to highlight the resilience and compassion of a community and bond of a people united under duress for hopes sake!

You see in our hearts we like dualism. We like black and white answers. We want something to either be good or bad. Unfortunately, much of life is far more gray!

So what does Jesus teach us?

Practically, you have a subjugated authority, collectively over creation, and personally over you own innermost self, what is commonly referred to as you heart. Of course I don’t mean your literal blood pumping organ, but the center of your emotion and feeling. In other words, in the grandest sense we are responsible for the world and all that is in it, yet also we are responsible for ourselves and our thoughts and actions.

Of course, we not only responsible for our emotions, thoughts and actions but also our health, finances, children, relationships, homes, work… but all of these things begin, or have their root within us, and ultimately in how God is working in us (because again, He has authority over your innermost self).

We could get lost in philosophical discussion and debate how this all works, or we could sum it up as Jesus does here:

Love your enemy and pray for those who least deserve it.

When this is the tilt of our heart, when we humbly position ourselves as servants to all, we mirror Christ himself.

He, being God, had all authority yet humbled himself to serve mankind. He died for His enemies. He prayed they would be forgiven as they nailed his naked and beaten body to that shameful cross. He didn’t call down a league of angels, or shoot lightning from the sky. Nope, he used his authority for others, in the greatest display of love, grace and mercy ever imaginable.

And so should we.

Peace be with you.