Category: Authority
Subject: Authority
“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”
This article is an examination of Peter’s words in 1 Peter 2:4-8. What is the meaning of Christ being the cornerstone? What does it mean to reject Him? How does rejecting Him affect one, if it does at all?
Signs Given for Faith and Salvation
God told Ezekiel that he would “take away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke” (Ezekiel 24:16). The “desire” of the prophet’s…
Lording It Over
“Power tends to corrupt,” Lord Acton said, “and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” When greatness is defined by the…
A1 – The Logical Consequence of Belief in God
Video Script: The Logical Consequence of Belief in God (A1)
It makes no sense at all to acknowledge the existence of a supreme being who has the ability to create a universe and the life in it, and then be unconcerned about knowing who that God is, and what He is like. And it is just as illogical to think that you can know who He is and what He is like unless He has revealed Himself to you!
Creation, Faith, and the Authority of God
The author of Hebrews writes, “Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing unto him; for he that comes to God must believe that…
“Paul, An Apostle of Jesus Christ”
The New Testament abounds with evidence that Paul was a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ. He possessed the authority of an apostle, and his epistles contain the teachings that we are to follow today.
General Truths in Proverbs
The book of Proverbs paints pictures of various topics that wisdom affects. A primary focus in the book is the consequences of choices people make. Proverbs…
Are We Relevant?
Several times in the history of Watchman Magazine I have written articles explaining the present state of the effort, and desires for the future. As…
Love Authority
When the will of God is assembled and active, it should become apparent that love is the reason behind it–love of God and love of neighbor will find expression when God’s will is heeded. If ever we find ourselves yearning to do something on which God’s will is either silent or prohibitive, you can be sure there is a flaw in our reasoning and what looks like love really is something less.
The Law of Equivalences
Studying the Bible is a great joy. The truths that are found within the pages of God’s word have value that the world cannot measure…
Doing the First Works: The Mission of Christ and His Church
What Exactly IS the Mission of Christ and His Church? This seems like such an obvious question, yet there is so much confusion about such…
Review of “Anti-ism — From God or Man?” (1)
In 2006 the small group wearing the moniker “Spring Church of Christ” in Spring, Texas hosted their annual “Contending For the Faith Lectureship.” In that year the topic under consideration was “Anti-ism—From God Or Man?” In conjunction with the lectureship series, a lecture book was printed to help further the spread of their intended message. What will follow is a series of articles reviewing portions of that lecture book.
Exorcism And Demon Possession
The subject of exorcism has fascinated people for centuries. In our modern day, Catholic priests all over the world claim to exorcise demonic spirits out…
Should Christians Be “Sound” Or “Conservative?”
Do we realize there is a problem in asking if a church is “conservative” or “liberal” when the real question should be to determine if…
Establishing Authority in the New Testament (2 of 2)
When we find the authorized will of God through direct command, example, or inference we must accept the answer. Many have been guilty of saying, “Well, God didn’t say we could not do that.” Let us learn that an important principle of establishing Bible authority for all that we do and say is God’s silence. When God delivers His divine will through command, example, or inference we must be content with the command and not look to some sort of loop hole out. When God commands all other options are made null and void (see Acts 8:20-21; Hebrews 7:12-17).
Establishing Bible Authority (1 of 2)
God is no respecter of persons. No man is above the law of God. Neither Moses (Numbers 20:1-12), David (1 Samuel 21:1-6; Matthew 12:3-6; 2 Samuel 12:10-14), or even Solomon (1 Kings 11:1ff) were excused from meeting Jehovah’s standards perfectly. No matter what man’s approach and attitude his divinely appointed responsibility remains the same. Man is to know his place in this creation. We are created by God and must humbly and fearfully submit to His every standard. Those who do so have ever been promised a beautiful and peaceful eternity (see Proverbs 8:20-21).
Shall We Have Elders?
Let me say clearly from the beginning that there is biblical example for elders. In Paul’s letter to Titus Paul wrote, For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you (Titus 1:5). The indication here is that one of the things that was lacking was the absence of elders. This is also an indication that a church can function without elders; it is just lacking. In Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7 Paul gives the young preachers the qualifications for elders. Why would Jesus gives us these qualifications if we do not need or cannot have elders today?
The Open Ended Gospel
We have in our nation the majority of people who live out a buffet religion, rather than the true faith that God longs for us to have. By using the phrase buffet religion, I simply mean that there are those who pick and choose certain things out of the scriptures in which they want to follow, and leave the rest, much like we do at a food buffet.
Reverence Is Not Legalism
Not abiding in Christ’s doctrine is going beyond it; going beyond what is revealed to that which is not and asserting that one can take advantage of God’s silence to authorize anything not specifically condemned. The principle is clear – going beyond what we can read is sinful; God’s silence is golden and must be revered and not broken.
