This is Arnie and Fred's third discussion of Divine or God's Authority. Our first discussion considered what we termed a "Chain of Divine Authority", beginning with God having all authority. Our second session reviewed the New Testament's inspiration, completeness, certainty, assurance and authority as God's final revelation of His will,replacing the Old Testament; that all men must obey it, and that now only teachings and practices authorized in the New Testament are in fact, authorized. The focus of our discussion today will be how to understand and apply what the New Testament allows and requires, as opposed to what it forbids. Take about 30 minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy to make sure what we say is in fact what the Bible says.
This is Arnie and Fred's third discussion of Divine or God's Authority. Our first discussion considered what we termed a "Chain of Divine Authority", beginning with God having all authority. Our second session reviewed the New Testament's inspiration, completeness, certainty, assurance and authority as God's final revelation of His will,replacing the Old Testament; that all men must obey it, and that now only teachings and practices authorized in the New Testament are in fact, authorized. The focus of our discussion today will be how to understand and apply what the New Testament allows and requires, as opposed to what it forbids. Take about 30 minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy to make sure what we say is in fact what the Bible says.
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 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.com
spk_1: 0:32
Arnie Good afternoon. This is Arnie Granke and Fred Gosnell. We're with Woodland church of Christ in Sumter South Carolina, and this is What Does the Bible Say. Fred, this is our third discussion of divine authority. This is such an important topic that it's not one that we can easily dispose of in just one session. There's a lot to say about it. So this will be our final session there. Our first lesson considered what we termed a chain of divine authority, beginning with God as the ultimate authority, having the ultimate authority. And all authority being given unto Jesus Christ. Then the authority of the Holy Ghost and the Apostles and inspired writers who, through both written and spoken communication, accurately talk of the Lord's commandments. That authority now extends to all who obey the gospel, who are taught to observe all things whatsoever the Lord had commanded His apostles. Thereby perpetuating God's truth in the New Testament in every succeeding generation. Then, our second session reviewed the New Testament's inspiration, completeness, certainty, assurance and authority and final revelation as being God's final revelation of his will, replacing the Old Testament, that all men must obey it and that now only teachings and practices authorized in the New Testament have the authority of God. The focus of our discussion today will be how to understand and apply and what the New Testament allows and requires, as opposed to what it forbids.
spk_0: 2:30
Fred Okay, so let's start. So so how is scriptural scriptural authority established? Well, the Bible teaches us that there are three principal ways we would call them precepts, precedents and an unavoidable conclusions. So the precepts let's let's begin with a direct statement. That's Ah, that's made, for instance, Ah, faith and confession according to the Bible, lead to salvation and that's what Romans 10:8 through 11 says. Paul writes there, he says now. But what sayeth it 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 shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Verse 11 for the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Then Jews on Pentecost In Acts chapter two, they asked, What must we do to be saved? in Acts 2 36 to 38. Peter's answer to them was, Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ. When they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and they said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren. What shall we do? Then Peter said into them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. So that's the answer to their question. What shall we do to be saved?
spk_1: 4:14
Arnie That was certainly a powerful indictment that Peter made there as he spoke on that day. And, of course, they were pricked in her heart. And asked that, that question there. Another. Another example that would be a warning that Paul gave to Timothy in first Timothy, Chapter four and verse beginning in verse one. And he said, the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meat,which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them, which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good and nothing is nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving, are sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine., whereunto thou hast attained. As a as a direct statement, Paul doesn't really give Timothy a command here. It's almost a command that's implied, but he's making a statement. Timothy, part of your work is to put the brethren in remembrance of these things and, and then you'll be doing what you what you ought to do. So that would be an example of a of a direct statement.
spk_0: 6:05
Fred Exactly. And then also a precept , may be a direct command. And in the case of Cornelius, we find in Acts Chapter 10 beginning in verse five and six. Now, Luke writes, And now send men to Joppa and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lodges with one Simon a tanner whose house is by the seaside. He shall tell thee what thou must do. Then, in Verse 44 says, While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them, that is on Cornelius and his household, which heard the word and they of the circumcision which believe were astonished. As many as came with Peter because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost, for they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then answered, Peter, can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, then prayed they him to tarry certain days. And of course, the statement is, includes that word command, that's that's a command that was given to Cornelius and his household.
spk_1: 7:19
Arnie Something that's interesting about that Fred is the fact that in Acts Chapter 10 when Cornelius is being told to send to Joppa to get Peter to come, he's told that what Peter will do is he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. The word oughtest there has to do with must. This is not something that that that's an option. This is something that's being required of him. The only thing that Peter ever said to him that he had to do was he commanded him to be baptized in water, and that's right. Can anyone forbid water and and I don't understand why people do everything they can to get around this, the requirement for baptism. It's not as if you might be baptized if you think that's a good idea. You know, it's, uh he commanded him to be baptized, that that's a command. And that is divine authority giving that not just not just Peter.
spk_0: 8:32
Fred And again, we're talking about the authority that that is in the Bible that's given to us. The things that we must do, that we must teach. And again there's a, uh, another command given here in Acts, Chapter 17 In the beginning, in Verse 29 Luke writes there, he says, for then, as we are the offspring of God. And of course, this is Paul doing the speaking here, he says, We ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at. But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof. He hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead. Again, where we see the word command here again, all men are, must command, must repent. That's That's one of the commands that the Bible has.
spk_1: 9:37
Arnie When God prohibits something, you might say that that's kind of a negative direct statement. Or you might say it's a negative command that don't do this type of thing. And, uh, the Gentiles, for example, had a number of practices that were that were contrary to God's will and when the issue was raised with regard to whether Gentile Christians had to be also circumcised and keep the law, the apostles and elders and all met in Jerusalem to discuss that and the Holy Spirit led them in receiving the solution to that to that issue. So in in Acts chapter15 they write letters to the Gentile churches there, and the letters beginning in verse 28 say For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things. That you abstain from meat offered to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication, from which, if you keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. That's really kind of a direct statement, but it's It's a pro, prohibitory direct statement there that that they passed on to all the Gentile churches. They had problems in in Ephesus and some of the common vices that they had been involved in and and maybe were still involved in are mentioned by Paul in in Ephesians Chapter four and there's the don't do it if it's connected to to that, beginning in verse 25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak everyman truth with his neighbor for we are members, one of another, Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor working with this hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. But that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God Whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice: And be ye kind one to another tenderhearted forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. So all of those things were things that were prohibited and, very frankly, not only were those characteristics of many Gentile people, they werecharacteristics of many Jews and many of us as well. I had to put away some of those behaviors that were not acceptable to God because they were prohibited in the New Testament
spk_0: 13:06
Fred Well, Paul also noted that there was evidently a problem ah at that time of women dressing in an immodest way. I can't imagine that, Yeah, right. And then immodesty would be something that is suggestive, that shows too much skin, you might say, and he says there in First Timothy two eight through 12 he says. I will, therefore, that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. In like manner also. So what applies to the women here also applied to the men. Men can also dress rather immodestly as well, so it was,, have you ever been to the beach. Exactly, some beaches there's no clothing at all. So in like manner also, he says, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefastness and sobriety. Not with broided hair or gold or pearls or costly array, but which becometh women, women professing godliness with good works. Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence. And of course, well, look up the word there for silence and and you'll see that that this this word, it has to do with with no bustle. She she's a quiet spirit. It's not that she can't talk at all. We're commanded to sing in the New Testament worship. If women couldn't speak then they couldn't sing. So Paul is not saying she can't say anything
spk_1: 14:38
Arnie ...and speaking to yourselves and songs and hymns and spiritual songs and so forth.
spk_0: 14:42
Fred Exactly. And then he he gives an instruction, he said, I suffer not a woman to teach nor u to usurp authority over the man. People who study the New Testament would will note that the the people that are in authority are always men, and there's a reason for that. Paul Paul completes that that that letter there or that that chapter he explains that he's, since for Adam was first formed Verse 13 then Eve. So the first reason is because Adam was number one priority, was the first one formed and then Eve. Then, he says, Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. So she was the one that Satan appealed to, and she's the one that was deceived. And then she then got Adam to listen. But then, he says, notwithstanding, she shall be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith in charity and holiness with sobriety. So so, women are the ones that bear children, and they have a God given responsibilities. And there's more to that that the Bible teaches.
spk_1: 15:50
Arnie So he might, somebody might say, You know, Paul was just a misogynist. He didn't like women. And maybe we don't like women either. You know, and that's not it at all it. As a matter of fact, this is the Holy Spirit directing Paul. Paul says that he's writing first Corinthians 14 and Verse 37. If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. So if these things were not acceptable, then the problem is is not with with the Bible, the problems with you. You don't believe the Bible.
spk_0: 16:32
Fred And again, these these words come to the apostles by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit's writing what he heard from God. And this is, you know, when you when you buy an appliance, you get a, usually get an instruction manual with it, tells you how to operate it on various things. You might look at the Bible as God's instruction manual for us. We're his creation, good illustration, and he has given us written guidance on how it is that we ought to behave ourselves in, in this life. And when we listen to what he has to say, things will work out better for us when we don't listen to what he has to say, things don't work out so well. When men and women don't dress well, don't don't dress properly, when they dress, don't dress at all. It leads to evil thoughts, and and it leads to lots of problems. So we ought to just acknowledge the fact that that these are prohibitions that God has made to us in his written word, and we ought to pay attention to them. Things will work out better for us if we do.
spk_1: 17:44
Arnie All right. Well, having having said that that those were good illustrations, Fred. I appreciate you adding those there so we'll lay we'll push the precepts. Those were direct statements, commands and prohibitions we'll push those off to the side of the table here. Let's talk about precedent for for a moment, because a precedent is really a New Testament example. It's readily seen to have divine approval. And, uh, it's obvious that it's appropriate for Christians to follow today. For example, the local church didn't have to go to some kind of headquarters in, you know, uh, Nashville, Tennessee, or Rome, Italy, or wherever to get authority to send out missionaries to send out people to teach those that were not Christians. The local church had the authority to do that. We find that when they didn't have headquarters. The headquarters was in heaven. Uh, and, uh, so, when they sent out gospel teachers, they did it according to God's instructions. It, for example, in First Thessalonians in Chapter one verse six, Paul writes And ye became followers of us and of Lord having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost. So that you were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. And from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia, and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad; so that we need not speak anything. Let me offer one more example here if if I may ah Philippians Chapter three, verse 16 Paul said Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us 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 ensample. So in a way, Christians become living Bibles in the sense that what the Bible teaches when they implement that in their life and and that becomes an example for others to see, they learn how to apply the things that the Bible teaches them to do, so that that's a precedent. That's an example that we can follow.
spk_0: 20:29
Fred Right, And Paul again tells the Philippians in the fourth Chapter in Verse nine. He says, Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you. So we need to remember that New Testament saints were, were under the guidance of inspired apostles, prophets and teachers. And they practiced what they received by divine appointment. And, of course, we are, we are to observe and do the same things that they did. So when we go to Acts Chapter 16 But before we do that, just just another comment, you know, some some people might say, well Fred and Arnie you know, this is just your opinion. Well, no, we're we're talking about the things that the Bible says These are not our opinions, these other things, the Bible says. And then in Acts 16 we have an example of the Philippian jailer there, beginning in Verse 25 there says, At midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice saying, Do thyself no harm, for we are all here. Then he called for, he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas. And brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized, he and all his straightway.
spk_1: 22:27
Arnie So somebody says, Well, wait a minute. And he asked what to do to be saved. And all they did was they taught him that the gospel or that they said to him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! Well, there's more than that. He didn't know anything about the gospel so that they had to tell him about it, when they told him about it. He did exactly the same thing that the Cornelius and his family and neighbors did, and that was they were they were baptized. So there is more than just believe, it's not a believe only only thing, of course. One thing I guess we better observe, is the fact that not all of the examples in the New Testament or divinely approved some are very clearly disapproved. And one of them happens to be in first Corinthians chapter, Chapter five, and the problem there that is disapproved is the fact that they they seem to be tolerating immorality among their brethren. So Paul says to them, beginning in verse nine, First Corinthians five, I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or with idolaters. For then you must needs to go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner; with such an one no, not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not you judge them that within? but them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. They withdrew from him. Later on, as Paul is writing to the second, his second letter to the Corinthians, it's clear that the man repented, and now he encourages them to accept him back among among their number and and, uh, show love and and all that for him. But they were not to accept immorality. So I think one of the things we need to remember here, when we're thinking about precedent or examples is that New Testament saints were under the guidance of inspired apostles and prophets and teachers and what they practiced. They were practicing what these inspired individuals we're teaching them that they had received by divine appointment.
spk_0: 25:25
Fred You know, we also find in the New Testament, that really in the Bible, that it teaches us that there are some unavoidable conclusions that we have to draw and Jesus uses that. And of course, that's a truth that is necessarily implied by clear, import and meaning of the language used. And Jesus used this in Matthew 22 beginning in Verse 23 he said. The same day came to him the Sadduccees which say that there is no resurrection and ask him saying Master, Moses said If a man die having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren, the first when he married a wife, deceased and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother. Likewise, a second, also in the third unto the seventh. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said into them. You do err not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead. Have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but the living. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine. Of course, if God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and if God is the God of the living, they're alive, that's alive. That's the unavoidable conclusion. It's inescapable. We find other places like that in the Bible as well,
spk_1: 27:00
Arnie Let's go back to that jailer that we were talking about a minute ago, Fred, because here in Acts 16 when he brought them out and he said to them in verse 30 Sirs, What must I do to be saved, What must I do to be saved? Later on, After they taught him, he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straight way. And when he brought them into his house, he set meat before them and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. One of the things that's not specifically mentioned in this context is repentance. Uh oh, he didn't have to repent? Well, I think it's pretty clear from from the things that he did, that he shows repentance there. He, washed their stripes when he inflicted that, those stripes upon them. He brought them into his house. He gave them something to eat , he rejoiced, believing in God and all that indicates repentance. If it doesn't say it, it certainly, it certainly makes it clear that that's what occurred
spk_0: 28:12
Fred Exactly. And then we find inFirst Corinthians 11:23 through 26, we have the case of Paul discussing the Lord's supper. He says, For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread. And when he had given thanks, he brake it and said, Take eat. This is my body which is broken for you This do in remembrance of me. After the same manner. And also he took the cup when he had supped saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup ye do show the Lord's death till he come. We know that this occurred during the Passover and during the Passover is the feast of unleavened bread. So we know that the bread was unleavened and we know that Jesus said there that he was going to drink this fruit of the vine. So it's specified in there and unavoidable conclusion that it's grape juice that we're to use. And it's unleavened bread. We can't substitute corn bread and coke. It's got to be grape juice and unleavened bread.
spk_1: 29:16
Arnie No beer and pizza? No! I'm sure that somebody might might give that a, a try. So what we're looking at here is we're looking at precepts. We're looking at precedence. We're looking at unavoidable conclusions as the way that we have divine authority for the things that we that we're to do or that we're not to to do. Divine authority to date could be established only in in those days and in those ways that what I mean say on and, uh, we dare not go beyond that. As John was was writing in in Second John beginning in verse nine. Whosoever transgresseth , the word transgresseth means to go out of bounds, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If we want to be in God's favor, we need to stick with His word. Do what it says. Avoid what it says not to and and all will be well. We thank you for listening. We hope that you'll be back again with us Uh, next Lord's Day. Have a good week.