BY WHAT AUTHORITY ARE YOU DOING THESE THINGS? (4)
How to Establish Authority (1) – Direct Command
In our quest for the unity Jesus prayed for in John 17:20-21, we have been studying the importance of authority in all that we do. Paul said in Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord.” Without authority, division is inevitable as each one will do what is right in his own eyes. To achieve true unity requires that we appeal to the same standard. That standard ought to be the New Testament (John 12:48, Matthew 28:18-20). But how do we establish authority? Are there rules that we need to follow in determining what we can and cannot do? Yes there are. In scripture we find examples of how authority was established. In this study we will notice some of them and make applications to determine that what we do is pleasing to God.
Basically, it is understood that there are three proven ways to establish authority: 1) Command or instruction 2) Approved example 3) Necessary conclusion. When one begins a new job he is trained in these three ways: First he might be given manuals or specific instructions that help him understand what his responsibilities are as well as his limitations. Next, he might be introduced to someone who will show him what needs to be done and how to do it. He can also observe his surroundings and come to conclusions that will enhance his job performance – he may observe rewarded behaviors or those who are NOT doing what they ought to do. A careful observer can find many necessary inferences in that way, especially when they are based upon something he was specifically instructed or show to do.
We use these same three ways to establish proper authority for all we do as Christians. Let us notice in this article the use of direct commands.
Direct Commands are specific instructions that simply cannot be misunderstood without help. They include commands that we are expected to obey or behaviors that are strictly prohibited. For instance in Matthew 22:24-40 Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” He answered with two, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” While Jesus was speaking to those under the Law of Moses, His statements here are repeated to us as well (cf. 11 John 5:2-5, 2Romans 13:9-10, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8). In this we learn that to please God we HAVE TO love Him and love our neighbors as ourselves. This is NOT an option, but a command.
In God’s Word we are told how to live. For example:
Ø We need to pray to God often - Philippians 4:6 says “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 simply says, “Pray without ceasing.”
Ø Ephesians 6:1-4 gives instructions for the family. Children are told to obey their parents and fathers are told to train and admonish their children. Ephesians 5:22, 25 says wives are to submit to their husbands and husbands are to love their wives.
Ø Romans 13:1 tells us we have to submit to the government. Verses 6-7 tell us we have to pay our taxes.
In God’s Word we are told what we need to do to be saved. Consider
Ø Mark 16:16 where Jesus Himself said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved. He who does not believe will be condemned”. We learn there that to be saved we need to believe in Jesus AND be baptized.
Ø Acts 2:38 says, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” Here we are told we must repent and be baptized.
Ø Romans 10:9-10 says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Here we are told that our salvation also includes confession (not of our sins, but that Jesus is the Christ).
Ø NOTE: When we put all these verses together, we can see clearly what God expects in order for us to be saved. We have to do ALL of them – Believe, Repent, Confess AND be Baptized. The verses are clear and they CANNOT be misunderstood without human reasoning that doesn’t want to accept all of them.
In God’s Word we are told things we cannot do as Christians. Examples of this include:
Ø Ephesians 4:28 teaches, “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor…” Christians cannot steal and be pleasing to God.
Ø Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth…” Here we learn we cannot say anything we want to say. Numerous other passages help us understand that we cannot lie, gossip, unjustly criticize, use profanity and such things (Colossians 3:8-9, Ephesians 4:31-32, 5:4, etc.)
Ø There are also lists of ungodly behaviors that tell us how NOT to live – 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21, etc.
MOST of the instructions given for living the Christian life are this straightforward. We can simply read the word of God and have a good, overall understanding of what our new life is all about. Yes, there is more to learn and as we continue to study and grow we will become more mature and exact in our faith. And that is where approved apostolic examples and necessary conclusion can be of help to us. In our next article we will examine the use of approved examples.