Authority (3) The requirement: S.H.O.P.

This article is the final installment in Ryan Barnhill's series on biblical authority, addressing what positive attitudes and behaviors God requires of those under authority through the acronym S.H.O.P. (Submission, Honor, Obedience, Patience). Drawing directly from the Heidelberg Catechism's explanation of the fifth commandment, the author explores how Christians should relate to various authorities—parents, teachers, church officers, government officials, employers, and elders—with practical theological depth grounded in Reformed confessional teaching.