blackbird

"THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE Richard L. Mayhue Senior Vice President and Dean Professor of Theology and Pastoral Ministries After a brief look at the general concept of “authority,” this essay continues with an introductory discussion concerning the authority of God. It is developed in terms of (1) the declarations of Scripture; (2) the displays in God’s names, nature, and prerogatives; and (3) Satan’s denial. Then, God’s authority is discussed as it is invested in Scripture in the sense that the Bible is the voice of God and therefore speaks with His full authority. God’s authority in Scripture can thus be described as original, unalterable, exclusive, permanent, ultimate, obligatory, and consequential. Scripture is to be authoritatively preached and submissively obeyed since the Author of and the authority within will reward righteous obedience and condemn those who disregard and disobey His authority in Scripture. * * * * * The concept of authority is thoroughly woven into the fabric of Scripture. It is unmistakably obvious from Gen 1:1 (“In the beginning God created …” 1 ) to Rev 22:20 (“Yes, I am coming quickly.”) and everywhere between. This idea of “ultimate right” is inextricably linked with God’s sovereignty (Rom 11:36). Just how important is the authority of Scripture? Listen carefully to one of the preeminent Reformers when he spoke to this very question at the Diet of Worms in April, 1521. Martin Luther, under intense pressure to recant regarding “justification by faith” and other recently embraced truths from the Bible, responded to Meister Eck in this fashion: Since then Your Majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen. What is truly known about authority did not originate outside of Scripture, but rather within. Thus, it is not a secular concept that has been co-opted by religion. On the contrary, it is a sacred element of the very Person of God. What Scripture properly teaches about authority has actually been shamefully distorted by this world’s system and wrongfully employed by all world religions. This essay intends to explore what Scripture itself teaches about authority, especially its own. AUTHORITY The rightful idea of authority has fallen on hard times at the start of the twenty-first century. Illegitimate forms and expressions of authority range from the illegal and abusive exercise of authoritarianism/totalitarianism to individual authority which emerges from a postmodern mindset of selfishness. The appropriate approach to the discussion commences with a working definition of authority in general, especially legitimate authority exercised in a proper fashion. A representative dictionary definition records that authority is the “Power or right to enforce obedience; moral or legal supremacy; right to command or give a final decision.” 3 Bernard Ramm suggests, Authority itself means that right or power to command action or compliance, or to determine belief or custom, expecting obedience from those under authority, and in turn giving responsible account for the claim to right or power.4 The NT noun (102 times) most commonly translated “authority” is ¦>@LF\" (exousia). A representative lexical definition reads, “The power exercised by rulers or others in high position by virtue of their office.” 5 There are many approaches to authority in a secular worldview, e.g., 1. oligarchical – authority exercised by a powerful few. 2. democratic – authority exercised by the people. 3. hereditary – authority exercised by those in a particular family. 4. despotic – authority exercised by one or more in an evil fashion. 5. personal – authority exercised by one person. However, with a biblical worldview, original authority and ultimate authority reside with God and God alone. God did not inherit His authority—there was no one to bequeath it to Him. God did not receive His authority—there was no one to bestow it on Him. God’s authority did not come by way of an election—there was no one to vote for Him. God did not seize His authority—there was no one to steal it from. God did not earn His authority—it was already His. God inherentl yembodies authority because He is the great “I AM” (Exod 3:14; John 8:58) -tms.edu Notice the article says God will reward righteous obedience to Scripture and condemn those who disregard and disobey His authority in Scripture. The fact that there is a God who revealed himself in his creation and communicated his revelation to man in the Holy Scripture means we are accountable to Him.

"19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" Romans 1:19, 20 So you see, the proof of God is all around you in the creation, but you can't see it.

There is proof the Bible came from God. Google authority of the Bible and read some of the article. One is at bible.org

There is proof in the Bible that it did come from God. “Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! Truly I am God, I have no peer; I am God, and there is none like me, who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, ‘My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,’ who summons an eagle from the east, from a distant land, one who carries out my plan. Yes, I have decreed, yes, I will bring it to pass; I have formulated a plan, yes, I will carry it out” (Isaiah 46:9-11). These verses clearly teach that the fact of inspiration and the facts of history when taken together will prove whether or not a prophet had written the words of God. One unique feature of the Bible is the vast amount of prophecy or prediction concerning future events it contains. God challenges men to examine these, prophecies to see whether or not they have been fulfilled! For a prediction to be fulfilled in the way and in the time foretold by the prophet is proof that God spoke through the prophet. We will study this in detail in later lessons. This test can be applied to thousands of predictions in the Bible leading to the conclusion that God has spoken. The Bible’s claim to be inspired by the Holy Spirit is the only possible answer to the amazing mystery of the foretelling of the future in accurate detail." - bible.org

The Bible says God created us in his own image and he loves us. He does care what happens to us. He has ordained that no one should kill another. Once that command is violated, a pandora's box is opened and there is no limit to what man can think he can do.

I thought I answered you. What specifically was your question? I don't agree with anybody denying homosexuals their rights. They should not be persecuted or harassed. Everyone should have the same human rights. I think they have the same rights as everyone else.

I believe complexity of life does negate the accident theory. Yes bad things happened in history. That was partly because the Holy Roman Empire controlled the western world and even controlled kings, rulers, and everyone. That was a false religion not based on the Bible. It was tyrannical. Fortunately many western countries had the Reformation and broke free from it. Still bad things happened in countries that were still under it's influence or control, like Hitler and the Nazis.

Hopefully your life won't end that way, but the health care system does have many kinds of pain medications they use for people who have a lot of pain. You sound like you are willing to give up right away and call for the death needle.

Yes, I know there are theories, like Darwins Theory of Evolution. This has been debunked by many scientists. I have a little book called "Refuting Evolution" by Jonathan Sarfati, Ph.D. You may want to read that too. The website creation.com also has articles. The faulty theory of evolution has had terrible consequences for the world. The book carefully refutes evolution theory on a number of basis.

Western civilization is built on Judeo-Christian principles that recognize the rights and dignity of the individual. Eastern civilization does not. The complexity of the creation is evident in millions of ways that should demonstrate that the idea of an accident is nonsensical. gene: In biology, a gene (from Greek, meaning generation) is a basic unit of heredity and a sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA that encodes the synthesis of a gene product, either RNA or protein. During gene expression, the DNA is first copied into RNA. The RNA can be directly functional or be the intermediate template for a protein that performs a function. The transmission of genes to an organism's offspring is the basis of the inheritance of phenotypic traits. These genes make up different DNA sequences called genotypes.

No, not really. It is far more rational to believe the complex universe required an intelligent designer (God) to design and create it than to say it happened by itself, which makes no sense at all. Some of the greatest scientists that ever lived will tell you that.

The accident theory has been dismissed by many famous scientists because it provides no explanation for the complexity of creation and life for example. The claim of some kind of cosmic accident explains nothing really. It doesn't even explain how the atomic particles and the laws of physics that govern their motions and actions came into existence. The existence of a Creator who designed and created everything seems far more logical than to say it all came about by accident. Even microscopic things like the genes are so complex that it is unimaginable that they just happened by accident.

I see my belief in the sanctity of human life is a valid opinion that the government should consider when making the laws. It is the same reason we have laws against murder or stealing or anything else. I don't control what other people do or have the right to do. You seem to think my belief is directly denying the rights of other people, but yours is not. Your view which you admit is based on atheism, actually doesn't fit in with western civilization's historic Judeo-Christian society. You worry about your right to assisted dying, but the human rights which you enjoy in western society actually grew out of Judeo-Christian principles of respect for individual human life and dignity. That is nonn-existent in Communist countries like China. The individual has no human rights in such systems.

I realize there are a lot of atheists on these forums. I have spoken with them for several years. But I have never heard a rational explanation from one of them where the creation came from if not from a Creator.

Of course you are free to live your life based on whatever laws allow you to do. We are all free to agree or disagree with laws. You want to know why I don't agree with assisted dying or more correctly suicide, I tried to explain. If you want to know more about the reasons I gave you the references and site to find it. It's up to you now. Nothing really to argue about. But it is fiction to say I control but your beliefs do not control. Neither of us controls anything except our own lives. But we could discuss it rationally, like why do claim to be an atheist? Where do you think everything came from?

I don't "control" anyone. That is your fiction. You are free to believe what you wish.

I see you replied right away without reading anything of the reference I gave you which explains why the Bible is the word of God. I gave you the information to look up. It is up to you. If you choose not to read it, that is entirely your choice.

I replied above to your comments on the authority of the Bible and God. I cannot control what other people do and never claimed to. But everyone who wishes can express their opinions and beliefs in western democratic countries. Secular humanists, Communists, Socialist, Capitalists, atheists, agnostics, liberals, conservatives, globalists, nationalists, and people with various religious beliefs all express their opinions and governments make the laws based on everyone's opinions and deciding from that.

The Bible is the authority and there is only one God, the God who inspired men to write the Bible. I cannot go into it all here because it would take forever. But you can easily Google and read the evidence yourself if you are interested in finding out or at least weighing the evidence. "There are many books today that claim to be the Word of God. The Koran, the Islam holy book, claims to be the Word of God. The Book of Mormon claims to be the Word of God. The Hindus believe the Bhagavad Gita is the source of eternal truth. Karl Marx, with his atheistic worldview, claimed his writing, The Communist Manifesto, was the ultimate truth. We Christians believe the Bible to be the Word of God and the eternal source of truth we live by. How do we know the Bible is the Word of God? Can we actually prove that the Bible is truly the Word of God? The answer is yes." Check this website called Evidence and Answers. Authority of the Bible – Evidence and Answers This site does not let me paste the URL here for some reason. You would have to Google the words Authority of the Bible - Evidence and Answers and look for the website.

I don't think you can compare humans with animals. God has given man dominion over all animals. This is why we eat animals, fish, and fowl. "3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; {All…: Heb. Flocks and oxen all of them} 8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" Psalm 8:3-9 KJB As for your other point about breeding, people are free to have as many children as they wish. Yes, there are diseases and wars in the world. It is not a perfect world and never has been since the fall of man in the garden of Eden when Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Man fell and the world became a corrupt, evil place. However, in spite of that, God still commands man to love thy neighbour as himself. So the first order is for one to take care of himself and his own family. Since we have a government that is able to throw hundreds of billions of dollars out there to take care of people and since the governments in the country set up a public health care system, it should include care for the old, infirm, handicapped, and elderly.

"quite perverse" ...to take care of society's handicapped, ill and old people? hmmm The writer of Mein Kampf would probably agree with you.

Yes the government has failed miserably to take care of the old people in care homes. It is a complete disaster. As far as the government is concerned, they are willing and ready to oblige the population with medical assistance in suicide. It is far less expensive to help the people kill themselves at $400 a person than it is to provide proper palliative care which could cost tens of thousands of dollars a year. The answer is not to cave in to the death culture but to demand and force the government to provide proper care for people or throw the government out.

"The Party regularly reminds the Chinese people of the country’s century of humiliation at the hands of foreigners. Striking back by appropriating technology for the motherland can seem downright patriotic." Mulroney, David. Middle Power, Middle Kingdom . Penguin Canada. Kindle Edition.

Sorry to have to differ with you, but it has everything to do with the Creator of the universe and Creator of man. He will hold us accountable after death whether one believes it or not. According to the Bible all the evil actions of men will be judged but there is forgiveness for those who believe the gospel and are saved. Everyone else is lost for eternity.

Turning the medical system into institutions administering death and having doctors and nurses trained to administer death is not my idea of a civilized country that cares for people. It is a descent into barbarism and uncivilized behavior. When you get old or are dealing with serious medical problems, I hope you can trust the doctors and medical system that they are sincerely trying to save your life and not take the easy way out and end it or just let you die when it's not necessary. Because the attitude of medical professionals toward life will change as it is devalued. The only thing that could possibly deliver people from the death mentality is the Bible and gospel of Jesus Christ which includes respecting human life as sacred and loving they neighbour as thyself. When life ends is God's domain, not man's.