Bible Study › Lesson 2 of 4
The Authority of the Scriptures
Lesson 1 showed that God has spoken and His word is complete. This lesson answers the next question: when there is a disagreement about religion, whose word settles it... and what happens when we go beyond it?
18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
How much authority does Jesus say has been given to Him, and where does it reach?
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All authority, in heaven and on earth. Not most of it, and not shared with anyone. If Jesus holds all authority, then no man, no council, and no church holds any of its own.
17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
What does Paul say we are to do in the name of the Lord Jesus?
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Whatever we do, in word or deed... all of it. To do something "in the name of" someone is to do it by his authority. So everything we practice in religion needs His authority behind it, not just the parts we feel strongly about.
48There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
What does Jesus say will judge a person on the last day?
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The word He has spoken. We will not be judged by what we felt, by what our family believed, or by what a preacher assured us was fine. We will be judged by His word... which is one more reason to read it for ourselves now.
9Anyone who transgresses without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in the teaching of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
What does John say about the person who goes beyond the teaching of Christ?
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That person does not have God. Going beyond the teaching is treated just as seriously as falling short of it. Staying inside what Christ taught is the only safe ground.
8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse! 9As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!
What does Paul say should happen to anyone who preaches a gospel other than the one already delivered... and who does he include in that warning?
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Let him be accursed, and Paul says it twice so no one can miss it. He includes himself and even an angel from heaven. The source of a teaching does not make it right. Only agreement with what was already delivered does.
9They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”
What does Jesus call worship that is built on the commandments of men?
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Worthless. It is still worship, it may be sincere, and the people doing it may be devout... but if it rests on the teachings of men rather than the word of God, Jesus says it is in vain.
In short
Jesus has all authority. Everything we do in religion is to be done by that authority, we will be judged by His word, and going beyond what He taught is condemned just as plainly as ignoring it. Paul put the strongest possible warning on anyone, himself included, who would preach something different.
That settles a lot of arguments before they start. The question is never what a church has always done, what a creed says, or what seems reasonable to us. The question is what the Scriptures say, and whether we can show it from the text. If we cannot, we have no authority for it... and that is the test every lesson from here forward will apply.
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