Lordship Vs Discipleship: “We Are Not Lords”

2013 by Dr. James W. Huntley. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/02/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-0506-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-0507-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013914255

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Part One

Lordship

Definition Of Lordship

A Historical View Of The Term And Office Of A Lord

Jesus Is Lord

Lord

Authority

God’s Authority

The Authority Of Jesus Christ

The Power And Authority Of The Word Of God

The Authority Delegated To Men

Examples Of Old Testament Authority In The Work Of God

Book Of Genesis

Exodus

I And Ii Samuel

The Authority Usurped By Satan

The Authority Of Angels

Spiritual Characteristics Of The Pastor’s Authority

Discipleship

The True Requirements Of Discipleship

Pastoring And Lording

The Difference Between Pastoring And Lording

The Rule Of Our Lord

God’s Call To Discipleship And Heeding To His Lordship

References

Appendix

About The Author

While attending Trinity Assembly City of Praise Prayer Grotto in Nassau Bahamas, where the Apostle Edward and Lee Watson serve as founder and pastor, the Lord dealt with me referencing Lordship and Discipleship. It was in my heart to conduct seminars at my local assembly as it relates to the importance of Discipleship and being totally submissive to God. God spoke to my heart and stated that he wanted me to conduct a study on Lordship Verses Discipleship. This research has led me into various areas of discovery.

I began to collect information on this topic by conducting a mental view of the materials that I currently have in my personal library; looking into encyclopedias to find information that would enhance my study; visiting book stores with the hope to find material that would assist me in my research and by looking on the internet to find material that might assist me in this endeavor. To my surprise, when I began to explore the materials that were on the internet, I was flabbergasted to find that there are many variations of perception to the level of commitment that some feel that they owe to God, when referencing their commitment to discipleship. Various theological ideologies were presented to express what their view of discipleship should be and the level of commitment that Christians need to have when they are serving God. Individuals who wrote articles on this topic, negatively or positively, will influence their readers’ level of commitment to God-to whatever degree that might be. It is apparent that various theologians have varied views in relation to what commitment to God should look like; therefore, whatever training an individual lends his/herself to will assist in molding his or her beliefs and practices.

Information is vital for our existence and extremely important for our level of commitment to God; however, if the wrong information is disseminated among the people it minimizes their commitment to God and it can create a negative effect, which makes living this life all about us and less about God. This would be a travesty, or a misrepresentation of what God has stated that discipleship should be. God clearly says that, Without a vision the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18) We understand the word vision to represent knowledge; therefore, the scripture can read, Without knowledge my people perish.

This book has been written to provide support to the scriptural material on Lordship and Discipleship that is currently in existence and also to aid those people who have decided to walk the path of life that God has designed for them.

PART ONE

LORDSHIP

DEFINITION OF LORDSHIP

PSALM 113

Praise the Lord!

Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise, the name of the Lord!

Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!

From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!

The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!

Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!

One of the most common questions that we have asked repeatedly is, Who is the Lord? This question has been referenced by men and women in every nation and the attempt to answer it has come from various commentators and writers. Even men who have not implicated a great desire to explore the scriptures in any depth offer their views of God as they perceive him to be. Men of every station in Christendom are persistently pursuing a deeper knowledge of God. This varies from the lay membership, theologians, pastors, evangelists, teachers and clergy in every form. This pursuit to know God will continue until he comes and gathers his church. Truth has been stated to be progressive. This indicates as time goes on we will learn more about God—as he reveals himself to all men individually and sometimes collectively. Revelation comes from God. He alone reveals what he wants us to know about him. Additionally, in order for any man to serve God fully, he has to know God intellectually and experientially. This does not mean that man has to know everything about him. But as God reveals himself to the church, we need to walk in the path that he has provided for us. The Hebrews referred to this type of knowing as yada. We have to know God beyond book reading. There must be experiences coupled with study that each of us must acquire in order to say that we know him as Lord.

The term Lordship (lord ‘ship’) is referred to as a noun. Its definition means the rank or authority of a lord. Lordship is a title used in speaking to or of a lord: proceeded by your or His. The term Lordship means to rule; dominion and have jurisdiction over. Lordship indicates that someone has territory, power and authority to give orders. Any lord has authority over some ground or a particular area. Psalms 24 places God in the heart of this definition and defines his authority over everything. It also indicates the territory and the rule of God.

The earth’s is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob (Selah). Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty-he is the King of glory (Selah).

This Psalms provides us with the reign of God and his authority to allow or hinder anyone from coming into his presence uninvited. Additionally, this Psalms indicates who can abide with him. God along sets the boundaries as to what will happen in the earth, simply because it belongs to him. He has complete authority over the earth and the heavens; whereby, he has placed his throne in the heavens. Psalms 103:19 informs us that, The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. The throne is exclusively God’s possession and not be usurped or given to another. The throne has been occupied since before time. Your throne O God is forever and ever, Psalms 45:6 and Hebrews 1:8. The throne of God has never been vacant and never will be. This throne represents the emblem of his authority. It is from God’s throne that He ratifies all official business decrees are made and judgments are pronounced.

Prince of Persia noted in Daniel 10:33 is an example of the territorial authority, who resisted the angel Gabriel for twenty one days. According to Strong’s Dictionary, the term prince in this particular scripture means commander, official, prince, chief and leader. This definition has transcended through history and has been utilized by many nations. Our dictionary refers to a prince as the ruler of a principality or state; a male member of a royal family; especially, a son of the sovereign; a nobleman of varying rank and status; one likened to a prince; especially, a man of high rank or of high standing in his class or profession—prince·ship \'prin(t)s-,ship\noun. The origin of PRINCE Middle English, comes from the Anglo-French; from Latin princip-, princeps leader, initiator, from primus first + capere to take-more at HEAVE. First Known Use of the word Prince was during the 13th century. There are related terms to PRINCE. Synonyms of the word Prince are: BARON, CAPTAIN, CZAR (also TSAR or TZAR), KING, LION, LORD, MOGUL, MONARCH, NAPOLEON, MAGNATE, TYCOON.

It is from the perspective of lordship that we hear of the lordship of the British peer, bishop or judge. They were given this title to express their authority. Also the title was given to medieval rulers to indicate their power and authority. People who were representative of this title were called lords.

A HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE TERM AND OFFICE OF A LORD

Historically, the term Lord is a title with various meanings. The term Lord can denote a prince or a feudal superior (especially a feudal tenant who holds land directly from the king). A lord is a man of high rank in a feudal society or in one that retains feudal forms and institutions; especially, (as mentioned prior) a king, a territorial magnate, and the proprietor of a manor. Interestedly, at common law, a lord is one who granted a feudal estate in land to a tenant. For instance, the King would be the Lord of the Dukes and other nobles to whom the Crown had granted property; the dukes and other nobles were in the lords of the persons to whom they in turn granted property. The lord was responsible for protecting and maintaining order among his tenants, for which purpose he maintained a court. In return, the tenant was responsible for providing services to the lord. Under the English Parliamentary system of government, the House of Lords arose to provide representation for nobles. In recent times, the Crown has appointed individuals as lords.

Among the British the title Lord is the general masculine title of nobility and other rank; such as, a form of address for a marquis, an earl, or a viscount. The title Lord is also used as the usual style for a baron; used as a courtesy title for a younger son of a duke or marquis; used as a title for certain high officials and dignitaries, such as Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Mayor of London. A lord is a man of renowned power or authority; a man who has mastery in a given field or activity; archaic, the male head of a household and archaic a husband. Today, the title Lord is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it by courtesy. The title Lord may also be used in conjunction with others to denote a superior holder of an otherwise generic title, in such combinations as Lord Mayor or Lord Chief Justice. The title Lord is primarily taken by men, while women will usually take the title ‘lady’. However, this is not universal, as the Lord of Mann and female Lord Mayors are examples of women who are styled ‘lord’.

Oxford Dictionary of English, indicates that the etymology of the word Lord can be traced back to the Old English word ‘hiaford’ which originated from ‘hiafweard’ meaning ‘bread keeper’ or ‘loaf-ward’ reflecting the Germanic tribal custom of a chieftain providing food for his followers. The title Lady, which is the female equivalent, originates from a similar structure, believed to have originally meant ‘loaf-kneader’. These original words mean to look after, to take care of, and to ward or guard.

In religious contexts the title Lord can also refer to various different gods or deities. Historically, the earliest uses of Lord in the English language in a religious context were by English Bible translators such as Bede. This reflected the Jewish practice of substituting the spoken Hebrew word ‘Adonai’ (which means ‘My Lord’) for YHWH when read aloud.

The Easy English Bible Dictionary defines the title Lord as several things, such as (a) a name for God; (b) it means that he has authority, or ‘master’; (c) Adonai in Hebrew; a name that we call God or Jesus when we obey them; a special name for God that his people use. He will do what he has promised them. That is what this name means; (d) a special name used by his people when a covenant has been made with his people; one who rules or is a master-God is the Lord who rules everyone; (e) someone with authority; (f) a name which indicate that God is above all other things; (g) a special name that God gave for himself to the Jews in the Old Testament; (h) a name which represents the supremacy of Jesus as God; (i) a name which represents that God is over all; and (j) it is referred to God’s holiest name. The Jews refused to speak this word aloud, in order to respect God.

According to Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary, there are various Hebrew and Greek words rendered as Lord:

(1) Hebrew-Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible Lord, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form Jehovah is retained only in Exodus 6:3; Psalms 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4, both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.

(2) Hebrew-’adon, means one possessed of absolute control. It denotes a master, as of slaves (Genesis 24:14, 27), or a ruler of his subjects (45:8), or a husband, as lord of his wife (18:12). The old plural form of this Hebrew word is adonai. From a superstitious reverence for the name Jehovah, the Jews, in reading their Scriptures, whenever that name occurred, always pronounced it _’Adonai_.

(3) Greek—kurios, a supreme master, etc. In the LXX. This is invariably used for Jehovah and Adonai.

(4) Hebrew-ba’al, a master, as having domination. This word is applied to human relations, as that of husband, to persons skilled in some art or profession, and to heathen deities. It is applied to The men of Shechem, literally the baals of Shechem (Judges 9:2, 3). These were the Israelite inhabitants who had reduced the Canaanites to a condition of vassalage (Joshua 16:10; 17:13).

(5) Hebrew-seren, applied exclusively to the lords of the Philistines (Judges 3:3). The LXX., render it by satrapies. At this period the Philistines were not, as at a later period (1) Samuel 21:10), under a kingly government. If we take a look at Joshua 13:3; I Samuel 6:18, there were five such lordships, viz., (a) Gath, (b) Ashdod, (c) Gaza, (d) Ashkelon, and (5) Ekron.

In all of these previous findings it is apparent that the title Lord has always represented someone in authority. Historically this title places Lord as an honorable word which is only given to those who deserves it. However, their authority was and currently is very limited. Their lordship was only to govern a particular area. However, with God, his dominion has no limit. His existence is so vast that even the heavens of heavens cannot contain him; therefore, his rule expands throughout the heavens, the earth, the abyss and beyond.

As demonstrated earlier, God sits on his throne which represents his complete authority and sovereignty. A throne is usually located in the throne room of a palace. This is seen throughout history. We find references in the Bible of such a place in Heaven as well. Unlike an earthly throne room, God’s throne has mobility. His throne appears wherever He manifests His presence. God indicated in Isaiah 66:1, Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. God’s Throne is mobile and is carried by the cherubim! The throne of God is not standing on the ground, as some may believe and have alluded. Ezekiel stated in 1:25-26:

Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.

The throne is part of the procession of Heaven. When the Glory of God enters a room tremendous things happen. In the unseen realm there is angelic activity, an open heaven, a manifestation of the throne of God and the awesome presence of God. There is fire, heaven’s altar, light, worship happening, and more. In Hebrews 4:16 God encourages us to draw near to the throne of grace with boldness that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in good time for every need! How do we draw near? Rudi and Sharon Swanepoel stated that one great way to pursue the presence of God is in worship. He comes seated on the throne, carried by the angels into our circumstance and life. What a beautiful and splendid thought!

Although man has taken on the title Lord, there is one true Lord, who has identified himself as the only Lord, as stated in Ephesians 4:5, One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. The scripture clearly states that Jesus Christ is Lord!

JESUS IS LORD

This is just a brief synopsis of Jesus as Lord. It will be mentioned and outlined more in depth later on in the book. When we read the scriptures, we discover that Jesus Christ has been given many titles, such as, the Christ; Son of God; Son of Man; Savior and Messiah; My Lord and my God. Jesus has also been referred to as Lord. Unlike many of the other titles given to Jesus, the title Lord is relatively common and as such its meaning is often taken for granted. Therefore, it is imperative that we obtain a definite meaning of the Lordship of Christ.

The first encounter where Jesus gives the significance of being called Lord is when He addresses a great multitude of people along with His disciples in the plain. Jesus asked, Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46) It is imperative that if we intend to follow Jesus as Lord, the first requirement is that we must adhere to what he says and perform what He expects of us. We must totally surrender to Him and totally obey him. This obedience must be given to Jesus Christ because of the authority that is rightfully his as Lord. In Matthew 28:18, Jesus says, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

In Mark 11:28, a question was asked of Jesus, By what authority do you these things? And who gave you the authority to do these things? Jesus did not answer this question at that time because they refused to answer his question. However, he did provide clarity to his authority in Mark 2:10-11, But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins… He said to the paralytic, I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home. Where did you get this authority is a question that men wanted to know. But where did He get this authority? It was on the day of Pentecost when Apostle Peter addressed the crowd that had gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast. Peter said, For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. After Peter explained about the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus, and proving that the words in the Psalms did not refer to David but to someone greater in the future and greater, Peter made the statement, God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. The scripture further stated that there was a response from the people. Acts 2:37 says, When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ These particular scriptures linked them to the deeds and happenings in the life of Christ.

God bestowed the office of Lord to Jesus Christ because Jesus had surrendered Himself in full obedience to God and had accomplished the work of salvation through crucifixion and taken victory over all enemies through His resurrection.

In Philippians 2:8-11, the Apostle Paul stresses the connection between the obedience of Christ and his Lordship. Paul stated:

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross! Therefore God highly exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When we look at the historicity of Lordship, honor, authority and respect is given to the one who obtains this office. As the true and only Lord, Jesus Christ deserves reverence, honor and obedience because of the glory that was bestowed upon Him by the Father. As his children, we are to take the same mind of obedience that Jesus Himself currently operates in. As followers of Christ, we must acknowledge Him in all our ways. We are to do those things that please Him and what He has commanded us to do. This is the pattern and example that He lived in reference to the Father during His earthly ministry. In John 8:28 it is written, So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.

There is a growing controversy within denominationalism over the Lordship of Jesus Christ. There are those who claim that, even though ostensibly, the Lordship of Christ means we obey him if we are in recognition of his Lordship. On the contrary, there are those who contend that the Lordship of Jesus does not involve obedience, as that would mean one earns salvation by works.

When we observe scripture and definitions of the word Lord, the Greek kurios is a title of honor. Sara expressed respect for Abraham by calling him Lord (I Peter 3:6). The title Lord as applied to deity, however, denotes more than simply honor. When the leper came to Jesus, he said, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean (Matthew 8:2). According to Matthew 12:8 Jesus said, The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. Abraham could not claim this authority, even if Sara did call him Lord out of respect.

The term Lord, when it is applied to Christ, denotes his sovereign will and the necessity of man’s obedience to him due to his position as Lord. Again, this is why Jesus stated in Luke 6:46, And why call ye me Lord, and do not the things which I say? To not obey Christ would ultimately go against all that the office and word Lord represents, especially when referencing his dominion, power and authority. I will focus on authority so that you can get a better understanding of the authority of God, Christ, and the Word of God. The study of authority will give you a better understanding of the Lordship of Christ. It must be understood that only God can grant authority. Interestingly the term Lord in the Tetragrammatons’ which the term is from the Greek τετραγράμματον, meaning four letters) refers to the Hebrew theonym (Hebrew: 51993.jpg ) transliterated to the Latin letters YHWH. It may be derived from the verb that means to be, and is considered in Judaism to be a proper name of the God of Israel used in the Hebrew Bible, proves that Jesus is Lord. The word LORD, spelled with all capital letters is the name of God, Jehovah. As shown below, the term Lord is explained.

LORD

In terms of the Tetrgrammatons’ we can determine the following statements and teaching. (THE) LORD; KJV, Jehovah (je-ho’va; Hebrew YHWH, LXX; usually ho Kurios). Jehovah is the Name of God that is most frequently used in the Hebrew Scriptures but commonly represented—we cannot say that it is rendered-in the KJV and NIV by LORD. In terms of the pronunciation of the term Lord, the true pronunciation of this name, by which God was known to the Hebrews, has been entirely lost. The Jews themselves scrupulously avoiding every mention of it and substituting in its stead one or other words with whose proper vowel points it to Jehovah but is commonly written by the name Adonai. They continued to write YHWH, but read Adonai. Where God is called My Lord Jehovah (Hebrew Adonai YHWH), Elohim was substituted to avoid the double Adonai. When the vowel points were added to the Hebrew text as an addition to the rule, such as in the case of words written but not read, the rule suggest that we must attach to these words and their vowels which belongs to the words read in place of them. Therefore, they attached to YHWH the points of ‘adonay; hence the form Yehowah and the name Yeh’v’h. The strong probability is that the name Jehovah was anciently pronounced Yahweh, like the Iabe of the Samaritans. This custom, which had its origin in reverence, and has almost degenerated into a superstition, was founded upon an erroneous rendering of Leviticus 24:16, from which it was inferred that the mere utterance of the name constituted a capital offense. It is therefore believed that according to Jewish tradition, it was pronounced but once a year by the high priest on the Day of Atonement when he entered the Holy of Holies; but on this point there is some doubt. The passage in Exodus 3:14 seem’s to furnish designedly a clue to the meaning of the word. When Moses received his commission to be the deliverer of Israel, the Almighty, who appeared in the burning bush, communicated to him the name that he should give as the credentials of his mission: God said unto Moses, I am that I am [Hebrew 'ehyeh 'asher 'ehyeh]: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you (KJV). In both names 'ehyeh and YHWH, the root idea is that of existence that is not derived. When it is said that God’s name is He Is, simple being is not all that is affirmed. He is in a sense in which no other being is or could ever be. Interestingly, He is, and the cause of His being is in Himself. He is because He is. The notice in Exodus 6:3, By my name Jehovah was I not known to them (KJV), does not imply that the patriarchs were completely ignorant of the existence or the use of the name. It simply means that previous to their deliverance from Egyptian bondage they had no experiential knowledge of such redemption. Under Moses the Jews were to experience such deliverance and have the redemptive power of God made real to them and the redemptive name of God vouchsafed to them. Previously, as shepherds in Palestine, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had known God as El Shaddai (the Almighty, Genesis 17:1, KJV). This proves they had a revelation of His power, but had not progressed to the revelation of his redemption. The Jews were to know that all authority was in the hand of God and that he had full and complete power to do whatever he desired. They were to know him as Lord God who has all authority and disperses it as he pleases. For the sake of transition: As servants of God, so too must understand that the authority that we have has been given to us via God. No one can usurp authority from God nor demand that he grants them authority. It is a choice of God. Even as God indicated that he gives the gifts of his Spirit as he desire, so does his authority. We cannot order God in this area. God has a plan and he grants the authority that is needed to carry out his plan. This plan does not quality us as Lords; however, God has provided what we need to carry out his plan. Let us take a look at the definition of authority and what authority God has given to each individual office to carry out his plan. The main objective in speaking about the authority that is exemplified today is to make certain that everyone understands that God alone is the authority and he disburses it as He pleases. It is of upmost importance that men understand that they can only operate effectively in the authority that God alone has provided. Additionally, speaking about and referencing authority provides us with the understanding that it does not matter what office of ministry we obtain, ultimately, God has determined in his own power and authority how the church should operate and with whom it should operate. We operate under the auspices of God’s authority and not our own. When we attempt to operate without his authority we have violated his word and his position as God. Also, we operate under a pseudo authority without power to execute anything. Even Satan does not have to adhere to what we attempt to command. It is the authority of God that we must adhere to-and totally rely on-to execute order and power in this life and in our ministries. Therefore, we will look at the various levels of authority and ministries that are represented in the church at large to see what God has put in place for our continuity, operation and growth.

AUTHORITY

Terms: The Greek word for authority is exousia and it is the chief word translated as authority in the New Testament. Originally it signified the power and freedom of choice (e.g. I Corinthians 7: 37, NEB). Examples of this word are as follows:

1. Ancient wills expressed the right of the testator to dispose of his property as he wished.

2. In the New Testament, exousia is used in the sense of one’s rights. Paul spoke of his rights as an apostle (I Corinthians 9:1-4).

3. Those who wash their robes have the right to the tree of life (Revelations 22:14).

4. Christ gives the right to become children of God to those who receive Him (John 1:12).

Change of Meaning for Exousia

The meaning of the word exousia was changed from its originality to the following meaning:

1. The rightful power to act or possess or control.

a. An example of this is found in Acts 5:4 in the case of Ananias and Sapphira.

2. Whereas dynamis primarily denotes physical power or ability, exousia usually signifies the warrant or power that is in some sense lawful (e.g. Acts 9:14; 26:10, 12).

3. The uniform teaching of the Bible is that the only rightful power in the created universe is that of the Creator.

4. Absolute authority belongs to God alone and all other authority is either subordinate or derivative. Subordinate authority indicates that one is lower in rank or importance. Derivative authority indicates something that has been derived from something or someone else. It is God who grants authority. No one person demands or gives authority accept God. It is with this authority from God that we operate in the world through Christ. It is important for us to understand the authority of God that we might know our place in the body as it relates to our duties and responsibilities. Also, this authority is very detailed in scripture to provide us with instructions as to what we can and cannot do without the leading of the Lord. I will deal with authority in various areas that we might understand it.

GOD’S AUTHORITY

The English version of authority is not mentioned in the Old Testament; however, the concept of His authority appears in passages speaking of His sovereign and everlasting rule (Psalms 66:7; 89:9; 103:19; Isaiah 40:10; Daniel 4:17; 34-35) and His universal kingship (Psalms 47:93; 95:3-5; etc.) God is recognized as the Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25) who has the last word in all of the affairs of men. In the Old Testament times, God exercised authority over and governed His people through the agency of the elders and also the priests, judges, and kings whom He raised up or appointed (Judges 2:16: II Samuel 7:8). These men and leaders were enabled to govern by God-given wisdom (Proverbs 8:15-16). We must also note the prophets, who proclaimed His message (Jeremiah 1:7-10) and wrote down His authoritative instruction (Tora). These anointed men of God were bound to no earthly superior and so spoke with God’s divine authority to people, priest, and kings alike.

The Ultimate Authority of God

The Word of God plainly states that the true source and seat of authority is in God. Paul writes that there is no authority except from God (Romans 13:1), and Jesus argues that God alone need to be feared, because He alone has authority to cast into hell (Luke 12:5). God’s authority over mankind consists in His unchallengeable right and power to deal with men as He pleases, just as the potter has exousia over the lump of clay (Romans 9:21). Man is not to attempt to unravel the mystery of future times and epochs which God the Father has fixed by His own authority (Acts 1:7). It is clear according to Psalms 24 that the Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. Everything is under the authority of God.

THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST

John 20: 23; By what authority are you doing these things? they asked, And who gave you this authority? Jesus replied by asking a question: John’s baptism-where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?

The authority