Lesson 2
Bible Authority
Review
Truth (Lesson 1)
The Bible is the truth. It reveals the facts and real matters of how we and our universe came to be. The truth is that God created the heavens and earth in six days and took rest on the seventh. He created man in his image and expects him to share in a state of holiness (2 Corinthians 3:18 and Matthew 5:48). The Bible explains how man initially disappointed God by their sin. It reveals how God planned to save man, from the consequences of their sins, through a sacrifice of his Son. God used truth, as a vehicle, to inform man of these things. To conclude that these things are false, without reading the Bible, is to display a poor character of delusion.
Bible Authority
According to Annual Editions “World Religions,” “It is estimated that more than 10,000 separate religions are practiced in the world today. Within Christianity alone, there are more than 30,000 different denominations” (Annual Editions pp. iv / 2003 – 2004). Why are there thousands of denominations going in thousands of different directions when the Bible reveals only one church, one truth, and one mind (Romans 15:5; 1 Corinthians 1:10 and Ephesians 2:22-23 and 4:4-6?)? Why would Jesus pray for everyone to be one minded if it were not the divine expectation (John 17:20-23)? The answer to these questions has to do with how an individual approaches the subject of Bible authority.
How do you respond to the following religious disputes? The Bible explains that baptism is necessary for salvation (Acts 2:38 and 1 Peter 3:21). Many in the religious world, however, say that it is not necessary to be baptized to be saved. What do you think about this matter?
How do you respond when driving throughout the city seeing many different religious names posted on signs? One sees buildings with the names Cowboy church, Methodist church, Catholic, Mormon, or Jehovah’s witness church? The curious one turns to the Bible and sees none of these names. The curious one reads that there is only one “body of Christ” or “church of Christ” (Romans 16:16 and Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4-6). What do you think about this matter?
How do you respond to visiting a church that has cardinals, presidents, circuits, districts, and national headquarters? If our only guide to religious matters is the Bible, or truth, then how is it that such positions and organizations exist? They are not found in the Bible. The curious one opens the Bible and reads how the church is organized with elders, evangelist, deacons, and members, and that is it (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and 1 Timothy 4:1-5).
People are seeing things that God has not revealed in truth, facts, or reality. Modern “churches” are practicing, teaching, organizing, and calling themselves names that are nowhere found in the Bible. If these churches, and their practices, are not in the Bible, then where did they come from? The source of these foreign religious organizations is the imaginations of man (2 Corinthians 10:5). It is the height of folly to invent a religion, name it, practice things nowhere found in the Bible and then say that it is of God’s will. It is akin to children pretending. Grown and educated people, in a state of woeful delusion, have made up such foreign religions. The Bible warns that this will occur (2 Peter 2:1ff). Why would someone do such a thing? Where did they get the information that leads them in a direction not found in the Bible?
The preceding questions are all answered by Jesus. The chief priests and the elders of the Jews asks Jesus a significant question that sets the tone for our study. They ask Jesus, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority” (Matthew 21:23-27)? Jesus answered with a question of his own, “The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men” (Matthew 21:25)? Jesus’ answer indicated that there are only two sources of authority: Heaven and Men; Divine and Human. Therefore, as Paul said in Colossians 3:17, let us establish authority from Heaven for all that we do. If someone practices or names a religion contrary to what is written in the Bible, the following question may be posed: “is this action, name, or teaching from heaven or men.” If the source of one’s religion cannot be found in the Bible, then it is of men rather than God.
Idolatry, for example, is forbidden of God because it is not something he has revealed for man to see. Moses writes about this matter saying, “15 take good heed therefore unto yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that Jehovah spoke unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire; 16 lest you corrupt yourselves, and make you a grave image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female” (Deuteronomy 4:15-16). If truth is reality, anything else represents delusional dreaming of man (fictional) (Jude 1:8 and Jeremiah 14:14; 23:16; 28:11-15; a vision of their own mind). Jesus said that he speaks to these dreamers in “13 parables because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand” (Matthew 13:13).
To practice Christianity, without the authority of God, is to take the kingdom by violence and force. Jesus said, “12 from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and men of violence take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). When the Jewish converts to Christianity sought to force Gentile Christians to keep the Mosaic Law and be circumcised, they were taking the kingdom by force (Acts 15:4). When false teachers set aside the authorized words of God, they take the kingdom by force (Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Peter 2:10 and Jude 1:8).
Today when those that erroneously practice religion in the name of Jehovah God are seeking to take the kingdom by force. Anything that does not match the revealed truths of the Bible will be eternally condemned by God (John 12:48). Man’s every judgment of right and wrong must be sourced in God’s word (John 7:24). Everyone is responsible for the decisions made at the inflection point of life. A religious name, practice, or teaching is set before us. Will we ask, ‘Is this from heaven or men?’
God is the only one qualified to command
God appeals to his own authority by saying, “I am Jehovah your God” after giving a command (see Exodus 3:15; 6:2; 15:3; 34:6-7 and Leviticus 18:4). A word study of Jehovah yields two interesting facts that help us see that God’s word alone is to be reverenced, honored, and obeyed.
If one reads Exodus 6:1-6; Leviticus 18:5 and Jeremiah 33:1-2, one will conclude by similitude that the name Jehovah means all powerful creator and deliverer that keeps his promises. God created the heavens and earth (Genesis 1:1ff) by powerfully speaking it into existence (Psalms 33:6-9). God’s promises are just as sure as the day turning to night and the sun rising in the morning (Jeremiah 31:35-37 and 33:19-21). God fulfilled his promise to bless all nations through the seed of Abraham (Christ) (see Genesis 12:1-4 and Galatians 3:8, 16). That blessing is in the form of forgiveness of sins (Jeremiah 33:8 and Romans 4:1-8).
The fact that God is Jehovah, the creator that keeps his promises, demands that everyone obey his commands if they expect to receive his promise of forgiveness (Romans 9:21). Moses writes, “31 Therefore shall you keep my commandments, and do them: I am Jehovah. 32 And you shall not profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am Jehovah who hallows you, 33 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am Jehovah” (Leviticus 22:31-33). The New Testament bears out this fact as well (see Revelation 14:7). There is no God but Jehovah God (Isaiah 45:5-8). Those that have faith, trust, and confidence, in God’s words will obey his words (John 3:36 and Hebrews 11:1-6).
Authority in the Bible
Everything one does in the name of God must be done by his authority (Colossians 3:17). One cannot refer to practicing a religious act not found in the Bible as being of God or done in his name. If God does not authorize it, through his words, then it is not of God (1 John 4:1-4 and 2 John 9-11). Consider, for example, taking the Lord’s Supper.
The command to take the Lord’s Supper is found at Matthew 26 and 1 Corinthians 11. The apostle Paul writes, “23 For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; 24 and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:23-25). The command to partake of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine is given by God and must be followed. To use leavened bread or orange juice is to violate the will of God.
Furthermore, the time of partaking in the Lord’s Supper is given at Acts 20:7. Luke writes, “7 and upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them.” The saints gathered every first day of the week (Sunday) to worship God. We know that this was done every first day of the week due to God’s words to Moses regarding keeping the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8). If a denominational body is not partaking of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week, then they are violating the command of God. Such is to perform an act of iniquity (to act without authority – see Matthew 7:21-23). What is your assessment of a church that partakes of the Lord’s Supper twice or three times a year? Is such a practice from heaven or men (again, see Matthew 21:23-25)?
There are also issues of authority that demand an understanding of the entire Bible. Some, for example, have turned to Acts 16:14-15 for their authority to baptize babies. If, however, baptism is for the remission of sins, then why would a baby need to be baptized (Acts 2:38)? Also, if believing, confession, and repentance are required of the baptized one, how shall a baby do these things? To demand babies be baptized, due to Acts 16, is to permit common sense to elude the mind.
The apostles’ example of life, in word or deed, is to be emulated because God commanded it (see 1 Corinthians 4:16-17; Philippians 4:9, and I Thessalonians 1:6-7). Common sense, once again, is the key. When Jesus told the apostles to go into all the world and preach, he did not specify a mode of transportation (Matthew 28:18-20). The point is going!
Furthermore, we must learn to respect the silence of God. If God commands that a thing be done or not done, he does not have to say all the things that must not be done (consider Hebrews 7:11-14). To say, ‘Well, God did not say we couldn’t do that’ is to miss the mark of common sense. Even in our everyday language we understand this. If one orders a hamburger, French fries, and drink at McDonalds, they do not have to say that they do not want everything else on the menu. This is the way language works.
There may be religious acts that one feels compelled to do, however, there are no commands from God about the matter. If, for example, one decides to be a vegetarian or fast at certain times of the day or week. God does not command such things; however, it may be individually and privately practiced (Romans 14:22). The main thing is not to force these personal convictions on others.
Everything God expects of his people is given through his authority. We know how to speak (Ephesians 4:29), dress (1 Timothy 3:8ff), work (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12), worship (John 4:23-24), and organize the church (Philippians 1:1) all because of a reverence for the authority of God. Those that do not respect the authority of God, through obedience, can expect hardships and death (Matthew 7:21-23).
Consider these examples:
- Lot’s Wife (Genesis 19:15-17, 23-26).
- Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3)
- Moses strikes rock instead of speaking to it as God had commanded (Numbers 20:7-12)
- 50,000 died because they gazed into the Ark (Numbers 4:20; 1 Samuel 6:19)
- Uzzah dies for touching the Ark (2 Samuel 6:1-7).
Conclusion
Bible authority is a matter of one’s faith, personal integrity, and a willingness to see truth as opposed to fiction and delusion. To study Bible authority is to display a rare character that demands to know the truth, facts, and reality of a matter. It is a study of the qualified source of one following a way of life. God, as creator, is the only one qualified to command (see Romans 9:20-21).
Rejecting the authorized words of God is deemed sin or lawlessness (see 1 John 3:4). One does not sin if they do not “say the sinner’s prayer” because this is not found in the truth. Remember, our judgments of right and wrong must be based in God’s word as opposed to human reason (John 7:24). With every religious question that arises, let us ask if the matter is from heaven or men (Matthew 21:25). If a matter is from man, let us see through eyes of knowledge, and reject it. If the matter is from God, let us have the determination to receive and practice it.
Questions over Bible Correspondence Lesson 2; Bible Authority
- How many denominational bodies are there in the world?
- List a few names of churches you know of that are not found in the Bible:
- What do you think of a case where its founder states that an angel called Moroni visited him, gave him golden tablets of law, and then formed the Mormon church? This is what Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church, proclaimed. Today, the Mormon church has over 17 million members! Read Galatians 1:6-9 and give your assessment of Joseph Smith’s claim:
- Read Matthew 21:23-27. How does Jesus’ answer to the Jewish rulers help us to determine the source of one’s teachings, practices ad name of their religion?
- Review Deuteronomy 4:14-15 and give a working definition of idolatry.
- True or False: To practice, teach, or name a ‘church’ anything but what is found in the Bible is idolatry.
- What gives God the sole right of command over this universe (Revelation 14:7)?
- If the Bible commands Christians to partake of the Lord’s Supper, every first day of the week (Sunday), then why do so many “churches” practice this differently?
- True or False: Sin is doing something that God has not authorized.
- Give a working definition of Bible authority by reading and studying John 7:24; Matthew 21:23-27 and Colossians 3:17.