Establishing Bible Authority

There is no more important question to ask when studying the Bible than “how do we establish Bible authority?” In this article we simply want to look at the Bible to seek the answer to this most important question.

The Need for Bible Authority

We are commanded to do everything in the name of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 3:17, “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.” Doing everything in His name simple means to do everything by His authority. The idea is to do only what the Lord approves of either by Direct Command, or by Approved Example or what is Necessarily Inferred. For me, no better explanation for this is given than from Paul who wrote to the Corinthians to be careful “not to think beyond what is written” (1 Cor. 4:6). Both of these passages suggest the great importance of having Bible authority for what we practice in religion and in our daily lives.

Examples that suggest the importance of having authority for what we do. We must pay close attention and take seriously to the many examples in the Bible of those who acted without having authority from God. Serious, because many paid the ultimate price for their disobedience. For example, there’s Cain. Cain and his brother Abel both offered sacrifices to God (Gen. 4:3-4) and God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but he rejected Cain’s sacrifice (Gen. 4:4b-5). The reason: Abel’s sacrifice was offered by faith (Heb. 11:4). Yes, Abel obeyed God’s instructions for offering the sacrifice, Cain did not and his sacrifice was rejected. Another example is Nadab and Abihu. When they offered their worship to God, they also acted without God’s authority and were destroyed. The text says that they offered “profane fire which the Lord had not commanded” (Lev. 10:1). The NIV used the word “unauthorized”. These are just a couple of the examples that suggest the importance of having authority for what we do. There are many more, but what is important is not how many but what are the consequences for disobeying God, and for doing things “Your Way”.

Ways We Don’t Establish Bible Authority

We don’t establish authority by the silence of the Scriptures. Some have said that where the Scriptures are silent that we are free to act. The silence of the Scriptures is not permissive. The Hebrew writer argued that Jesus could not serve as a priest under the law of Moses, not because the Scriptures said that he couldn’t, but because it never authorized it. Listen to the words of the Hebrew writer, “For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood” (Heb. 7:14). When brethren ask the question “where does the Scripture say that we can’t do this or that”, we are asking the wrong question. We need to be asking “Where does the Scripture authorize it?”

Three Ways to Establish Bible Authority

Direct Command. This is when the Bible directly makes a statement or a positive command. Establishing authority by “Direct Command” can be illustrated by the Lord’s supper in that Jesus directly commanded the observance of the Lord’s supper in Matthew 26 when he said, “take eat; this is My body” (v.26) and “drink from it, all of you” (v.27). We can also find all three ways of establishing authority illustrated in the controversy of Acts 15 over circumcision. James in discussing the subject of circumcision of Gentiles appealed to a direct statement of Scriptures. He quoted from Amos 9:11-12 (Acts 15:16-17). After which James had established that “we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God” (Acts 15:19).

Approved Example. First, notice the difference between the words “by example” and “approved example”. We are not talking about our setting the example, but by establishing authority by an approved example from God, Jesus or the apostles. We know the day of observance for the Lord’s supper because we have an example of early Christians. In Acts 20:7 Luke records, “and upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:7). On the first day of the week in this example early Christians came together on Sunday for that purpose. Again, approved example can be seen in Acts 15 when Peter and Barnabas “declared how many miracles and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles” (v.12). God put His “Stamp of Approval” on their work in converting Gentiles by the miracles and wonders he performed through them proving that God approved the salvation of the Gentiles and that circumcision should not be bound on them.

Necessary Inference. Just like with approved example we’re not seeking to establish authority by an inference but specifically by “necessary inference”. Necessary inference means that no other conclusion can be drawn from the text. We read in Acts 20:7 where the disciples partook of the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week. By necessary inference we infer that since every week has a first day that they partook every single week. Also found in Acts 15 we see Peter relating to the brethren at Jerusalem how God acknowledged the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit (v. 8). Peter then concluded or inferred that God “made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (v.9).

Direct Command, Approved Example and Necessary Inference are the only ways for establishing Bible authority. But we also must understand the two “types” of authority which are—Specific and Generic

Specific Authority. Specific authority is when God has specified exactly what He wants us to do, and the method we are to use to obey Him. Consider this carefully, specific statements exclude everything apart from that which is specified. Remember the type of wood that Noah was to use in building the ark? God specified gopher wood and that excludes any other kind of wood (Gen. 6:14). We read that God has specified the elements of the Lord’s supper to be unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine. This excludes the use of any other elements on the Lord’s table such as twinkies and soda pop. The New Testament specifies that we are to sing in worship to God (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16) which then excludes any other kind of music like instrumental music or humming.

Finally, we have Generic Authority. Whenever God has not specified the action or method by which we are to obey a command—that’s generic authority. The most common example of generic authority is the command to go teach the world (Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19-20). God commanded us to go and teach the world, but he did not specify how we are to go. Therefore, we may go by car, airplane, bus, or we may walk, ride a horse. These are all means of “going” thus all are authorized. Similarly, is God’s command to sing in worship (Eph. 5:19). He didn’t specify what part we are to sing, bass, alto, tenor or whether we are to sing by book or from memory. This makes it free for us to choose what part we are going to sing and whether or not we are going to use a book, even what book we are going to use. When we make these decisions, we are still obeying the command to sing. Take care to note that this is not parallel to instrumental music. God specified singing, one kind, and instrumental music is another kind of music.

There is no more important question than “how do we establish Bible authority?” We need to be sure to teach the younger generations these basic principles. I believe that most of the doctrinal problems in the Lord’s church could be solved if we simply learned how to establish Bible authority and then learned to respect what God authorized.

One final thought, when it come to Bible authority, I see the greatest enemy is not being able to believe. Paul wrote, “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” 2 Thess. 2:9-10. Know assuredly that the devil is hard at work seeking to turn hearts away from the truth. When he succeeds souls are lost, when he fails souls are saved. God’s word is truth (John 17:17) I pray you’ll accept it into your heart today.

In Love

Dave Scarpino