Yes maam, thank you very much for asking. You are quite correct in what you say, however that only applies if they are in harmony with the Bible's teachings as you might agree. Jesus stated concerning taxes, render to Caesar those things which are Caesars, but God's things to God. That account might seem irrelevant to the situation, but we are commanded as Christians to obey the laws of the governments Romans 13: 1,2 So the point we can glean is, that if it conflicts with God's law, then we are to render to God those things which are His.
Now an account that is point blank to answering your question, during Jesus' day the highest authority on earth was the Sanhedrin, which was comparable to our Supreme Court, having the final say. Shortly after Jesus' death, some apostles were ordered by members of the Sanhedrin to stop preaching on the basis of his name. Keep in mind to, they illegally tried Jesus and had him killed. We read about this account in Acts chapter 5, now the apostles involved could have obeyed, but notice their reply: In answer Peter and the other apostles said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men. verse 29.
There is a chain of command among Christians, and we all have the Bible, and if we are capable individuals we are expected to obey God's commands. We know for a fact that if God said it, we obey it, if Jesus said it, we obey it, if one of the other Bible writers said it, we obey it, if the governing body (Faithful slave Mat 24:45-47) said it we obey it, but, now with them comes imperfection, some of the faithful slave can actually be wicked v48, as well as everyone down are imperfect. So if what they tell you to do is in line with Scripture, we obey, if they tell us something we know is wrong, and we obey them over the written word, yes, they will be held accountable, but no doubt we too have to take some responsibility.
When Eve followed satan into sin, satan was her superior at the time, and although Eve was not in authority over Adam, he too chose to follow her rather than making a stand for God's law.
I will say this is my thinking on the matter, I of course am imperfect and may very well be in error, but the Bible does say: (Revelation 20:12, 13) . . .The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds.
My real meaning to what I said was speaking about what road you choose to follow. There are thousands of faiths that call themselves Christian, and every one of them interpret the Bible their way, and every one of them have at least one in authority, and if one obeys that authority figure 100%, their life is not guaranteed because of the sin of the one who was in authority. Remember what Jesus said?: (Matthew 15:12-14) . . .Then the disciples came and said to him: “Do you know that the Pharisees were stumbled at hearing what you said?” 13 In reply he said: “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 Let them be. Blind guides is what they are. If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” The Pharisees were the spiritual leader in Jesus' day over God's people, and made up a great deal of the Sanhedrin which consisted of 71 members. Could you imagine where we would be if Jesus or the apostles chose to obey them instead of God?
