BY WHAT AUTHORITY ARE YOU DOING THESE THINGS? (5)
How to establish authority (2) – Approved Examples
It is my hope that in our study thus far we have established the importance of authority in our service to God. Whether we are addressing how to worship Him, how to organize and maintain His church or simply determining what we can and cannot do in this life – we need to seek His approval or authority. In our last article, we noted that there are three approved ways to establish authority. We discussed the most frequent and direct way – commands. When you are told to (or not to) do something that speaks for itself. Most of what God commands is direct and clearly understandable. But there are also other legitimate ways to establish authority for something including approved examples and necessary inference. Let us notice the impact of approved examples in God’s word.
Approved Apostolic Example. When we speak of this we mean a description of actions of the apostles and other inspired men that were clearly approved by God and that we ought to follow. These examples are usually based upon a specific command and provide details as to HOW it is to be carried out. The apostles were the ambassadors of Jesus upon this earth. When Jesus ascended to heaven He gave them the specific instructions to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). While He was with them, He instructed them concerning how they would know what to teach. John 14:25-26 says, “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to you remembrance all things that I said to you.” Later, on this same occasion Jesus said, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth...” (16:13). Much of the New Testament records their teachings and approved examples as they fulfilled these instructions. One example is found in 1 Corinthians 11:1 where Paul said, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”
The importance of approved examples is itself taught in the New Testament. Concerning Jesus, Peter said, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps…” (1 Peter 2:21). Paul told the Philippians, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” (Phil. 2:5) Thus we can see that we ought to look at the life of Jesus and follow His example in those things we are told to do so (More can be said about this as we cannot do everything Jesus did).
In 1 Corinthians 10:11 Paul said in reference to several examples of rebellion while the Children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, “Now all these things happened to then as examples, and they were written for our admonition,…” Paul reminded the Elders at Ephesus of his example in Acts 20:35. He said, “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” Also examine 1 Corinthians 4:17 where Paul said, “For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.” Note how Paul set an example and taught that example was to be followed.
But not all examples are approved. On one occasion Peter was rebuked by Paul because “he was to be blamed” (Galatians 2:11). Peter’s actions are mentioned but they certainly were NOT approved. 2 Timothy 4:10 speaks of Demas who forsook Paul having loved this present world. The apostle John wrote, “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good” (3 John 11). Thus as we look for examples, we need to only follow those that are approved.
How approved examples help us. Consider the command of Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39 to love God with our all and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We know the command but how do we fulfill it? By considering the example of Paul we know he loved God with his all. Philippians 3:3-8 describes what Paul gave up to follow Him and he did it with no regrets. On one occasion, Paul was warned that if he went to Jerusalem he would be bound and arrested (Acts 21:10-11). Paul’s response was, “For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (13b). Truly we can learn how to love God and Jesus by studying the example of Paul. As to the command to love your neighbor as yourself, consider Paul’s concern for all mankind. His letters were written in love. Even rebukes were written out of concern for them (2 Corinthians 12:15). 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 finds Paul describing his conduct before all men – he acted in the way that would best bring glory to God considering his surroundings. This is an example of the type of brotherly love we are to have.
Consider the significance of examples concerning the Lord’s Supper. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He said, “I will not of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). Notice how Jesus specified a certain day when He would partake of the Lord’s Supper with His disciples. Acts 20:7 says, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread…” This is a reference to the Lord’s Supper and it tells us WHAT DAY they partook of that memorial. We learn from this approved (it is not condemned) apostolic (Paul was with them) example that the day we ought to partake of this memorial is the first day of the week (Sunday). That is why we partake of the Lord’s Supper only on Sunday and every Sunday. 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 indicates it was something done frequently as well. In this we see the significance of examples in establishing how we do what we do.
Let us learn to respect the approved examples set forth in God’s word as we strive to establish authority for all that we do. In our next article we will examine necessary inference as a means of helping us further determine how to fulfill God’s divine commands to us.