This episode is the second discussion Arnie and Fred have on God's or Divine Authority. We will begin this discussion by reviewing some things you already know about the Authority of the Bible; then considering the important - indeed, the ESSENTIAL nature of the Authority of God's Word, in the Bible. Take about 30 minutes to listen in on this discussion. Have your Bible available to verify what we are saying.
This episode is the second discussion Arnie and Fred have on God's or Divine Authority. We will begin this discussion by reviewing some things you already know about the Authority of the Bible; then considering the important - indeed, the ESSENTIAL nature of the Authority of God's Word, in the Bible. Take about 30 minutes to listen in on this discussion. Have your Bible available to verify what we are saying.
spk_0: 0:00
Fred This is a presentation of the Woodland church of Christ, meeting at 3370 Broad Street in Sumter, South Carolina. We meet for worship on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p. m. We meet for Bible study at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday and at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. If you have questions or comments on this lesson, you may email them to Fred Gosnell at fgosnell@ftc-i.net or to Arnie Granke at agranke440718@twc.
: 0:26
spk_1: 0:32
Arnie Good afternoon. This is Arnie Granke and Fred Gosnell and this is What Does the Bible Say? We're with the Woodland church of Christ here in Sumter. Fred, this is our second discussion of divine authority and in the first we considered what we termed a chain of, uh, divine authority,, beginning with God having the ultimate authority, Then Jesus Christ having all authority given unto him, he promised his apostles that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth, including things Jesus had not yet taught them, bring to their remembrance everything he had said to them and show them things to come. That would imply the authority of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles, in turn, were given power and to accurately teach the commandments of the Lord by both the spoken and the written word. The Great commission, which Christ commanded his apostles extends authority to all who obey the gospel to observe all things, whatsoever the Lord had commanded his Apostles. In that regard, the New Testament is God's Constitution for those who become Christians, perpetuating God's truth as written in the New Testament in every succeeding generation. To begin this discussion by reviewing and some things you already know about the authority of the Bible and then considering the importance, indeed the essential nature of the authority of God's word in the Bible.
spk_0: 2:09
Fred Of course, the first thing that we need to notice is the authority of the New Testament. And, of course, it's inspired. We've talked about that before, of course, Inspired means it's it's God breathed and in first, Corinthians two, nine through 13. Paul writes there, he says. But as it is written, eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man, which is in him. Even so, the things of God knows no man but the spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God., Which things also we speak not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual and some other translations say they were spiritual words. So the words Paul says that we have, we received them from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit got them from God, and we have written them down and those are the words that we are to follow.
spk_1: 3:23
Arnie And in fact, those were the very words that the Holy Spirit gave not in words of man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. Paul wrote to Timothy in Second Timothy, Chapter three. And, uh, he said That from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which were able, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. The word inspiration there, by the way, means God breathed as as if God specifically spoke them , And and when we speak a word, we're exhaling across our vocal cords and a word comes out. That's what occurred in the case of God. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God, may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. And in other words fully furnished is the point of of that statement there that God has given us His inspired word,
spk_0: 4:36
Fred Yes, and, uh, it's complete. It's it's not, wasn't given haphazardly wasn't given partially. It's complete. And that's what Jude says in Jude verse 3. Jude writes, it says Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write to you of the common salvation, it was needful for me, to write to you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints. Some of the translations say once for all delivered. And that's correct. It was delivered one time in the first century, and it was for all times. There's there's no new revelation coming to us anymore, uh, today. Then in second Peter, Chapter one verses two and three, Peter writes there. And he says, Grace and peace be multiplied into you unto the knowledge of God and Jesus, our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us, notice, all things, that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Peter assures us that they have been given all things. There's nothing missing. Jude says it was once delivered to the Saints, once for all. And then James makes a similar statement in James. Chapter one, Verse 25, he says, But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continues therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work. This man shall be blessed in his deed. It's a perfect law of liberty, a complete law. There's nothing missing. It's all there.
spk_1: 6:08
Arnie So there are a number of passages of Scripture that say, essentially the same thing that we have it all there. And you mentioned in Jude three that some passage or some versions translate that word, uh, from the Greek into English as once for all that's exactly right. Anybody wants to look that up, it's number 530 is the word in Strong's numbering system there, and you can check that out. Make sure that that we got that right. It's it's certain God's word is not something, it's, I don't know, Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't No, there's no question about that. It's It's definitely its certain its absolute. It's unmistakable it's Sure. Jesus said. Rather not Jesus, but rather, Luke is writing to a man by the name of Theophilus in Luke, Chapter one. It begins in verse one, saying, For as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them onto us, which from the beginning, where eye witnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me, also having had perfect understanding and that's complete understanding, fully understood, of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order most excellent Theophilus that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed. Apparently, Theophilus had been taught the gospel. He was a Roman official, and, ah, perhaps just to support that and back that up. Luke is writing things that he has discovered through the course, apparently of interviews with various people, people who were witnesses, and he identifies the certainty of the things that Theophilus had been instructed in.
spk_0: 8:19
Fred Yes, well, it, uh, it provides us with assurance of the faith and John in John, Chapter 20 verses 30 and 31. John writes there, he says now, And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, that believing you might have life through his name. So John says that there's a lot of other things that Jesus did. But what we've written down these are the things that are provided so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and then by by believing that ye might have life through his name. The evidence has has been provided in these writings. And then in first, John John writes,...
spk_1: 9:06
Arnie Let me stop you for a moment there and just point out when it when he said, These are these are written. What he's talking about is the book of John is a series of seven miracles that Jesus performed in addition to him being resurrected from the from the dead. So once you see the account of all of these miracles and the real people that are involved in in those things, that certainly gives you assurance and a basis of faith. Sorry to interrupt you.
spk_0: 9:39
Fred That's okay. But that's a good segue way, because in his first epistle, First John, Chapter one, Paul or John explains this to us, he says Now that which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen, with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled the word of life. For the life was manifested and I lost my place there, and we have seen it and bear witness and show it to you that eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us that we, which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. So John writes here. He says now, Now we have seen these things with their eyes. We were with Jesus. We saw him. We saw the miracles that he did we, we handled him after he was crucified and he was raised from the dead. He said we handled him and and so these things which we have seen and heard we declare to you, and they have written them down to us so that we might have the evidence. Our faith is not blind faith. Our faith is based upon evidence that has been provided to us by eye witnesses who were there who saw and heard what was done
spk_1: 10:56
Arnie and and what John is talking about that these Apostles had done was precisely the thing that Thomas wanted to do. He wanted to see and hear and touch Jesus and examine the wounds and all of that And these apostles have done that as well. So it is very assuring. And Paul writes to the Romans in Romans Chapter 10 and beginning in verse eight, he said. But what saith it? And he's talking about the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 38 verse 14. Uh, what does it say? The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is the word of faith, which we preach . That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised from the dead thou shall be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture, saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. And so again there's assurance attached to the things that are written in God's word.
spk_0: 12:13
Fred And, uh, of course, we have the Old Testament along with the New Testament. But the New Testament replaces the Old Testament. The Old Testament has been abolished. In second Corinthians three verse 14, there, Paul writes, he says, but their minds were blinded for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament. Which veil is done away in Christ There there are those that try to follow the Old Testament, and and by doing so, they end up setting aside what the New Testament says and their their minds are blinded to the authority of Of the New Testament. Paul says that it's been replaced now in Colossians chapter two verse 14 ...
spk_1: 13:01
Arnie Let me, Let me stop you again there. I don't know. You said you might have missed it, but the word veil there in that passage doesn't belong there. It was added by the translators. Did you mention that? "Fred - No, I didn't." Okay, It was It was added by the translators. And so that sentence isn't talking about the veil being gone away in Christ, the sentence says, speaks of the reading of the Old Testament, which is done away in Christ. You can't miss that. So a lot of people who attempt to make the Old Testament a part of their their faith and their worship of God are missing the point it's gone. It's no longer applicable.
spk_0: 13:44
Fred They're following a system that we're no longer under and Paul says in, uh, Colossians Chapter 2, thirteen, 13 and 14 he says there, And you being, then he's talking to the Colossians here before they have obeyed the gospel, And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven all your trespasses, notice, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances, which was against us, which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. So when Jesus died on the cross, he shed his blood. He satisfied the conditions of the Old Testament. He became the sacrifice that did that, did away with that old law, that old system and, uh, we're no longer under it. We don't live under that system. We live under the New Testament, the one that Jesus initiated upon his death on the cross.
spk_1: 14:42
Arnie That's a fascinating expression that Paul uses there, nailing it to his cross. It's as if the Old Testament was crucified along with Jesus at the at the same time, the Hebrew writer Hebrews, Chapter eight and Verse 13 quotes from Jeremiah 31:31. There's a fuller quote of that also in the Book of Hebrews. But in Hebrews chapter, 8 verse, verse 13 in that, he sayeth a new covenant, he hath made the first old now that which decayeth, and waxeth old is ready to vanish away, he said. It was obsolete. That's what the word means. There that it was, that it was obsolete, obsolete and going out of use because of the fact that that it is obsolete and has been replaced by the New Testament.
spk_0: 15:39
Fred Exactly, now and again, we need to understand that the New Testament Ah, constitutes a a divine pattern that we are to go by. And Jesus says in Matthew 28:18 through 20 he says, Jesus came and speaking to them, saying all power is given unto me in heaven and earth go ye therefore teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world. So, uh, they were to go do what Jesus told them to do. Teach all nations baptizing them in the the name of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe notice all things whatsoever. I, that's Jesus, have commanded you, he says. You do that, I'm gonna be with you until the end of the world. So so those who they taught were then to do the same thing. That constitutes a pattern for us to follow
spk_1: 16:43
Arnie and that that perpetuates the truth of the of the gospel from generation to generation, each generation succeeding the former. Mark chapter 16 of course, also records part of Jesus' Great commission for his apostles. Beginning in Verse 15 he said. Unto them Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not, shall be damned. And, uh, here's, here's the consequence of disbelief. The gospel is based not on perfect law keeping, doing good things every day and all that, because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It's It's a faith based ah religion and and it's on the basis of that faith that that our sins are washed away and and the Lord continually washes them as we repent of sin. So, uh he that believeth not, hmm. That's a dangerous situation to be in and to die in that in that state..
spk_0: 17:54
Fred Exactly. And then we need to understand that that the, uh, the New Testament, the teaching of the New Testament that the apostles were to do was to be taught in every church in the same way everywhere. And that's what Paul says when he wrote to the Corinthians in first Corinthians 4, 16 and 17. He said, Wherefore I beseech you, be followers of me. For this cause have I sent unto to you Timotheus who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into the remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. So there wasn't, there wasn't a different doctrine taught in Corinth, than was taught in some church in Galatia or some church in Jerusalem. Paul says that Timothy, he says he's gonna bring you into remembrance, you the Corinthians, of my ways, which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. So if the doctrine is different from what the New Testament says, it doesn't come from God, It's a man made doctrine.
spk_1: 19:06
Arnie And you're exactly right. In, in Sumter County here where we are. It's just Sumter County, South Carolina. The're about 300 churches just here in the in the county, some of the same denomination. But they're multiple denominations. I don't even know how many there are and, uh, each of those denominations teach, different things. That's the reason why they're, they're a Denomination. They teach something different from from another group, Paul said. As I teach everywhere in every church, somebody is not following what what the New Testament says, and it might be not just one that's not following what the New Testament, says the other might not be following it either. One thing we know is they're not both right. They could both be wrong, but they're not both right,
spk_0: 20:03
Fred Exactly, and and we can tell whether or not, whether somebody's teaching the right thing because we have been provided a written record of it, and we have that record in our, in our Bibles and Paul when he writes to the Philippians, he says, basically the same thing he says to them. In Philippians 3 :16 through 18 he begins Nevertheless where unto we have already attained. Let's walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me and mark them, which walk so as you have us for an example, for many walk, I've told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Notice it's by the same rule. It's minding the same thing. And he says now be followers together of me, Paul, of what I have written now and then he says that you have us as an example and that's our word. We talked about a pattern to be followed and the word ensample there is a word that ah is translated in other places. Pattern. Then we have a pattern and we have to follow it. If we don't follow it then we don't get the right result,
spk_1: 21:13
Arnie What would happen if if somebody was going to build a building or whatever they wanted to create And they examined the plans for that and approved that and then came back when the work was done and found that it didn't look at all, it didn't have any of the features, no similarity whatsoever to to the blueprints or whatever it was that was used to construct that. There'd be something wrong with that. And, uh, that's certainly true with God's word. We have to follow the blueprint, have to follow the pattern to be pleasing unto him. Peter put it this way. As he's writing in first Peter, Chapter four and Verse 11 He said, If any man speak, let him speak is the oracles of God, if any man minister, let him do it as the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and Dominion forever and ever Amen. I think it's critical what he says here about Christ being, being, having praise and Dominion and being glorified in speaking as the oracles of God. But if if we're saying whatever our opinion is, whatever we'd like to do, how we think religion ought to be observed and all of that, uh, somebody's getting, getting the glory other than Christ. And that's not that's not the way that that the Lord intended it to be
spk_0: 22:46
Fred For sure. And, you know, sometimes you might hear a preacher he might, he might quote a passage from the Bible, and then he goes, and he explains it away by using his own words. And he ends up, what he ends up saying has absolutely nothing to do with what the passage says, and he ends up teaching something contrary to it in a lot, lot of times. But Paul or the writer of the Hebrews in Hebrews, Chapter eight, he said. Concerning, concerning The Lord, he said, For if he were on Earth, he should not be a priest, saying that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law, who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God, when he was about to make the Tabernacle, for see, saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount. And a student of the Bible should notice that that God has always provided a pattern to man concerning what he wants as as worship and, uh, in all things, we have to follow the pattern that God has provided. Moses, Noah had a pattern for the Ark. Moses had a pattern for the Tabernacle. Solomon had a pattern for the temple. And we have a pattern in the New Testament to follow the Lord.
spk_1: 24:05
Arnie You recall that there were consequences with some people. Didn't follow the pattern, for example. Uh, yeah, yeah, Just now they're names, you know, went away
spk_0: 24:15
Fred Nadab and Abihu.
spk_1: 24:16
Arnie Nadab and Abihu. You were reading my mind. Nadab and Abihu offered Ah, ah ah Sacrifice, a burned incense on the altar of incense incorrectly and it cost their lives. They didn't follow the pattern. Everything would've been fine if they had followed the pattern, but they failed to do that. Teaching and practices that are not authorized in Scripture are strictly forbidden. And that was so in the Old Testament. And and it remains the case in the New Testament as well. John writes in Second John chapter, because there's only one chapter. So it's chapter one. But beginning in verse nine, Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ. He had both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not, uh, into your house. Neither bid him Godspeed. For he that bideth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds. When he, when he speaks about transgressing, an illustration of that I like to use would be like a football game where if somebody catches a pass right near the right near the sideline, they always go back and check the videos and everything to make sure he didn't touch that line because if he did, he would have been out of bounds. And that's exactly what transgress means is that go out of bounds or go beyond what God has has authorized. And so the pass wouldn't be any good in that case, if he if he's going out of bounds
spk_0: 26:09
Fred If you go outside the pattern of the New Testament, then you have transgressed. You have, well Paul writes to the Galatians and in Galatians, Chapter 1, 6 through nine, he says there, I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another. But there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel to you than you have received, that you have received, let him be accursed. So, So Paul says what we have already preached to you what you have received, what's it, what's been written down, he says. That's the gospel. If somebody teaches anything that's different from that, it's not. It's a perverted gospel. It's a different gospel altogether. And he says, If he does that, he says, let him be accursed. Strong words. So it is a bad thing to go beyond what the New Testament teaches and those who are not careful about it are going to be held accountable by the Lord at some point.
spk_1: 27:19
Arnie Well, we would urge our listeners to to remember that if if the New Testament doesn't say it, the New Testament doesn't teach it. And if the New Testament doesn't teach it, God hasn't authorized it. The things that it does teach. He has authorized and we must do do those. Let's not add to God's word or take anything away from it All other religious authority, apart from the New Testament is not really authority. It's something that's usurped by man, and Jesus said these things concerning authority in the New Testament. Starting we'll start in Matthew 21 Verse 23 that introduces that when he was coming to the temple, the chief priests and elders of people came unto him as he was teaching and said By what authority doest thou these things and who gave thee this authority and Jesus answered and said unto them, I will ask you one thing which, if you tell me, I will likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things, The baptism of John whence was it from heaven or of men and they reasoned among themselves saying, If we shall say from heaven he'll say unto us, why did you not then believe him? But if we say of men, we fear the people for all hold John as a prophet and they answer Jesus and said, We cannot tell. Not a very honest answer. And he said, Unto them, neither tell I you, by what authority I do these things. There are only two kinds of authority. Human authority and God given authority. If it's not God given authority, and men are trying to exercise it. It's usurped authority. We hope that you'll find this lesson beneficial and that you'll tune us in next Lord's Day afternoon. And if you have any questions, by all means send us an E mail. We'll give you our email address next time around because we're out, out of time now, but we wish you a very good Lord's Day afternoon.