• Bible Authority
• A subject that needs to be repeated often.

• Why Do We Need To Discuss Bible Authority?
• Most people do not fear God and keep His commandments.
• Many teachers are willing to accommodate the people’s desires. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
• Much error is taught.
• Continued error allows people to accept it as truth.
• Souls will be lost because of error.

• The Problem With Error
• People who teach and practice error are out of fellowship with God.
• 1 John 2:3-4 “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know him’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;”
• They will be rejected by Jesus
• Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord’, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’.”
• Souls will be lost by believing error.
• To save souls from hell is one of the Christians highest duties.
• Thus we MUST speak when error is taught.
• So we turn to the word of God, the Bible to establish God’s will for mankind.
• The Bible Is Truth
• Belongs to the character of God
• Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He”.
• Belongs to the character of Jesus
• John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
• Thus we must preach the truth
• 1 Peter 4:11 “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen”.
• Truth is derived from God’s word
• John 17:17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth”.
• John 8:32 “"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
• If the truth is going to make us free, we must go to Truth and practice this truth so that we can be free. The only place to learn this truth is found in God’s word.
• 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.”

• God’s Authority
• God is Sovereign -- ALL subject to Him
• God has revealed His will:
• Via the Patriarchs (Fathers) Hebrews 1:1
• Via the Law (Moses) Hebrews 1:1
• Via the Prophets Hebrews 1:1
• Finally through the Son. Hebrews 1:2

• Jesus’ Authority
• The Son has been given authority over all.
• ALL authority -- Matthew 28:18
• His words will judge us -- John 12:48
• Jesus spoke with authority -- Matthew 7:29
• Jesus delegated this authority to His apostles who were also guided by the Holy Spirit.

• Holy Spirit Authority
• Limited to the instruction from God and Jesus. (John 16:13)
• Guided the apostles and early church into maturity. (Ephesians 4:11-12)
• Revealed the word of God to all mankind via the Bible.
• The Bible is our ultimate and final authority on all matters dealing with spirituality, salvation, truth, and religion.

• How To Determine Bible Authority
• Learn it Carefully (Deuteronomy 5:1)
• Do not add, do not subtract. (Deut. 4:2)
• Let the Bible have the final say in a matter.
• Read ALL that the Bible has to say on a matter.
• ALL must agree with each other passage.
• There are no contradictions.

• Authority Is Established By:
• Statement of Fact
• Expressed Command
• Approved Apostolic Example
• Necessary Influence –works with all above
• Respecting The Silence Of The Scripture

• Two Types Of Authority
• General Authority
• Includes everything necessary to execute the action.
• or Specific Authority
• Which limits what we are allowed to do.
• A Specific overrides a Generic every time, and it also eliminates everything else.

• How To Determine False Doctrine
• Some passages related to the topic must be ignored, distorted, twisted and added to in order to uphold a false doctrine.
A new (different from the Bible, not found in the scripture) vocabulary of words, terms, and definitions must be learned.
• Assumptions are frequent and treated as scripture.
Human reasoning and conclusions replace the Word of God.
Man becomes the final authority and not God.
• Man-made laws and solutions replace the Word of God.
• A false doctrine just does not fit with the other passages on the same subject.
• If one scripture bumps against other scriptures, like gears in a gear box that do not mesh with one another thus grinding, distorting, and breaking one another, something is wrong.
• All that God says on any topic will mesh and fit perfectly together.

• Truthful Doctrine
• It must come from a true source.
• It must rest upon a true source.
• It must support a true source.
• It must not have any flaws.
• It must not have any contradictions.
• It must not be bound by time.
• It must be accepted as it is without compromise or conditions.
• It must be respected.
• It must not contradict any scripture.
• It must not contradict any laws of God.
• It must not lead anyone into error.
• It must be doctrine and teaching that agrees with the word of God.

• Conclusion
• Error is being taught—souls being lost.
• Truth is available, but many ignore it.
• Authority (God, Christ, Holy Spirit, Bible)
• False Doctrines cause souls to be lost
• Truthful Doctrine is where salvation is found
• Must respect Bible Authority to go to Heaven.
• You have to want to know God’s word in order to do it. Ezra 7:10

• How To Get To Heaven
• Hear the Gospel
• Believe that Christ is the Son of God and that He died for your sins.
• Repent and turn away from your sins.
• Confess Christ in your life before men.
• Be Baptized for the remission of your sins.
• “Be thou faithful until death” Rev. 2:10
• Have you done these things?

By Carey Scott

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