THE LORD AND SAVIOR HAS ALL AUTHORITY - 4

 

The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans 16:16)

 

 

1.  PLEASE NOTE:  the will of man has long been pitted against the will of God.
    a.  The chief priests and elders challenged the teaching of Christ (Matthew 21:23-26).
    b.  On that occasion the Jews asked Jesus two questions:
        1.  what authority did He have for His action?
        2.  and, who gave Him that authority?
2.  The Master Teacher replied with a question.
    a.  He asked, “The baptism of John, where was it from?  From heaven or from men?”
    b.
  This reply of Jesus (Matthew 21:25) makes it clear
        1.  that He regarded man as having only TWO possible sources of authority
        2.
  for religious beliefs and practices:
        3.  From Heaven (that is, from God) or from men.
3.  Again, it is clear that every religious act
    a.  is done either by Divine Authority or by mere HUMAN authority.
    b.  To perform a religious act by only human authority is to be guilty of sin (Matt. 15:9).


4.  Who has all AUTHORITY?
    a.  The words of Jesus could not be more clear.
    b.  He said, “…All authority (power) hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).
5.  God the Father had already said, “…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;
            hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5).
6.  Why should anyone and everyone hear Jesus?
    a.  Because Jesus has ALL authority!
    b.  No man, be he the pope, Joseph Smith, Jr., or yourselves...
        1.  no man has the authority to make
        2.  and bind religious laws on the Saints of God except Jesus.
    c.  Such is the reason the writer of Hebrews says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers
            manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days
            spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also
            he made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2).


7.  TODAY, GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS SON!
    a.  But how does Jesus speak to us?
    b.  He speaks to us through His inspired word, the Bible.
8.  The authority of Christ and the authority of the Bible are inseparable.
    a.  Jesus drives this truth home in saying, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my
            sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall
            judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).


9.  But someone will ask, “Why should I follow the Bible?
    a.  Where did the Bible come from?”
    b.  Didn't the Bible come from the Jews?
        1.  Didn't the Bible come from the Catholic church?
        2.  Didn't the Bible come from the White man?
10. The source of the Bible is clearly identified.
    a.  Peter says, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
            interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men
            of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:20-21).
    b.  Man has the obligation to respect the above truth
    c.  spoken by the Holy Spirit through Peter.
11. Paul also was guided to say, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
            for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man
            of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).


12. The Bible - the Word of God - came to man from God!
    a.  From whence came all the doctrines and commandments of men?
    b.  They came from the devil (1 Timothy 4:1-6)!
13. If you are a member of a man-made denominational church,
    a.  you are following a doctrine of the devil.
    b.  Only love could cause us to tell you this (Eph. 4:15).
    c.  So please don’t become our enemy because we are telling you the truth (cf. Gal. 4:16).
14. Study your Bible.
    a.  Learn the truth.
    b.  Obey the truth.
        1.  Teach the truth.
        2.  God will bless you with eternal life for your efforts.


15. You can become just a Christian.
    a.  You can do that today.
    b.  You have heard the Word of God (Luke 8:8ff; Acts 15:7).
    c.  You surely know that you must believe what you have heard (John 8:24; Rom. 10:17; Heb. 11:6).
16. Your FAITH will cause you to repent of your sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30),
    a.  confess Jesus the Christ as Lord, the Son of God (Matt. 10:32; Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9-10),
    b.  and be immersed (baptized) in water to wash away your sins (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 22:16)
    c.  by the blood of Jesus (Matt. 26:28; Rev. 1:5).

17. When your faith causes you to obey these commands,
    a.  you will be forgiven of all past sin (Acts 2:38),
    b.  sealed by the gift of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13),
        1.  saved (Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21),
        2.  and added to the Lord’s church (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:47).
18. You come up out of the grave of baptism rejoicing,
    a.  knowing you have been born again (John 3:3, 5; Acts 8:38-39);
    b.  and thus, you are a New Creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 3:27) - A Christian

    c.  (not a Mormon, Catholic, Baptist, etc.).
19. Trials and tribulations will come (1 Pet. 4:12-13),
    a.  but all that matters is the hope of Eternal Joy
    b.  which awaits your faithful obedience unto death (Rom. 8:18; Rev. 2:10).

 

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