Ascertaining Bible Authority 21719 Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority

Ascertaining Bible Authority 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 1

“And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12: 47 -48). 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 2

“Ultimately, submitting to God’s authority and grace is the essence of what it means to be His people. We cannot properly claim to be disciples of Jesus if we are refusing His authority. He is Lord. He is the King. He has all power. Since we are subjects to the King, then we ought to be concerned in how to understand His will for us…When we are saying we have God’s authority we are claiming we have His permission to act” --- Doy Moyer, Mind the King 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 3

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns” (Isa. 52: 7) 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 4

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Mt. 28: 18) “Why do you call me ‘Lord, ’ and not do what I tell you? (Lk. 6: 46) “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col. 3: 16, 23 -24) 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 5

“Perhaps no other doctrine is emphasized so frequently as the principle of authority. The Scriptures make clear that from the beginning of history, God has required people to structure their behavior based upon God’s will. We human beings have no right to formulate our own ideas concerning religious truth. We must have God’s approval for everything we do. 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 6

Paul articulated this extremely important principle in Colossians 3: 17 a: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. ” What did the apostle mean by the statement “do everything in the name of the Lord”? ” --- Dave Miller, Piloting the Straits 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 7

Recognizing the right standard of authority It is not … It is… 1. The authority of 1. What parents Christ (Matt. 28: 18) believe/teach. 2. What the majority 2. Spoken through the Son (Heb. 1: 1 -2) believes. 3. Religious leaders 3. The apostles as they spoke by the and scholars authority of Christ advocate. (Jhn. 14: 26; 16: 13) 4. Custom/tradition. 4. The word Christ 5. Human creeds. gave by the apostles 6. 2/17/19 The church. --- Fink Ascertaining is Biblecomplete Authority - #1 8 and

• How is the church to organize itself? Does it matter? • Is one church as good as another? • Does it matter how we worship? • Is baptism essential to salvation? • Does it matter how money from the treasury is to be used? • Can we use an instrument in worship? • Is it wrong to have a gymnasium? Can we have a softball team? 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 9

• Do we have to take the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week? • Is it wrong to forsake the assembly? • Can women preach? • Can one be divorced for any reason? • Can one marry one of the same sex? • Does one have to be a member of a local church? 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 10

“More and more Christians are not grounded in how to ascertain and apply Bible authority. While most Christians agree that we must have Bible authority for all that we believe and do, many do not know where to go from there. This has led to many unauthorized and sinful doctrines and practices within churches of Christ (1 Jhn 3: 4). Saying we must have Bible authority is one thing, but being able to properly ascertain and apply Bible authority is another. ” --- Dave Miller, Ibid 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 11

Definitions • Authority: “Legal or rightful power; a right to command or act; dominion; jurisdiction. ” (Webster) • Hermeneutic : “A method or principle of interpretation” (Webster) 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 12

What is the “New Hermeneutic? ” • Hermeneutic has to do with the interpretation and understanding of the Bible. • Within the church the proponents of this view criticize with zeal the ideas of applying scripture with practices of the past, including the command, example, and necessary inference triad (CENI). 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 13

“The “new hermeneutic” is not the result of simple Bible study and a sincere desire for the truth. Rather, it is born out of a reactionary attempt to express and it rejects pattern theology” --- Dave Miller, Ibid, pg. 114 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 14

There are two, and only two, sources of authority in religion (Mt. 21: 23 -25) “And when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto Him as He was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou do these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell Me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? ” 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 15

The Jews struggled with this concept and attempted to establish their own man-made righteousness (Rom. 10: 1 -3) “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (KJV) 2/17/19 --- Fink Ascertaining Bible Authority - #1 16