In the previous article, we discussed the need for authority. However, recognizing that authority is important will not do us any good if we fail to understand how to determine what has been commanded by Christ and authorized in His word. So in this article, we are going to see how authority is established. To do this, we will consider how God communicates His will to us, and look at a practical example to see how to apply this.
Authority Is Established by Going to the Scriptures
Part of the apostles’ role was to teach people to obey Christ’s commandments. Jesus explained this to them when He gave the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). They were to teach this because Jesus has “all authority” (Matthew 28:18). The authority of Christ was the foundational truth upon which their commission was based, and was the reason why anyone – from the first century to today – should follow what the apostles taught on Christ’s behalf.
Paul described the apostles as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). They were His official spokesmen, speaking on His behalf and delivering His message. What they taught was “the Lord’s commandment” (1 Corinthians 14:37; cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:2; 2 Peter 3:2). There are no living apostles today, but the message they delivered on behalf of Christ has been preserved for us in the New Testament. Since Jesus died, this covenant (testament) is now in force (Hebrews 9:15-17), and we must follow what it teaches.
It is important to understand that we cannot know the will of Christ without what is revealed in the Scriptures. Notice what Paul wrote:
“For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. […] For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:10-13, 16).
Many people claim to know the will of Christ, or assume that what they choose to do is in harmony with His will, but Paul explained that we cannot make such assumptions. The only way to know the Lord’s will is to go to the word that was given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Doing anything else, even though we may assume it will be pleasing to God, is not what He wants us to do. Notice what Jesus said:
“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:22-23).
Many people claim to do all sorts of things in the name of Jesus, but they are practicing lawlessness. As Paul explained to Timothy, the Scriptures equip us “for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Therefore, we should be able to cite book, chapter, and verse for why we do what we do in service to Christ.
The Old Testament also contains this principle of going to the law that God has given to determine what we should do in our service to Him.
“So you shall observe to do just as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32).
“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn” (Isaiah 8:20).
When David attempted to transport the ark, he moved it in a way that was not according to God’s instructions (1 Chronicles 13:5-14). As a result, Uzza was killed by God when he touched the ark, but that would have been avoided if the ark had been transported in the way described in the law. After David consulted the law and learned how the ark was to be transported (Numbers 4:15), he followed God’s instructions and was able to move the ark successfully (1 Chronicles 15:11-15, 25-28).
Understanding the Way God Communicates
If we want to express our will to someone, we can do it in three ways* (or a combination of them):
- Tell them – We do this by providing a direct instruction or command. I can give my kids a direct command (“Go do your chores”), and they know what I expect them to do.
- Show them – In this case, we teach by example. We can show our kids how to wash dishes, clean the bathroom, or mow the lawn. In doing so, we are showing by our example what is expected and how they are to perform those tasks.
- Imply what we mean – This is an instruction that is not directly stated, but clearly intended. If I say to one of my kids, “There’s a piece of trash on the floor,” I am implying that I want them to pick it up and throw it away. They understand the instruction by inferring the meaning of my statement.
God created us in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). He knows how we think, and we communicate as He does. So to understand His will, we need to look to the Scriptures that He revealed and see what He has told us, shown us, and implied to us.
- What He has told us – This can come in the form of commands or direct statements. Peter gave the command to the Jews on Pentecost who believed his message, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Related to this, Jesus made a direct statement in the Great Commission that declared who will be saved: “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
- What His word shows us – When Paul wrote to the brethren in Corinth about how they were to collect funds for the church’s work, he said, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). In this instance, it was a command for them and an example for us to follow.
- What He has implied in His word – From these implications, we draw necessary inferences. When Paul gave instructions about singing, he wrote, “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19). Even though nothing is said about these songs being sung in the assembly of the church, that setting is implied because Paul was describing a time when brethren would be gathered together to praise God and encourage one another. Therefore, we know we ought to sing when we assemble.
Looking at what God has told us, shown us, and implied to us is how we establish Bible authority. This is not a “man-made hermeneutic” (as some allege). Rather, this is how all communication works.
Example: The Lord’s Supper
The New Testament teaching about the Lord’s Supper is helpful in showing how this method works.
- We are told what to do – When Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the observance of the Lord’s Supper, he recounted Jesus’ command when he instituted the memorial: “Do this” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). In the same context, the apostle made statements about the purpose of the Lord’s Supper (to remember Jesus’ death, 1 Corinthians 11:26) and where it is to be observed (in the assembly of the saints, 1 Corinthians 11:18, 33).
- We are shown what to do – While Paul and his companions were traveling to Jerusalem, they stopped in Troas and met with the church in that city. Luke recorded the occasion: “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread…” (Acts 20:7). Paul’s participation in this practice shows that it is an approved apostolic example of when Christians are to meet to observe the Lord’s Supper.
- We have certain matters implied to us – The New Testament uses the phrase “break bread” to refer to the observance of the Lord’s Supper. But what kind of bread are we to use? We can infer from Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper that unleavened bread was used for it. Jesus instituted the memorial during the feast of “Unleavened Bread” (Matthew 26:17). The Jews would not have had anything with leaven in their houses at this time (Exodus 12:15). Therefore, we can safely infer that the bread used in the Lord’s Supper is unleavened.
Why do we observe the Lord’s Supper in the way we do? It is because of the authority established for it in the New Testament.
Conclusion
It is important that we recognize the principle of authority. Jesus has all authority, and His will is expressed in His word. However, we need to understand how to use His word to establish authority for what we say and do. We must see what God has told us, shown us, and implied to us in the New Testament, and then act accordingly.
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* I first read the “tell, show, imply” terminology used by Doy Moyer. It is a helpful way to show the logic behind using commands, examples, and necessary inferences to establish Bible authority.
