Home Study- Authority

 Authority

Introduction:

A. The Old Covenant was dedicated with the blood of animals (Ex. 24:8). The New Covenant with the blood of Christ (Mt. 26:28; Heb. 9:15-20). The Old was a tutor (bus driver), but we are no longer under the tutor (Gal. 3:24,25).

B. In order to please God we must accept the right source of authority and understand how it authorizes.

C. These principles are not peculiar to religion. We communicate with one another in these same ways.

Discussion:

A. Some false standards:

1. Tradition

a. Some have no better reason for what they do than the fact they have always done it. Time does not change error into truth!

b. Jesus opposed traditionalism (Mk. 7:1-8).

2. Emotion, or conscience

a. A person should live with a good conscience, but conscience is not the standard of authority.

b. Saul lived with a good conscience, because he was doing what he felt was right, but he was wrong (Acts 23:1; 26:9-11)

3. The majority

a. Truth is not determined by how many believe a thing. Truth is not determined by how many agree with, or disagree with, a teaching.

b. Jesus said the majority would follow the wrong road (Mt. 7:13,14; Lk. 13:23,24).

B. How is Bible authority established?

1. Precept - “a commandment or direction meant as a rule of action” (Webster). It may be in the form of a command or simply a statement of fact.

a. To apply a precept, we must ask: (1) To whom was this command or statement made?

(2) What was their situation? (3) Am I in a similar situation? (See 2 Tim. 4:13)

b. Jesus respected precepts (Mt. 4:3-10). He quoted what Moses wrote and applied it to His situation.

c. We learn what believers must do to be saved, by a direct command (Acts 2:37,38). This command would not apply to an unbeliever.

2. Example - the record of what men did with God’s approval.

a. Jesus used examples to teach that men should listen to Him (Mt. 12:38-42).

b. We learn from example when to partake of the Lord’s supper (Acts 20:7), and that elders are to be appointed in each church (Acts 14:23).

3. Necessary Inference - a thing is necessarily implied in the precept or example.

a. Jesus silenced the Sadducees by a necessary inference (Mt. 22:23-33).

b. We learn that the church may provide a place to assemble from the command in Hebrews 10:25, and that we should partake of the Lord’s supper weekly from the example in Acts 20:7 (compare Ex. 20:8).




C. Two kinds of authority:

1. Specific - when a thing is specified nothing else is authorized.

a. Jesus specified the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine in the Lord’s supper (Mt. 26:   17,26-29). Any other kind of food would be an addition - not authorized.

b. The kind of music we are to make in worship is specified - singing (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Any other kind of music would be an addition - not authorized.

2. Generic - when a general statement is made, it includes everything within the class or kind authorized.

a. The command to “go into all the world” (Mk. 16:15) is generic. Any method of going is authorized.

b. Many teachings involve both specific and generic authority.

1) The first day of the week (Acts 20:7) is specific as to the day of the week, but generic as to time of the day.

2) The command to sing is specific as to the action, but generic as to where you get the words and what part you sing.

Conclusion:

A. There are two false extremes concerning authority:

1. “A thing must be mentioned in the Bible to be authorized.” Sunday morning at 10:00 o’clock is not mentioned as the time to observe the Lord’s supper, nor is driving a car to teach mentioned - but they are authorized.

2. “A thing must be specifically condemned in the Bible in order to be unscriptural.” The Bible does not say not to use steak in the Lord’s supper, but it is not authorized.

B. Everything that we do must be “in the name of the Lord Jesus”(Col. 3:17), which means by His authority. The includes everything the Bible says on a subject.