SPC

First Century Christianity In the Twenty-First Century The Basis Of Authority

➡ The Need For Authority

The Need For Authority ➡ Government ➡ School ➡ Workplace ➡ Home ➡ Church

The Need For Authority Lack of Authoritative Preaching Leads to: Unity in Diversity Core Gospel Distinction between the Gospel and Doctrine Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 2 John 9

The Basis Of Authority ➡ The Need For Authority ➡ Lack Of Authority Is Punishable

Lack Of Authority Is Punishable ➡ Nadab and Abihu - Lev 10:1,2 ➡ Uzzah - 2 Sam 6:7 ➡ King Uzziah - 2 Chr 26:16-18

The Basis Of Authority ➡ The Need For Authority ➡ Lack Of Authority Is Punishable ➡ Sources Of Authority

Sources Of Authority Eldership? Instrumental music? Partaking of the Lord’s Supper? Supporting orphan homes? Supporting gospel preachers? Sponsoring social activities? 23 By what authority are You doing these things? The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men? Matthew 21:23-27 I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10:23

The Basis Of Authority ➡ The Need For Authority ➡ Lack Of Authority Is Punishable ➡ Sources Of Authority ➡ Authority Comes From The Scriptures

Authority Comes From Scriptures All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16,17 ➡ We seek no additional creed - 1 Pt 4:11 ➡ The Scriptures provide every good work - 2 Tim 3:17

“A New Hermeneutic!” “Part of my problem with the way we use our hermeneutic to establish examples is we’re demanding that the New Testament Christians read the Bible and argue when they didn’t have a collected canon to use. They couldn’t have

“A New Hermeneutic!”...pulled Acts 16:2 [sic] and Acts 20:7 together. They didn’t have a collected canon. But we do that and say we’re restoring New Testament Christianity using an argument they couldn’t have put together...

“A New Hermeneutic!”...this is not the way the early Christian even could have argued from Scripture.” Rick Atchley, “Acts As A Pattern for the Church Today,” Part 3, Searcy, AR, Harding University Lectures, 1989

“A New Hermeneutic!” “We cannot equate the authority of the Bible with the authority of God as we can the authority of Christ and God, for the Bible is an earthen vessel. God is perfect, infallible, and infinite. The Bible as a human product is

“A New Hermeneutic!” not...If the Bible was brought to us by an angel directly from heaven, having been dictated word-for-word by God himself, so that its contents would be nothing less and nothing more than the actual words of God,

“A New Hermeneutic!” then we could equate the authority of the Bible and the authority of God. But the Bible is clearly not that kind of book.” Leroy Garrett, “In What Way Is the Bible Authoritative?,” Restoration Review, March 1987

Conclusion Scriptural Authority is necessary to establish unity of practice. Scriptural Authority recognizes the word of God as God’s revelation to man, revealing His plan of salvation.