Biblical and Spiritual Authority 1 I. Introduction A. Our goal for tonight is to: 1. Understand Biblical Authority & the Spiritual Authority 2. We are going to look at how you function within it (under it)… 3. We are going to look at how you use it in your life to fulfill the Great Commission (or live in it to fulfill the Great Commission). B. The idea of spiritual authority scares us because of wackos like Jim Jones, the cult leader who killed over 900 followers back in the 1970’s. C. Branch Davidian Cult in 1993 D. Or, we think of cult leaders who arrange marriages and demand that followers turn over all their assets to the cult and blindly follow orders. E. Even in less extreme situations, many Christians have had bad experiences with authoritarian pastors who wrongly lord it over the flock. Often these men mistakenly claim that you can’t “touch the Lord’s anointed,” meaning that the pastor is beyond criticism or correction, even if he is engaging in sinful or unbiblical practices. F. They label anyone who speaks out as divisive or contentious. But they misunderstand true biblical authority. Understand Biblical Authority & the Spiritual Authority (Outline Point 1) WHERE DOES AUTHOIRY COME FROM???? II. All authority on earth comes from God, the Sovereign of the universe. A. OT. Verses on the Authority of God 1. Isaiah 14:27 a) "For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?" 2. Isaiah 43:13
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B. TheideaofspiritualauthorityscaresusbecauseofwackoslikeJimJones,thecultleaderwhokilledover900followersbackinthe1970’s.
C. BranchDavidianCultin1993
D. Or,wethinkofcultleaderswhoarrangemarriagesanddemandthatfollowersturnoveralltheirassetstothecultandblindlyfolloworders.
E. Eveninlessextremesituations,manyChristianshavehadbadexperienceswithauthoritarianpastorswhowronglylorditovertheflock.Oftenthesemenmistakenlyclaimthatyoucan’t“touchtheLord’sanointed,”meaningthatthepastorisbeyondcriticismorcorrection,evenifheisengaginginsinfulorunbiblicalpractices.
F. Theylabelanyonewhospeaksoutasdivisiveorcontentious.Buttheymisunderstandtruebiblicalauthority.
a) “Everypersonistobeinsubjectiontothegoverningauthorities.ForthereisnoauthorityexceptfromGod,andthosewhichexistareestablishedbyGod.ThereforewhoeverresistsauthorityhasopposedtheordinanceofGod;andtheywhohaveopposedwillreceivecondemnationuponthemselves.”
D. Paulgoesontotalkaboutgovernmentauthorities,buthisstatementconfirmationthatallauthoritycomesfromGod.
E. Wemaydeducefromthisversetheprinciplethateverykindofauthority,otherthanGodHimself,isderivedordelegatedauthority,andthereforesecondarytoGod.
F. ItalsomeansthatthosewhohavethisdelegatedauthorityfromGodareaccountabletoGod.
G. Thismeansthatnoperson,nomatterwhatofficeheholds,positiontheyhaveorpowertheymightpossess,isaboverebukeifhestraysfromtheultimateauthority,whichisGod’shimself.
III. Thereisanotherkindofauthority–thatisonparwithGOD’s
A. TheBible
B. Ittakessupremacyoverallhumanauthority.
BiblicalandSpiritualAuthority 3
C. Why?Becauseitisinspired=GODBreathed!byGod(2Timothy3:16,2Peter1:20-21),
D. AndbecauseitisinspiredbyGod,ithasdivineauthority.
E. TheBiblewasgivenbyGodwiththeintentionthatwesubmittoitandobeyit,notlooktoitasjustonemoreinfluence/orauthorityinourlives.
IV. HowdoesGod’sAuthorityWorkitselfoutinHumanHistory
A. A.Godgavethedominionoftheearthtopeople–throughAdamandEve.
a) Luke4:6-6And(Satan)saidto(Jesus),“I(Satan)willgiveyou(Jesus)alltheirauthority(alltheKingdomsoftheworld)andsplendor;ithasbeengiventome,andIcangiveittoanyoneIwantto.7Ifyouworshipme,itwillallbeyours.”Luke4:6
a) 2Cor.4:4-4Whosemindsthegodofthisagehasblinded…lestthelightofthegospel…shineonthem.(2Cor.4:4)
C. ThisisthewaythingswereuntilJesuscame.Atthecross,JesusastheGod-MandefeatedSatanandalldemonicpowersandmadeapublicspectacleofthembeforeallinheavenandhell.Hehaswonthevictory,butitmustnowbeworkedoutandwalkedoutinthistime.
A. ApoliceofficerstopsaTRUCKbyhisauthorityinraisinghishand…whydoesthetruckstop…thetruckhastherawpowertojustgorightthroughhim…hedoesn’thavetostopatjustanypersonraisingahand…SoWhydoeshestop?
C. TheGreekwordtranslatedas‘authority’hereisthenoun‘exousia,’.Itisderivedfromtheverbexesti,whichmeans,"itislawful."anditsbasicmeaningistohavetherighttoruleorgovern,asonewhosewillandcommandsoughttobesubmittedtoandobeyed.
D. IncontrasttheGreekwordtranslated‘power’inthisreadingis‘dunamis,’whichmeanstohavetheinherentstrengthoractualabilitytobringaboutadesiredpurpose.
E. Let’sgobackandlookatthepolicemanillustrationagainandseethesetwodifferentmeaningsplayedoutintherolesofatruckdriverandapoliceofficer.
F. ThisdistinctionbetweenthetwoGreekwordsisnotalwaysmadeclearinEnglishtranslations.Forexampleinonetranslation(KingJamesVersion)itreads,“Behold,Igiveuntoyoupowertotreadonserpentsandscorpions,andoverallthepoweroftheenemy:andnothingshallbyanymeanshurtyou.”
K. OurunionwithChrististhekeytohowallthisfunctionswithinthespiritualrealm.Justasthepoliceofficer,forexample,mightwanttogoandbeapartofamurderinvestigationandshowupatacrimescene…Thedetectivewouldask–whyareyouhere…youdon’thavetheauthoritytobehere.
L. Satanandhisassistantsunderstandtherealbasisofourauthority.HeknowsthathedoesnothavetosubmittoanylawlessorpresumptuoususeofthenameofJesusandhisauthority.
a) “Andtheevilspiritansweredandsaid,‘JesusIknow,andPaulIknow;butwhoareyou?’Thenthemaninwhomtheevilspiritwasleapedonthem,overpoweredthem,andprevailedagainstthem,sothattheyfledoutofthathousenakedandwounded.”(Acts19:15-16).
M. SodoyouallseethedifferencebetweenAuthorityandRAWpower.
C. Second,theconceptofauthorityreferstothepower,ability,orcapabilitytocompleteanaction.Thisiswhereitoverlapswiththeword“DUNAMIS”thewordforpowerwejustlookedat.
a) AlsoSpiritually-Satanhasasphere–realm(Col.1:13),13Forhehasrescuedusfromthedominion(authority)ofdarkness
b) ButChristhasbeenplacedaboveallrealmsofauthority(Eph.1:20-21).And(TheFatherhas)seatedhimathisrighthandintheheavenlyrealms,21faraboveallrule(principality)andauthority(exousia),power(dunamis)anddominion(lordship),andeverynamethatisinvoked
a) Inthatsphere,apluralityofeldersaretoupholdGod’sstandardsofholinessandsounddoctrine,tocorrectthosewhostrayfromthetruth,toremovefromtheflockthosewhorefusetorepentsoastoprotecttherest,andtoblessGod’speoplebyinstructingtheminHisways.Paul’swords(Titus2:15)
a) TheScripturesarecarefultodistinguishbetweenspiritualauthorityandtheauthorityofmagistrates.TheauthoritythatPaulspeaksaboutinRomans13istherightandpowertoenforceobediencecivially,buttheauthorityPeterspeaksaboutin1Peter5istheresponsibilitytoserveGod'speopleforGod'spurposesinGod'sways.
6. 5–AnothersphereofAuthorityisYOURSELF!
VIII. 5–AnothersphereofAuthorityisYOURSELF!A. Introductions:
A. Asweuseittofulfillthegreatcommissionweneedtomovewithcaution…
B. SometeachersandleadersintheBodyofChristsogravelymisunderstandandmisrepresenttheissuesofauthorityandobediencethatweneedtothinkverycarefullyabouttheBiblicalissuesandprinciplesinvolved.
C. Inthefleshpeopleseektoavoidpersonalresponsibility,pushingtheresponsibilityfordecisionsuptoaleader.Theleader,alsointheflesh,isalltooeagertotakeresponsibilitythatisnothisorherstotake.
D. TheBiblemakesitclearthatobediencemerelyforthesakeobedienceisnotnecessarilygoodanditisNOTwhatGodwantsorexpects.
a) WearetoconvinceothersbyappealingtotheWord,withtheaimthatthepersonbeingtaughthasrevelationforhimorherselfofthetruthbeingexpounded.
b) Paulsaidin2Cor.5:11"Therefore,knowingthefearoftheLord,wetrytopersuadeothers;butweourselvesarewellknowntoGod,andIhopethatwearealsowellknowntoyourconsciences."
E. Sowrappingitupletsbeclear…TaskauthorityandteachingauthoritycanbothbedeadlyifappliedtoasituationthatcallsforapersontoseekforandfindwhatGodwantsforthemselves.
F. So,ourrightexerciseofourspiritualauthoritycallsuponusasleadersinthechurchtotrustthepreciousHolySpirittoworkinpeople'shearts.HeistheirGodandHeismorecommittedtotheirobedienceandgrowththanwe,asleaderscouldeverbe.
XII. III.SomeCommentsontheNatureofSpiritualAuthority
A. ItisclearfromthesepassagesandfromothersthatthereisadelegatedauthoritytothosewhoarecalledandgiftedbyGodtoleadthechurch,butthatauthoritycanonlybeexercisedproperlytothedegreethereisderivedauthoritytocarryitoutinaChristlikemanner.
B. Inotherwords,spiritualauthorityisdelegatedbyGod,butderivedthroughgodliness.OnewaytoseethatistolookatHOWitworksoutinaperson’slife.
C. JesusmadeitabundantlyclearthatwhatHemeantbyauthoritywasinfluencingtheflockthroughservingit.
E. Solet’swrapthisupwithlookingatHOWweexercisespiritualauthorityinaChrist-likewaytoachievetheMISSIONthatGodhasgivenusintheworldconcerningdisciplingthenations