By What Authority? part 1

In John 7, Jesus was attacked by the religious leaders of His day, challenging His teaching and His lack of form education. Jesus responded saying, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?” (John 7:16-19). Jesus powerfully declared that if we want to know what is right in accordance with God’s will, we can know the truth. We can examine evidence and know what is right and wrong.

The problem we see today is that people are unwilling to do the examination of what is and what is not authorized. People are not willing to open their Bibles and examine God’s word in comparison with man’s ideas. We must take the approach of those noble Berean brethren who did not take Paul’s teaching at face value but searched the Scriptures daily to find out what was right and what was wrong (Acts 17:11). Sadly, too many follow the example set by the scribes and Pharisees who had created their own man-made rules. They condemned the disciples of Jesus for not following their man-made rules. But Jesus made it very clear that these so called spiritual leaders were not keeping the Law of God, teaching instead the commandments of men. He said of them, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:1-9).

I wish I could say that was the last time men created their own system of worship and that everyone has turned back to seeking a “thus says the Lord” in all that they do. Even though we can know God’s will and we should reject man’s will, such is not always the case.

Case in point: this past week the Abilene Reporter News ran an article about the Highland church of Christ and their present plan for worship. The article is one that makes me sick at my stomach and angry at the same time. It is so frustrating how the article portrays the church that Jesus purchased with His own blood. It is aggravating to hear of the world view of the church and their exuberance in these erring brethren changing worship. It is heart breaking to hear of a group of people thinking they can do whatever they want in worship (Cf. John 4:24).

Over the next few weeks I am going to deal with this article and the actions of the people that worship at Highland as well as their satellite congregation. There is so much to deal with that one article cannot get it done. I encourage you to read this article each week as we study the errors of the people and the importance of sticking to God’s Word in worship and practice.

Paul challenged the Colossians saying “If you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulation…according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion…but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (Col. 2:20-23). This “self-imposed religion” (called “will worship” in the KJV), is nothing more than man choosing his own ways over the will of God. This self-chosen worship and self-chosen religion will condemn a soul to eternal punishment when this world is over.

The question is not “do I like it, want it, feel it is good” but “what does God say and what does He expect from me?” In coming weeks, we will discuss the subject in detail. It is too important to let slip by. Stick with us and study your Bible!