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Do Not Usurp The Authority Of God: A Warning To All Christians

Authority: The power and the right to rule. The power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge.

When it comes to the Christian religion, all power (authority) rests in God. It was vested in Jesus Christ after he was risen from the dead and he explained that to his disciples when he appeared to them:

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20 KJV)

From this, and other passages, we can see that he was to be head of the church and he remains so. He has the authority until the end of time when he shall return the authority to God, the Father.

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28 KJV)

Now, Jesus transferred the authority for the rules of his church to his Apostles and sent them power via the Holy Spirit to bring to their remembrance all things which he had told them, and to guide them into all truths. His law was not available for people to read or learn in any way except through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to the 12 apostles, 13 after Paul was added later. They wrote the words of Christ as they were inspired of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, all authority is contained in the scriptures written by those inspired writers. Others received inspiration also by the apostles laying their hands on them.

All authority for the Christian is contained in those 26 books of the New Testament and we are warned not to add to those words or to take from them.

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 21:18-19 KJV)

Many people have taken it upon themselves to make their own rules. Some say you do not have to do this, when the New Testament plainly tells us to. Some say it is alright to do this, when the bible condemns it. And, there are things which are not mentioned that should not be considered neutral. There are three ways we may accept things as being proper. One is by direct statements or commands. Another by approved examples…that which was done by the apostles or by the early Christians who had been endowed with understanding from the laying on of the apostles hands. And third, necessary inferences or necessary conclusions.

When specifications are given as to how to do something, nothing more should be added. If an order or command is given to do something but does not explain how, then the choice of how is left to us. But when the “how” is specified, we have no authority to do it differently. The Old Testament is filled with good examples of people who did add to or take from, or who ignored the directions and they were severely punished. So, be careful, and study the word of God to be assured you are doing things according to the pattern given in the New Testament. This is one reason I often ask the question: “How can one obey God if they don’t know what he says?” 

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