1. Authority – How To Establish It Lesson # 14

2. 1. The ASV has about 783,700 words in it. 2. The NASV has about 825,000 words. 3. That’s a difference of over 41,000 words. – That about the number of words in the NT books of Matthew, Mark and Colossians combined.

3. He learns that God made some important promises in the OT. – Genesis 3:15 is one such promise. Here God promised that He would put enmity between the seed of woman and the seed of Satan, and that the woman’s seed would crush Satan’s head, but in the process, He Himself would have His heel bruised. The remainder of the Bible after Genesis 3:15 is the story of the development and consequences of that enmity manifesting itself between God’s people and the followers of Satan. The seed of woman that was to crush Satan’s power is Jesus Christ. The OT reveals how God kept His people intact until He could bring His Son into the world so He could crush Satan’s power over death and the grave.

4. God chose one man, Abram. He told Abram if he would obey Him, then He would bless him. – The first blessing was a physical blessing of land, including a nation of people – Canaan and Israel. – The second was a spiritual blessing. I.e., in Abraham’s seed, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Fulfilled in the fact that Jesus Christ came through Abraham’s seed, and through Him, all people of all nations can become spiritual children of God. This second promise to Abram is fulfilled in the NT. Certainly to understand all this, one would need to study both the OT and the NT.

5. Promise to King David, 2 Samuel 7:12-29. In this passage, God promised to David that He would establish his house forever. – Fulfilled in the NT, as shown in Matthew and Luke, where we have the linage of Jesus given. It is shown that He came into the world through the descendants of David. – The NT goes on to teach that God made Jesus King over His people, and His throne is established forever and ever. Even now, He sits on His throne at the right hand of God in heaven, Hebrews 12:2.

6. Jeremiah 31:31-34, God promised days would come when He would establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. – In the NT, in Hebrews 8:8-13, the writer quotes this promise almost word for word, showing that the new covenant God promised is the new covenant found in the NT, and it has made the first covenant old, ready to vanish away.

7. Various NT writers often quote promises God made in the OT to show that they are fulfilled in the NT. – The word “fulfilled” is used 57 times in the KJV of the NT. Most of these (39) are in the four Gospels. – Truly, God’s omniscience, omnipotence, and omni- benevolence is proven by the fulfilled promises in the NT. – When the NT is studied in light of what the OT has said, one is able to understand God’s word.

8. We must have “authority” for all things we believe and practice. – ESV Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – This simply means that one is to have “the authority of the Lord Jesus” for anything he says or does. – Simply stated, the meaning of “authority” is “the right to use might”. – So by virtue of the fact that God is the Creator of all things, He has all authority over all things. But God did not want to keep all this authority to Himself. – ESV Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

9. The military is an “authoritative” organization. We can easily understand how the chain of command runs from the President, who is commander and chief, all the way down to any and every soldier in any branch of service. In Scripture, the chain of command looks like this: – God>Jesus Christ>Holy Spirit>Apostles & Prophets> Scriptures>Man of today.

10. ASV Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. – It definitely means that God is “a personal, continuous, absolute, self determining, existent, being”. – And because He is such a being, He has to also be the cause of all things. As such – – He is omnipotent, omniscient, omni benevolent, just, right, holy, and is loving, merciful and gracious. He is the first cause, and is uncaused, by virtue of which, He is the source of all authority – since He is the prime cause of all things.

11. About 40 years later, at the close of Moses’ life on earth, God promised in the book of – – ESV Deuteronomy 18:18-19 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. Now “a prophet like Moses” would have to be more than just a prophet. So in order to be a “prophet like Moses” this prophet would also have to be “a lawgiver” and “a leader” of God’s people. This prophecy is quoted almost verbatim in Acts 3:22-23. The context clearly shows the prophet is Jesus Christ. – The NT clearly shows that Jesus Christ was the one who would have God’s words put into His mouth. He would speak these to the people.

12. Jesus Christ is the next in the “chain of command”. – He said over and over again, ESV John 12:49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment-- what to say and what to speak. – ESV Hebrews 1:1-2 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. – So God, who had all authority by virtue of His creating all things, gave all authority to Jesus Christ, ESV Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

13. Jesus, knowing that He would leave the earth and go back to heaven promised the Apostles the Spirit of truth as a Comforter to be with them. – KJV John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ESV John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ESV John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

14. Mission Jesus assigned the Apostles – – KJV Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

15. The third link in the “chain of command” is the Apostles and Prophets, who were inspired of God. – ASV 1 Corinthians 2:4-13 And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 6 We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought: 7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: 9 but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. 10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. 12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual words.

16. The written word, which we call “the Scriptures” is the fourth link in the line of authority. – ASV Ephesians 3:3-5 how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, 4 whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; 5 which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

17. The fifth and last link in the chain is any “man of today”. As noted in Colossians 3:17, man is commanded to “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him”. – Doing this, permits God’s authority to come down the chain of command all the way to him. In this way, when man does anything that is “in the name of the Lord Jesus”, he is in actuality acting with the authority of God Himself.

18. The religious leaders brought Peter and John before them. – ESV Acts 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?“ Peter’s answer is classic and serves as an example for all mankind. The Bible informs us: ESV Acts 4:8-10 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead-- by him this man is standing before you well. Both Peter and John acted “in the name of Jesus Christ”, so they acted by His authority.

19. But the religious authorities commanded them to stop speaking or teaching in the name of Jesus. – ESV Acts 4:18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. – Again we have a classic answer: ESV Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."

20. ESV Acts 5:27-29 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, "We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us." 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. – Anytime there is a conflict between what God and man have said, God’s word must always take precedence. This is the reason there can never be an acceptable excuse for not always doing what one does “in the name of the Lord Jesus”.

21. The Scriptures are “God-breathed”, or “inspired”. – ESV 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. – So the Scriptures apply in all walks of life.

22. For example, take the political area of life: – ESV Romans 13:1-5 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

23. God’s authority comes down to man through the Scriptures and applies to every area of one’s life. – For example: In the home, parents and children are to obey the Scriptures that address godly behavior in those relations, Eph. 6:1-4. As citizens, people are to obey the Scriptures that address those responsibilities, Rom. 13:1-5; 1 Pet 2:13-14; Luke 10:25. As employers and employees, God has given instructions that is to control their behavior, Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22. Friends and neighbors, or just being members of humanity. ESV Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ESV Galatians 6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. ESV Romans 13:9-10 “…You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

24. There is one other source of authority, and it is from “man”. Jesus referred to this source of authority in His debate with the Jewish leaders of His day when He asked them in – – ESV Matthew 21:25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?“

25. The “chain of command” in this source looks like – – Leaders>Majority>Traditions>Conscience>Feelings> Desires>Individual. Leaders are those who decide the course to be followed. Majority of the people follow the leaders. Long observed practices become traditions, some of which have the force of law. The conscience of majorities wield changes over time so that old taboos become acceptable and even expected behaviors. Feelings change along with “new norms” that become acceptable and expected behavior. Desires change along with new beliefs. In the end, one’s goal becomes to “do what is right in his own eyes”, as it was in Israel: ESV Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

26. ASV Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.