In this study we
seek to consider the most important area of authority: religion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Authority"
may be defined as the right to rule or command, the power to give instructions
that others are expected to obey, the right to make and enforce law. So we are
discussing how we determine in religion what commands and instructions we are
expected to obey.
The Bible is
literally filled with various terms that relate to authority: authority, power,
rule, lord, master, command, law, obey, submit, ordain, appoint, permit, good,
bad, right, wrong, evil, wicked, sin, etc., etc. All these terms imply that
someone has the right to make rules that others should follow.
As in other areas
of life, people often have problems relating to authority in religion. Often we
face a "power struggle" in which we must decide whose rules we will
follow. Or we may have questions about what the rules are. How do we know what
is right or wrong in religion?
In particular,
should we follow Divine authority or human wisdom, Scripture or man-made laws
in religion? Should our standard be the Bible or human tradition, church laws,
decrees of councils, and creeds?
This subject is
absolutely fundamental. People are often confused or divided religiously
because they do not agree about the rules and often do not agree even about how
to decide what the rules are.
This study is
intended to give an overview of proper religious authority and how we should
determine what is right or wrong in religion.
I. All True
Religious Authority Comes Ultimately from God.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
A. God Is Our
Spiritual Lord and Master.
=========================
"Lord"
means a person who has authority over others: a master, chief, or ruler.
Psalm 97:5;
Joshua 3:11,13; Matthew 11:25 - God is Lord of the whole earth, of heaven and
earth.
Deuteronomy
10:17; Daniel 2:47 - The true God is called "Lord of lords" and
"Lord of kings." He has supreme authority over all rulers. Human
lords may rule other men, but God rules over all rulers.
Acts 17:24 - God
made the world and everything in it since He is Lord of heaven and earth.
1 Chronicles
29:11,12 - Everything in heaven and earth belongs to God. He reigns over all.
Note the
connection between creation and authority. God possesses authority over all
that He created. Because He made it, it belongs to Him, and He has the right to
expect all His creatures to obey His commands.
It follows that
only God possesses the ultimate authority in the universe. Man's power is
limited. Only God's power is unlimited. Only He has all power over all created
things.
[Psalm 136:3;
95:3; 97:9; 83:18; Isa. 33:22; Rev. 19:6]
B. God's
Authority Today Is Exercised through His Son.
==================================
As the Son of
God, Jesus is Lord of all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Revelation 17:14;
19:16 - Jesus is "King of kings" and "Lord of lords." As
the Divine Son of God He has authority over all the created things.
Acts 10:36;
Romans 10:12; 9:5; John 3:31 - He is Lord of all, "above all" and
"over all."
Ephesians 1:21-23
- He is above all power and might and dominion. Specifically, He is Head over
all things to the church.
Philippians
2:9-11 - Jesus has the name which is above every name. Hence, every knee in
heaven and on earth must bow to Him and every tongue confess that He is Lord.
[Phil. 3:20,21;
Col. 1:16; John 16:15; 17:10; Matt. 7:29; John 17:2; Luke 4:32; 6:46]
As the Lord of
All, Jesus now reveals God's will for today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hebrews 1:1,2 - God
speaks to us today through His Son through Him He made the worlds. [2:1-4]
Luke 6:46 - If
Jesus is Lord then we must do the things He says.
Matthew 28:18-20
- As God's Son, He possesses "all authority in heaven and on earth,"
so we should obey all His commands.
Acts 3:22,23 - We
must hear Jesus in everything He teaches or we will be destroyed.
Ultimate
religious authority resides in God, and that authority is exercised through the
teachings of Jesus Christ.
[Matthew 17:5;
John 6:68,63; 12:48; Col. 3:16,17; 1 Tim. 6:3]
II. Divine
Authority Is Revealed in the Scriptures
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Since Jesus'
teaching is our authority, where can we go to learn His will today?
A. God's Will Is
Recorded in the Bible to Guide Our lives.
==================================
John 16:13 -
Jesus promised the men who penned the New Testament that the Spirit would guide
them into all truth.
Ephesians 3:3-5 -
What Paul wrote had been made known to him by revelation. Formerly these things
were not known but had been revealed to apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians
14:37 - So the things he wrote were the commands of Lord.
2 Timothy 3:16,17
- All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching and furnishing
to all good works.
2 Peter 1:20,21 -
No Scripture is of private interpretation; for prophecy never came by will of
man, but men spoke as moved by the Holy Spirit. This includes the New
Testament, since Peter also refers to it as "Scripture" (3:15,16).
[Luke 10:16;
Matt. 15:4; 22:29-32; 10:19,20; 1 Thess. 4:15; 1 Tim. 4:1; Gal. 1:11,12; 1 Cor.
2:11-13; 4:6; 2 Thess. 3:6,12,17; John 20:30,31; 10:35; 1 John 1:1-4; Luke
1:1-4; 1 Tim. 4:11; Jude 3]
B. The Scriptures
Are A Complete Revelation of God's Will.
===================================
Some people think
the Scriptures are not adequate to completely guide us in religion. So they
appeal to other religious authorities for guidance, such as church councils,
human creeds, preachers, tradition, family religion, or modern revelations. As
a result they be led to participate in practices that are not found in the
gospel.
However, the
gospel says that it does completely reveal to us everything that God views as
being good and approved.
John 16:13 - The
Holy Spirit revealed all truth to the apostles. As already discussed, inspired
men then wrote in the Scriptures what the Holy Spirit revealed to them. [14:26]
Acts 20:20,27 -
Paul preached the whole counsel of God, keeping back nothing that was
profitable.
2 Timothy 3:16,17
- All good works are recorded in the written word. As a result, the inspired
Scriptures are profitable to teach and instruct men in righteousness, etc.
2 Peter 1:3 - In
Peter's lifetime, people received all things that pertain to life and
godliness. Peter then wrote these things down so that, even after he died, we
could be reminded of the words of Jesus' apostles and prophets (1:12-15;
3:1,2).
The Bible does
not reveal everything in the mind of God (Deut. 29:29). But it does reveal
everything that is necessary to a godly life and to salvation. We need no
additional standard of authority or revelation, because the Bible completely
reveals all God's will for man.
Consider the
consequence of this for doctrines and practices that are not revealed in the
Bible. Since the Bible contains all truth, all good works, and everything that
pertains to godliness and righteousness, does it not follow that any practice
not found there is not true, not a good work, and does not pertain to life or
godliness? How then can we practice these things and expect to please God?
[James 1:25;
Matt. 28:20; Col. 4:12; Jude 3; Hebrews 13:20,21; John 20:30,31; 1 John 1:1-4.]
III. Only Divine
Authority, not Human Authority, Is Acceptable.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
When a practice
is not included in what God has authorized, should we participate in it or not?
Remember that the Scriptures provide us to every good work. What about works it
does not provide?
This issue is
fundamental because many modern religious practices in worship, salvation, or
church work and organization differ from what is revealed in the Bible. Are
they right or wrong?
People often
defend these acts by saying, "God nowhere said not to do it." But are
the practices acceptable as long as God nowhere expressly forbids them, or are
they wrong unless He says to do them?
Consider these
Bible principles:
A. Divine Wisdom
vs. Human Wisdom
=======================
Isaiah 55:8,9 -
God's thoughts and ways are completely different from ours. We cannot possibly
know God's will about a matter unless He reveals it.
Jeremiah 10:23 - The
way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
Proverbs 14:12 -
There is a way that seems right to man, but the end is death.
2 Corinthians
10:18 - Not he who commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord approves.
Luke 16:15 - What
is highly esteemed by men is an abomination to God. The fact that we approve a
thing does not at all mean that God approves it.
Since we do not
think like God does, we cannot possibly know God's will unless He reveals it [1
Corinthians 2:10-13]. Knowing this, God completely revealed His will for us in
the Bible, then He warned us not to follow human wisdom to participate in
anything not revealed in the Bible!
Often people will
defend some religious practice because it "makes sense" or
"seems reasonable" to them. But human wisdom cannot determine what is
or is not pleasing to God apart from Divine revelation. It follows that we must
practice only what is revealed.
[1 Cor. 1:21-24;
2:5]
B. True Worship
==========
John 4:23,24 - To
please God, worship must be in spirit and in truth. But God's word is truth
(John 17:17), and all truth is revealed in the gospel (John 16:13). Since the
inspired writers received and recorded all truth, and since we must worship
according to the truth, then any practice is unacceptable if it is not included
in what was revealed in the gospel.
Matthew
15:9,13,14 - Worship is vain (worthless) when based on precepts of human
origin. But Jesus says that every religious practice is based either on God's
authority or else on man's authority (Matthew 21:23-27). If God did not
originate it, then man did.
Since the Bible
reveals everything God has ordained, then any practice which is not revealed in
the gospel must be human in origin and therefore displeasing to God.
People often
defend their religious practices saying, "I like it," or "We're
satisfied with it." But do we worship and serve God in order to please and
satisfy ourselves?
The purpose of
worship is to please and glorify God. We honor and respect Him when we do what
He says. If instead of doing what God says, we do what men say to do, then we
are not showing respect for God and His will. Instead we are showing respect
for the men who invented the practice. So God is displeased.
C. Faith in God
=========
Hebrews. 11:6 -
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
2 Corinthians 5:7
- We walk by faith, not by sight. Faith must be demonstrated in action - our
"walk." [Cf. Galatians 2:20; 5:6; James 2:14-26; Hebrews chapter 11.]
Romans 10:17 -
Faith comes by hearing God's word. But some people think that, as long as they
believe in God and trust Him, He will accept what they do, whether or not it is
in the Bible.
Proverbs 3:5,6 -
Trust in the Lord and don't lean on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him and
He will direct your paths. True faith teaches us to do only what the Lord
reveals. If we do what we think is right, though it is not revealed in the
Bible, then we lean on our own understanding, rather than to allow Him to
direct us.
When people
practice things they cannot find in the Bible, they show that they do not
really trust in God. Instead they trust in the human who invented those
practices. It is impossible to practice anything by faith if it cannot be found
in the Bible. To truly walk by faith we must restrict ourselves to doing only what
God has revealed.
D. The Will of
God
===========
Colossians 3:17 -
All we do, in word or deed, should be done in Jesus' name. To act in Jesus'
name is to follow His authority (Acts 4:7-10). But Jesus' authority for today
is completely revealed in the Bible. Practices not included in Bible teaching,
therefore, cannot be done in Jesus' name. To practice them would be sinful.
Galatians 1:6-9 -
Any man is accursed if he preaches a gospel different from what inspired men
taught in the first century. That gospel completely reveals all good works God
wants us to do. If a practice is not included in the gospel, then for us to
include it would be to preach a different gospel.
2 John 9 -
Whoever goes beyond and does not abide in Jesus' teaching, does not have God.
To have God we must abide in Jesus' teaching. But all Jesus' teaching is
revealed in the New Testament. So to practice things we cannot find in Jesus'
teaching would be to separate ourselves from Him.
Revelation
22:18,19 - When we truly respect God's word, we will refuse to add to or take
from what He says. We will do exactly what He says without changing it. [Cf.
Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6.]
Although the
Bible does expressly forbid some acts, God never intended for His word to
specifically itemize all the things He does not want us to do. Had He done
that, the Bible would have been so huge we could never digest it. Instead, God
tells us what He does want us to do. Then He tells us that other things are
unacceptable.
When we study
about a certain practice, then, we should not ask, "Where does God say not
to do this?" Instead ask, "Where does God's word show this act would
be acceptable?" If the act cannot be found included in God's will for us,
then we should refuse to participate in it.
[See also 1 Peter
4:11; 1 Corinthians 4:6; Romans 10:1-3; Colossians 2:8.]
IV. Divine
Authority May Be General or Specific.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We have learned
that, in order to please God, we must do only those things that are included in
what He has instructed. However, we should not conclude that an act must be
expressly named or specifically mentioned in order to be authorized. Some
people conclude that any act is acceptable unless it is expressly, specifically
forbidden. Others conclude an act is wrong unless it is expressly, specifically
mentioned. Neither view harmonizes with what we have learned.
A. A Statement of
the Principle of General and Specific Authority
=======================================
When God wants
man to do a thing in a particular way, He instructs us by choosing words that
are specific or narrow (limited, precise, restricted, detailed, exclusive) in
their meaning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He has told us
not to practice things that do not fit the meaning of His instructions. So,
when He wants a thing done in a particular way, He words His instructions in
such a way as to leave us no choice. If we then do things differently, outside
the limits of the meaning of the terms He uses, we displease Him.
When God wants to
leave men free to choose from several alternative ways of doing a thing, He
instructs us by choosing words that are more general or broad (inclusive,
comprehensive, all-encompassing) in their meaning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are still
restricted to doing only what fits the meaning of what He said, but in this
case there are various ways of doing what fits the instruction. We can then use
our own wisdom to choose from any course of action that fits the meaning of
what God said to do. Any such choice that we make would be acceptable because
we would still be doing what God said.
B. Applications
of the Principle
===================
Noah and the ark
- Genesis 6:14
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
God told Noah to
make an ark of gopher wood. Metal, pine, walnut, etc., do not fit the
definition of gopher wood. They constitute different kinds of materials. God
did not expressly say not to use them, but they would have been wrong to use
because He said "gopher wood" and was silent about metal, pine, etc.
Had God wanted to
leave Noah free to use any kind of material, He could simply have said to make
an ark, and specified no material at all. Then Noah could have chosen any kind
of material and He would still have been obeying God. But when God specified
the material, Noah was left with no other choice. He had to use the kind of
wood God specified, or He would have been disobedient.
On the other
hand, God said to make an ark, but there are many things a person can do that
would fit the definition of making an ark. He might use a hammer and saw, an ox
cart to carry the wood, etc. None of these tools are specifically mentioned,
but they would have been acceptable because, while using them, Noah would still
be doing what God said to do.
Had God wanted
Noah to do things in a particular way in these matters, He could have simply
stated it, such as "Cut down the trees with an ax." Then the use of a
saw would have been different from what God said and would have been
unacceptable.
Going and
preaching the gospel - Mark 16:15
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
God said to go
preach the gospel to every creature. If we preach man-made doctrines, we are
not preaching the gospel. Therefore, to preach them is unacceptable.
On the other
hand, there are many ways a person might "go" into all the world. He
might walk, ride a donkey, car, chariot, plane, etc. These things may not be
specifically mentioned, but any or all of them would be acceptable because they
fit the definition of what is stated - go.
In the same way,
there are many things a person could do that would constitute preaching the
gospel. He might speak directly to a group of people, write them a letter,
divide them up into classes, speak over radio or TV, or write on a blackboard
or overhead projector or computer. All such would be acceptable, though not
specifically mentioned, because they fit the meaning of what God said to do.
When doing them, we are simply doing what God said - preach the gospel.
Baptism - Romans
6:4; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
God said people
should be buried in baptism. Sprinkling and pouring do not constitute burial.
They do not fit the definition. If God did not care what action was involved,
He could have simply said, "Put water on the people," or "Make
them wet." But when He said to bury them and nowhere said to sprinkle or
pour, then sprinkling and pouring must be wrong.
Likewise, we are
told that, before they can be baptized, people must hear the gospel, believe
it, and repent of sins. Babies and animals cannot do these things, so to baptize
them would be to do differently from what God said. This would not fit the
meaning of God's instructions. God may not have expressly said not to baptize
babies or animals, but to do so would be wrong.
On the other
hand, you can bury someone in water in a river, lake, or man-made baptistery.
No matter which you use, you are doing what God said: you are burying people in
baptism.
The collection -
1 Corinthians 16:1,2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
God said for the
church to obtain funds by taking up a collection of the first day of the week.
Nowhere did He say for churches to have rummage sales, bake sales, or to
operate businesses for profit to make money. To do these would be to do
something different from what He said.
Likewise, to take
up collections on some other day of the week would be different from what He
said. He may not have expressly said not to do these things, but when He said
to take up collections on the first day, and He never said to do these other
things, then we can know that to do them would be to displease Him.
On the other
hand, when we take up collections, there are many different kinds of containers
we might use - hat, basket, tabletop, etc. If we use any of these, we are still
doing what God said - taking up a collection. Hence, they would be acceptable
even though nowhere specifically mentioned.
Likewise, God
said the first day of the week, but no particular time is mentioned. So whether
we do it morning, afternoon, or evening would not matter, as long as it was the
first day of the week.
The Lord's Supper
- Matthew 26:26ff; Acts 20:7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jesus said to use
bread and fruit of the vine in the Lord's supper. And the church did this on
the first day of the week, the same day on which they had the collection. To
use hamburger and Coke or to have the supper on some other day of the week
would be to do different from what Jesus said. That would displease Him as
surely as would the pine wood in the ark or the sprinkling for baptism.
On the other
hand, as with the collection, God has not specified any particular kind of
container, nor any particular time on the first day for the Lord's supper. No
matter what container(s) we use or what time on the first day, we would still
be doing what God said: eating the bread and drinking the fruit of the vine on
the first day of the week.
Music in worship
- Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
God said to
"sing" psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Every New Testament
passage that mentions music in worship says to "sing." Nowhere does
God say to play on instruments. To play on instruments then, would be to do
something that falls outside the meaning of what God said to do, just like
using pine wood in the ark or hamburger on the Lord's supper. God does not have
to expressly forbid them. The fact that He expressly said to sing, but nowhere
says to play instruments, shows they are displeasing.
On the other
hand, if we sing songs that we find in a songbook, or if we sing various parts
(soprano, alto, etc.), we are just doing what God said. We are singing and
making melody in our hearts. The fact the songbooks and parts are not expressly
mentioned does not make them wrong, since they fit the definition of singing.
Conclusion
=======
Proper
application of Bible authority shows us that many religious practices are
wrong, even though they are not expressly forbidden. On the other hand, many
practices are right even though they are not expressly mentioned. Whether a
practice is right or wrong is determined by whether or not it falls inside or
outside the meaning of the terms God uses to instruct us regarding His will.
When God tells us
what to do, but a certain act does not fit the definition of what He said, then
we are to avoid that act. We do not need to have a passage that expressly
forbids it. On the other hand, in carrying out a command that God gave, we may
be doing some particular thing that God has not expressly mentioned. Yet if
what we are doing fits the meaning of what God said, He is still pleased.
The point is that
it is not up to us to determine what we will do according to what we want to do
or what we think is good, apart from His revealed will. God is the ultimate
authority; only He can determine what He wants done. What He has determined is
what He has revealed through Jesus in the Scriptures. If we love Him, have
faith in Him, and really respect His authority, we will do what He said and
only what He said.
Are you living
your life in harmony with God's authority?
(C) Copyright 2002,
David E. Pratte
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