Authority, Gifts and The Church
praise_yeshua > 01-10-2017, 03:25 AM
Authority
Mark it down. Whenever you hear a sermon preached on "authority", you're going to get a ton of opinion and very few facts. People just don't want to admit it, but there are very few facts in you're average pastor's sermon on authority. I've seen some very good people....... good loving people get caught up in some very bad things when they start talking about "authority".
1. The fact is you have only one Master and He isn't the one preaching the sermon.
2. The fact is you have the teaching of the Apostles and first pastors of the early church. They're found in the Bible.
3. The fact is that anything contrary to fact 1 and 2 is not from God.
4. The fact is you're the one allowing others to control you. Yes. I said it. You're allowing other's to control you if you do not believe fact 1 and 2.
5. The fact is you're going to stand before God for you... and you alone. No matter what anyone else says. We will all stand before God alone. Well, not alone. With Christ. Not anyone else in this life or the next.
6. The fact is, in this day and age, there is no authority apart from the Scriptures. Sure. There a tons of people around claiming authority over this and that. Some of them claiming some very "powerful" positions. However, all of them answer to some man in this life. As believers in Christ, we answer to One. His name is Jesus Christ.
I could list many more facts but I won't bore you with them at the moment. Let's face it. It is human nature to want to control someone else and that is basically exactly what someone is doing when they start talking preaching on "authority". I realized a long time ago that all the preaching on the subject I'd heard in my life was based solely on the desire of that person to control others.
Dear "pastor". There is no Biblical case in the Scriptures to be made that sets anyone in "authority".... when they're WRONG! No lie is of the truth. No authority exists in a lie. I've was told by a deacon of a church one time that "I'm with him even if he's wrong". I really couldn't believe my ears. Yes. Everyone is wrong. Everyone is continually wrong. Everyone is a lowly sinner incapable of ceasing from sin. At every turn we fail and fail miserably. However, this doesn't make a case for "authority". Authority without TRUTH doesn't exist. No one is bound by a lie. If what you are preaching is wrong, you do not have ANY authority.
Dear "pastor". Just because Paul sent Timothy and Titus around to ordain deacons and leaders in the various local churches he established or taught...... doesn't mean you can follow the exact same procedure and "somehow".... you're "magically" somehow in a place of "authority". Nothing could be further from the truth. Maybe you've never noticed this or not, but Timothy and Titus had to make choices when it came to placing someone in authority in each church. There were no doubt multiple people that meet the qualification Paul had established in discerning leaders. Timothy and Titus had to choose between these candidates. Just because you meet the qualifications doesn't mean you're somehow chosen. In fact, Timothy and Titus did a great job. A unique job. You will not find any better people to do the job that Timothy and Titus performed. In fact, they're no doubt "gone out of the way". We don't have men making those same quality decisions today. In fact, "all men seek their own. Not the things that be of Christ". There has been a great falling away that has taken place. A devistating falling away in so much all sense of authority has been lost. In other words, "pastor". You can't make a Biblical case for the authority you claim.
Dear "pastor". Why do you want others to be like you? Why make others chargable to you? You haven't obviously noticed that there are much better examples to be found. Much better examples to be followed. They are found in the Scriptures. In the Bible. In fact, everyone should study them..... themselves. Get it for themselves. Why should you be an example when I can find Jesus right on the pages of the Bible myself? I can read the words of Paul and the other apostles just as good as you can.
Dear follower of Christ, why would you trust your beliefs to another? Why would you want someone else to define what you believe about the Bible? You can read it yourself. I'm not asking anyone to follow me. I gave that some time ago. I realized I was worth following. What I am asking you do is to seek Jesus yourself. We are all in desperate need of Him.
"Authority". Yes. I know just where authority begins and ends. They are called the Scriptures. To Truth of God revealed to humanity is written Word. Are they difficult to understand. Somewhat at times. I tell you they are much more difficult to live than they will ever be to believe.
Seek Christ always. I've found that He is so much better than anyone else.
"Each Other".....
While I believe it is so very obvious that authority exists solely in the Truth, just how do we "fit" among one another?
Its called "Love".
This "Love" can be broken into two perspectives. God's love in us..... and our love for one another.
We can't deny the issues that exist among God's own. All those that make up the "Bride of Christ". The "Redeemed". The "Chosen". The "Elect". We have some very serious problems. We are so fractured and devided that we can't even simply worship God together without breaking off into fractured assemblies controlled by powerless, self appointed people who say they want to help us when they most assuredly want to help themselves. Even when you find someone that sincerly wants to server others, they're often in the wrong area of service trying to use gifts that they don't have and can't fake.
God loved His own. A fractured people, seperated and controlled by slave masters yelling "Tithe" you heathens... "Tithe". He loved them so much, He gave every single one "GIFTS". No, I'm not talking about foretelling the future. No, I'm not talking about some supposed heavenly language that the devil can't understand..... (like that is has every stopped God from doing something because the Devil knew about it).
I'm talking about your place in the crowd!!!!!!!!!
I honestly believe, that seeing a Gift in action is one of the most precious things we can witness in this life. Its divinely witnessing "God in action".... God uses Gifted people just at the right time and in exactly the right place. No. Its not often found in the local sermon down at the local church house. No. Its not often found in the Sunday School specially designed for the charter member's relative that wants to feel good about their service to Christ. No. Its not often found from the lips of hateful people that do nother more than drive God's children further and further into bondage and opression. They don't need slogans, marketing campaigns, and bright lights. They just look for the shadows when Jesus shows up.
I've often wanted to do "Big Things" for God. I really have.... Do you know something BIG.... we can all do for God? Just believe Him! He's always had problems with people just believing Him.
Do you want to find God in action?????
Find Gifted people. I've had the priviledge of knowing a few. Yes. Still sinners. Lowly sinners. Yet, God's power rest on them because of His Love for His own.... and their Love for Him.
Love one another..... to be continued.