A Study of Authority

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A Study ofAuthority

• And if anyone hears My words and does not
  believe, I do not judge him for I did not come
  to judge the world but to save the world. He who
  rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has
  that which judges him the word that I have
  spoken will judge him in the last day (John
  1247-48).

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A Study ofAuthority

• Lesson 2
• The Need for Authority As Revealed in the New
  Testament

(Presentations are basically an adaptation of
material found in Billy W. Moores classbook, A
Study of Authority)
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Definition - Authority
Greek Word Exousia (exousia) Vine The power
of authority, the right to exercise power the
power of rule or government the power of one
whose will and commands must be obeyed by
others. (page 89). Thayer The power of
authority and of right the power of rule or
government
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Jesus Recognized and Taught the Need of Authority

• Workers of Iniquity will be rejected
• Iniquity Lawlessness
• Matt. 721-23 Matt. 1341-42 Rev. 218
  2 Thess. 27

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Matthew 721-23
Not everyone who says to Me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out
demons in Your name, and done many wonders in
Your name? 23 And then I will declare to them,
I never knew you depart from Me, you who
practice lawlessness!
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Matthew 1341-42
The Son of Man will send out His
angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom
all things that offend, and those who practice
lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the
furnace of fire. There will be wailing and
gnashing of teeth.
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Revelation 218
But the cowardly, unbelieving,
abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have
their part in the lake which burns with fire and
brimstone, which is the second death.
Notice the company the iniquitous will have in
that lake of fire
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2 Thessalonians 27
For the mystery of lawlessness is
already at work only He who now
restrains will do so until He is taken out of the
way.
The great apostasy referred to by the apostle
Paul is called by him the mystery of iniquity or
lawlessness
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Jesus Recognized and Taught the Need of Authority

• Workers of Iniquity will be rejected
• Iniquity Lawlessness
• Matt. 721-23 Matt. 1341-42 Rev. 218
  2 Thess. 27

• Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders
• Wise man does the will of the Lord
• Foolish man hears but does not obey
• Matt. 724-27 cf. Luke 646

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Matthew 724-27
"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of
Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise
man who built his house on the rock 25 and the
rain descended, the floods came, and the winds
blew and beat on that house and it did not fall,
for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone
who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do
them, will be like a foolish man who built his
house on the sand 27 and the rain descended, the
floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that
house and it fell. And great was its fall.
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Luke 646
But why do you call Me Lord, Lord,
and do not do the things which I say?
Note that saying Lord, Lord is not enough. God
expects us to do his will.
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Jesus Recognized and Taught the Need of Authority

• Workers of Iniquity will be rejected
• Iniquity Lawlessness
• Matt. 721-23 Matt. 1341-42 Rev. 218
  2 Thess. 27

• Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders
• Wise man does the will of the Lord
• Foolish man hears but does not obey
• Matt. 724-27 cf. Luke 646

• The Baptism of John
• Both Jesus and the Jews recognized the need for
  divine authority
• Matthew 2123-27

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Matthew 2123-27
Now when He came into the temple,
the chief priests and the elders of the people
confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, By
what authority are You doing these things? And
who gave You this authority? 24 But Jesus
answered and said to them, I also will ask you
one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will
tell you by what authority I do these things 25
The baptism of John where was it from? From
heaven or from men?
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Matthew 2123-27
(cont.), And they reasoned among themselves,
saying, If we say, From heaven, He will say
to us, Why then did you not believe him? 26
But if we say, From men, we fear the multitude,
for all count John as a prophet. 27 So they
answered Jesus and said, We do not know. And He
said to them, Neither will I tell you by what
authority I do these things.
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The Apostles Taught the Need of Authority

• The Appeal for Unity
• Unity comes only through adapting the same
  standard (all speaking the same thing)
• Examples Weights and Measures
• Philippians 316 1 Corinthians 110-ff

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Philippians 316
Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already
attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be
of the same mind.
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1 Corinthians 110-13
Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions among
you, but that you be perfectly joined together in
the same mind and in the same judgment 12 Now I
say this, that each of you says, I am of Paul,
or I am of Apollos, or I am of Cephas, or I
am of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul
crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the
name of Paul?
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The Apostles Taught the Need of Authority

• The Appeal for Unity
• Unity comes only through adapting the same
  standard (all speaking the same thing)
• Examples Weights and Measures
• Philippians 316 1 Corinthians 110-ff

• Do All in the Name of the Lord Jesus
• Colossians 317

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Colossians 317
And whatever you do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through Him.
In the name of means by the authority of
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The Apostles Taught the Need of Authority

• The Appeal for Unity
• Unity comes only through adapting the same
  standard (all speaking the same thing)
• Examples Weights and Measures
• Philippians 316 1 Corinthians 110-ff

• Do All in the Name of the Lord Jesus
• Colossians 317

• Dont Think of Men above What is Written
• 1 Corinthians 46

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1 Corinthians 46
Now these things, brethren, I have
figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos
for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to
think beyond what is written, that none of you
may be puffed up on behalf of one against the
other.
This emphasizes the need for authority from
scripture in religious practices. Man is not the
authority.
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The Apostles Taught the Need of Authority

• The Appeal for Unity
• Unity comes only through adapting the same
  standard (all speaking the same thing)
• Examples Weights and Measures
• Philippians 316 1 Corinthians 110-ff

• Do All in the Name of the Lord Jesus
• Colossians 317

• Dont Think of Men above What is Written
• 1 Corinthians 46

• We Must abide in the Doctrine of Christ
• 2 John 9-11

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2 John 9-11
Whoever transgresses and does not abide
in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He
who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the
Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you
and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive
him into your house nor greet him 11 for he
who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
To abide in the doctrine of Christ shows respect
for His authority. Fellowship is dependent upon
it!
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The Apostles Taught the Need of Authority

• The Appeal for Unity
• Unity comes only through adapting the same
  standard (all speaking the same thing)
• Examples Weights and Measures
• Philippians 316 1 Corinthians 110-ff

• Do All in the Name of the Lord Jesus
• Colossians 317

• Dont Think of Men above What is Written
• 1 Corinthians 46

• We Must abide in the Doctrine of Christ
• 2 John 9-11

• Must not add to or take away from Word
• Revelation 2218-19

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Revelation 2218-19
For I testify to everyone who hears the words
of the prophecy of this book If anyone adds to
these things, God will add to him the plagues
that are written in this book 19 and if anyone
takes away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his part from the
Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the
things which are written in this book.
Adding to or taking away from Gods word shows a
lack of respect for His authority!
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Conclusion

• In this lesson we have
• Seen that both the Lord and the Apostles taught
  the need for Authority
• Shown that those who scorn the need for authority
  overlook a basic principle taught in Gods word
  regarding our relationship with God
• Shown the need to recognize that our standing
  with God depends upon our accepting and obeying
  His word.

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Questions
?

• Lesson 2
• The Need for Authority as Revealed in the New
  Testament

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Question 1

• Define Iniquity. What will be done with those
  who practice iniquity?

Iniquity (anomia, anomia) lit.
Lawlessness. A (neg.) nomos (law). Is used in a
way which indicates the meaning as being
lawlessness of wickedness. The iniquitous will
be cast into the lake of fire (cf. Matthew
1341-42)
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Question 2

• Is it enough for a man to do what he does in the
  name of Jesus? That is, if it is a good work,
  and I am doing it for God, does that make it
  acceptable in and of itself?

No, it is presumptious. Reference Luke 646, and
Matthew 721-23. Saying Lord, Lord is not
sufficient to establish the validity of a practice
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Question 3

• Is it unity if we all get along despite
  differences? The non-denominational concept is
  to accept anyone, regardless of conviction. Is
  this a Biblical principle?

No. Biblical unity is based upon a standard, the
word of God. In order for us to have unity, we
must all have the same mind and all speak the
same thing. (cf. Phil. 316 1 Cor. 110-ff)
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Question 4

• Paul, in 1 Corinthians 46, said they had
  established to the Corinthians that we are not to
  not to think beyond what is written. What does
  this mean?

See verse 2, it is a stewards place to be
faithful. And verse 4, Jesus is the judge. It
is not our place to establish ourselves as the
standard, but to recognize that Jesus is, and
accede to his will (as the apostles had done).
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Question 5

• Do we have the right for any reason (culture,
  greater enlightenment, new knowledge) to modify
  in any way the word of God? (cf. Revelation
  2218-19).

No. Gods will is eternal and unchanging. It is
as pertinent today as it ever has been. To
change it in any way indicates a lack of respect
for his will, and will bring his judgment upon us
as evildoers.