The Bible frequently cautions us against respect of persons, yet we are also instructed to show proper respect for leaders, the elderly and others. Unlike the current parental teaching, people in previous generations were taught to practice different attitudes of respect for people and property than the public generally holds today. Deference was given freely to many. Men and boys were expected to give up their seats on crowded buses and street cars to women, the elderly or disabled. People commonly addressed strangers both rich or poor as Sir, Ma'am, Mister or Miss. It took a great deal of familiarity with someone before one would break into a more informal manner with them. The same general attitude was held toward property as well. All of us have stories of how we never locked our doors when we were growing up. Or our parents would allow us to roam the whole city when we were kids. Today, we would not dare to do these things because there is so much less respect for life and property. In our major cities, one can be randomly killed in a drive-by shooting while minding one's own business. In these days, one rarely hears children addressing parents and adults as sir or ma'am. Even a thank you is hard to come by. They do not respond to questions from their elders with a Yes, sir, No, sir, Yes, ma'am or No, ma'am. And in the general public even the president is called George or Bill or worse! In Leviticus 19:32 it says, You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD. This theme runs throughout the Bible, appearing in such words that are rendered into the English most commonly as fear, honor, respect, and sometimes even as strong as reverence. Romans 13:7 makes this clear. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. So we find it actually commanded to give deference, not based on whether we think they deserve it, but simply because they are somebody who fits a certain description (like the elderly) or who is an elected, appointed or ordained person. So strong is this theme, that God shows that insolence toward those who should be respected presages calamity (cf. II Kings 2:23-25 and Isaiah 3:5). We should thus be warned that when we see disrespect rising, severe social troubles are on the horizon. The purpose of these scriptures is to help insure that there is a proper attitude toward God. God is the Giver of all authority (Romans 13:1) and it is really out of respect for the God-given office that the deference is shown. But is formality in reference to office always required? No. A husband's office as head of the family is God-given, but neither wife, nor children call him Mister. The formality is dropped within the confines and familiarity of family. I know of no western culture that does not follow this pattern. In the church we have long been in the custom of addressing each other as Mr. and Mrs. These forms of address are not as formal as they used to be, but insistence on them may have been overdone. Formality tends to make relationships stilted and narrow and can even move one to a far more serious elitism, which is nothing more than respect of persons. The church is called a brotherhood in I Peter 2:17, a family in Ephesians 3:15. Jesus said, You are all brethren (Matthew 23:8). Beyond that, there is strong evidence that our English word mister is derived from master, which Jesus said not to use in addressing each other as a title elevating one above another (cf. Matthew 23:7-11). Why do we call one another by these formal titles? Most likely, it is because of a sincere effort not to disrespect, especially an elder's or deacon's office. But is it also possible that something more important is lost? Would a family be better off if the father was called Mister? What qualities would be lost? Warmth of affection, intimacy and approachability are three that immediately come to mind

God places individuals under human governments at national, state, local, workplace, and household levels to train them in the habit of obedience. These authorities exist by His appointment and arrangement, so that society may enjoy order rather than chaos. Resistance to them therefore constitutes resistance to His ordinance and invites judgment. Even when rulers prove unworthy, as with the Roman emperors or certain American presidents, the obligation remains to render taxes, customs, fear, and honor to the offices they hold. Jesus Christ illustrated this principle by directing payment of the temple tax and the tribute to Caesar, thereby avoiding any offense while still distinguishing what belongs to God. The same pattern appears in the conduct of the apostles under pagan rule. When civil commands directly contradict divine law, however, submission yields to a higher loyalty, as shown by Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who maintained faithful service to their rulers yet refused to violate God's requirements and accepted the consequences. Proper regard for authority produces harmony, safety, peace, and the character of willing subjection that God values. Rebellion, by contrast, mirrors the original insurrection of Satan and endangers one's place in the Kingdom. Through these experiences God ensures that those He calls learn both to submit to and, when granted responsibility, to exercise government in a manner consistent with His will.

Authority exists as a positive force that assists growth and service among people, whereas authoritarianism perverts authority by imposing conformity through control, power, and repression rather than love. This distortion produces oppression, excessive laws, and anxiety, as seen in governments that multiply regulations to dominate citizens. Proper authority depends on mentally healthy relationships and the intent to help others; it collapses into authoritarianism, anarchy, or apathy when pride replaces that intent. Pride, the root of resentment toward authority, manifests as self-centeredness, false humility, permissiveness of sin, and outright rebellion, leading individuals to view any order as an affront to their ego. Biblical examples illustrate this pattern: Cain responded to correction with hostility and self-justification, hardening his heart against God; Balaam pursued personal gain by testing the limits of divine commands while preserving his reputation; and Korah disguised rebellion as concern for the people, gathering followers to challenge appointed leaders. Such attitudes echo Satan's original self-exaltation and continue to deceive people into rejecting legitimate authority while claiming moral superiority. In contrast, humility acknowledges God's supreme authority, recognizes human limitations, and produces willing obedience even in small matters. This obedience tests faithfulness for greater responsibility in God's Kingdom and guards against the deception that exalts self above divine order. Respect for authority therefore requires distinguishing righteous rule from its perversion and submitting to God's standards as the sole measure of right and wrong.