HOW TO ESTABLISH BIBLE AUTHORITY



HOW TO ESTABLISH BIBLE AUTHORITY

How to establish Bible authority is an attempt to show from the Scriptures that Bible authority is needed in all matters of religious work and worship. It will be my intent to show that if we do things religious not authorized by the Bible, we commit sin. Please examine these writings and see if they are true.

Bible authority is needed because the Apostle Peter declared, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.” It is needed because Jesus taught that authority was necessary in Matthew 21: 23-27 when he was asked by whose authority he acted. When asked by what authority and by whom, He did not deny needing authority, but rather told them He would not tell unless they told where the baptism of John originated in Heaven or Men. This not only meant that the baptism was authorized but they had to answer why they rejected it if it came from God. We today, have the same dilemma; we must either obey God’s commands as He gave them or explain to God on Judgment day why we did not obey.

Thus we see the necessity of obedience and that obedience can only be learned from the Scripture.

Let me now point out that authority is the license or right to do something. This license must be one that is approved by the one in power and it must be a valid license. An example of this in everyday life would be a driver’s license. If I have a driver’s license issued by those in power in the state to issue the license it came from the right place. If, however, I simply state that the license was written by a friend or someone other than the correct agency, it will be summarily rejected. This is the same in religious matters. My conscience is not authorized to grant me privileges in religious matters. My preacher is not authorized to grant me religious license and the same can be said for anyone else other than God and His word.

It is apparent to me that there are different ways we learn from God’s word what He would have us do in these matters. He often gives direct commands to his followers. One of these is the command to go and preach the gospel to every creature (Matthew 28:18-20). In this passage it is plainly revealed that God wants his message taught and we are not only authorized or licensed to preach it, but under obligation to do so. Thus a direct command is one way in which we establish authority in religious matters.

The second way that Bible authority is established is by what some have called an approved apostolic example. This means the Apostles did certain things in certain ways and thus we know it is right to do it the way they did because they were being guided by the Holy Spirit which fell on them. An approved Apostolic example is an example of the Apostles which has not been done in any other way other than the way shown by the Apostles and is mutually exclusive of all others and should stand just as firmly as one of God’s direct commands because it was given by God as He instructed the Apostles.

Still another way that we can have religious license to act religiously is an inescapable conclusion. One example that is important in this matter is what is used to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Why do we always use unleavened bread in the Communion? The answer is an inescapable conclusion we reach with just a little study. First we must know when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper they were in observance of the Passover feast. Knowing that during the days of Passover there could be no leaven found in the house at all, I conclude that when Jesus took bread, He took unleavened bread because that is all that could be in the house. It is an inescapable conclusion that He used no leaven unless you would contend that He violated the laws of Passover which He did not. In conclusion, direct commands from God are in the Bible. The examples given by the Apostles are in the Bible and finally certain inescapable conclusions must be drawn from things in the Bible. All of these acts are from God and must be followed. (Burl)

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