Authority

December 5, 2009
Introduction

Authority given to Peter and was leader of church

 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock
I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not
overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom
of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound
in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be
loosed in heaven." (Matt 16)
Problem of authority when Peter doesn't eat with
Gentiles. Paul challenges him.
Gal 2:11-14
What is Authority?
Recognize it in parents, teachers and supervisors.
Definitions:
"Right and power to command and be obeyed"
"Right to command belief and/or action"
God has ultimate authority
Jesus was recognized for authority on Earth
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds
were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who
had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matt
7)
 27The people were all so amazed that they asked each
other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority!
He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."
(Mark 1)
Who has God's Authority?

Jesus
10But that you may know that the Son of Man has
authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to
the paralytic, 11"I tell you, get up, take your mat and
go home." (Mark 2)
Disciples 
1He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them
authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every
disease and sickness.(Matt 10)
Pope?
Bible?
Our Pastor?
Ancient Church

Church moved from Jerusalem to Rome with Constantine

(~300AD)
Councils established to set standards
Nicene Creed (Jesus divine and human)
Canon of Scripture established.
1056 church split into East and West.
Scripture and the church act in God's place
Catholic and Orthodox churches had different structure
Pope the head of the church (Catholic)
Regional bishops with Constantinople bishop 1st.
Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther (1483-1546) challenged the authority of

the pope!
"Scripture Alone"
We are saved by God's grace and can interpret scripture
with the help of the holy spirit.
Upheld historic traditions, but can challenge authority
Anglican Church

Church of England
Tried to be between Catholic and Protestant churches.
Hooker argued that everything must be approached by
using reason.
Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
"I think therefore I am"
Through intuition and deduction God exists.
Deism

God created the world but left it to run.

God is the clockmaker.
Questioned the Bible
Reason determined the best way to live.
Evangelical Revivals

sought to recapture the experience of the "good news"

Small groups started with Bible studies and prayer
groups.
Emphasis on individuals
"Great awakening" in America with emphasis on visible
experience of conversion.
Liberal Protestantism

Process theology (~1900)

Reality including God is "becoming" rather than
"being"
panentheism: God and the world are separate yet
dependent
Liberation theology
Christians should be more proactive for the poor.
All theologies are historical and culturally bound.
Racial and feminist liberation! 
Postmodern Theology

Catholicism: synthesis of scriptural, dogma and theology

to provide truth.
The Bible is the foundation of truth?
Is truth subjective?
Postmodern emphasis on rational and empirical study.
non-foundational
The Authority of God's Word

We need the Holy Spirit to understand the Bible.

Why?
1.  Ontolgical difference between humans and God
God is transcendent.
2. We need certainty when making decisions.
3. Limited by our sinfulness.
3. Overcoming our Sinfulness

13
This is why I speak to them in parables:
   "Though seeing, they do not see;
      though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the
prophecy of Isaiah:
   " 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
      you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
 15For this people's heart has become calloused;
      they hardly hear with their ears,
      and they have closed their eyes.
   Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
      hear with their ears,
      understand with their hearts
   and turn, and I would heal them.' (Matt 13)
Continued

  For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as

21

God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile
and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they
22

claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the

23

glory of the immortal God for images made to look like

mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. (Rom 1)
 
14
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that
come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to
him, and he cannot understand them, because they are
spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2)
Do we need the HS to Understand
Scripture
19
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight.
(1 Cor 3:19)
 
  This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human
13

wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing

spiritual truths in spiritual words. (1 Cor 2)
 
18
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened
in order that you may know the hope to which he has called
you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, (Eph
1:18)