AUTHORITY

Since God is our creator, He has the ultimate right to exercise authority over us. When Jesus triumphed over the law and death, ALL authority was given to Him (Mt. 28:18).

Jesus' authority was exercised through the apostles when He sent the Holy Spirit to guide them into every good work (Jn. 15:26-27, 16:13). In turn, they wrote those things which the Spirit gave them in the New Testament (1 Cor. 2:12-13). When we read them we can have the same understanding that they had (Eph. 3:3-4).

Challenges to Jesus authority often take the form of direct rebellion against God, as in the case of immorality or malice. More often, however, the challenge to Jesus' authority are attempts to "help God out" while claiming to be doing His will (Mt. 7:21-23). Many religious leaders are just not satisfied with the scriptures which God has preserved for us (Mt. 24:35).

The scriptures have total capacity to guide us unto every possible good work and to warn us against all evil (2 Tim. 3: 16-17). This is an absolute statement; and since we are warned in no uncertain terms against adding to or taking away from God's word (Rev. 22: 18-19), the bible has the full weight of God's authority for us today.

Let us assume (just for a moment) that our reasoning is wrong, and that the scriptures above are being misused. Assume for a moment that the bible is not authoritative -- that it does not "thoroughly furnish us unto every good work." If this were the case, the bible would be of absolutely no value! For, how are we to tell which part to accept, and which to reject? How can we tell where to add something to it and where to accept it as it is?

Who could accept such a concept of authority? Yet today we clearly see the bible being over-ridden by church councils, latter-day apostles, leaders who supposedly talk to God, or anyone who feels a spirit moving in them. Is such following the authority of God or the authority of man? Please read Proverbs 14:12 and Jeremiah 10:23 before answering.

When men disregard God's word, their dissatisfaction with His way becomes quite clear. It is the ultimate in hypocrisy to use scripture references at all when they are only being used to support a preconceived position. God will not hold those guiltless who so abuse His authority (Gal. 6:7).