The Potter’s House Morning Fellowship: “Authority”
Authority: Its Relevance to Eternal Life; 7 Points
Introduction
1. Mediation
2. Epistemology
3. Law
4. Judgment
5. Leadership
6. Truth
7. Unity
Conclusion
Introduction
How funny. You slave over an article for days and people will barely read it or comment on it, but this week, I spent 15 minutes to produce this poster and it ignited a fire storm. People are clamoring about wanting it to be put on a T-shirt, and the post has 180 comments and counting.
The subject of authority seems to hit a nerve in our day. We know that we must fear God, but has God appointed gifted men to lead the masses by proxy? Are we responsible to God’s appointed authorities, or are we answer directly to God?
This was the big question in my own life as I was confronted by church leaders in regard to demands that were obviously not biblical according to a grammatical understanding of the Bible. Did they have the authority to be wrong? Were they gifted to see truth in a way that I couldn’t? Was I accountable for obeying them? Was I covered from accountability if I did? What about the right gospel? Where does that fit in?
1. Let’s begin our study at the beginning. Genesis, Chapter 3.
A. Mediation
a. Interpretation
B. It all begins here with the only two religions in the world.
a. Mediation versus individual accountability.
b. Anthropology
- Man’s competence to understand reality.
- Philosophy
C. The oldest religion in the world came from this construct.
a. The caste system.
- Philosopher Kings
D. It immediately shows up in world history.
a. The many following the few.
- The Flood
- The Tower of Babel
- 1Samuel, Chapter 8.
2. Epistemology
A. Deuteronomy 29:29
B. Deuteronomy 30:11-18.
C. Mathew 5: 1,2.
3. Law
A. The Nuremberg Trials
B. Romans 2:12-16
4. Judgment
A. Man will be judged individually by God.
B. The two judgments and the gospel.
a. The Gospel
- Condemnation
- Rewards
5. Leadership, not authority.
A. Matthew 20:20-28
B. 1 Cor 11:1; “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.
C. The Bereans in Acts 17:10 ff.
D. Hebrews 13:17
E. Acts 5:29
a. Nuremburg
6. Truth
A. Bible calls for obedience to the truth.
7. Unity
A. One mind in Christ.
a. In context of home fellowships.
Conclusion
There is only one mediator between God and man—Jesus Christ. These are the only two religions in the world: spiritual caste versus Jesus Christ as the only mediator.
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
Reblogged this on Clearcreek Chapel Watch.
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Paul,
Thank you for this video (And Susan also, you are a team.). It is SO sorely needed. Can you tell by the response to your authority picture? 🙂 Today’s church IS the picture of authority & hierarchy & it has no place there. God is the authority.
I agree with you. It is by persuasion (& love) & not authority (force). No one has any spiritual authority over another. No one can MAKE someone believe. Yes, everyone (including Christians) should be concerned with behavior & want & enforce justice, but that is a totally separate issue from making someone believe in God. God does not force anyone to follow or believe. Proof? People die without ever following or believing (Of course Cals say God forced these people not to believe. That’s the kind of God they choose to worship.).
Most Calvinists seem to have it backwards. They are more concerned with making someone believe in God than in enforcing justice. Most are all for spiritual authority & over/under positions.
What you say, think, believe, teach you strongly defend. At the same time, you implore others to think & do their own due diligence. I have never seen you tell someone to believe because you are “teacher”. That’s a HUGE difference.
Just like wisdom yelling in the streets. She is loudly teaching. There’s no doubt she will be heard. However, Wisdom doesn’t force or make people wise AT ALL. LOL Although there will be unavoidable peril if she isn’t heeded (no laughing matter). That’s another point to be highlighted. They do not take wisdom seriously (wisdom is personified as female in Proverbs). Proverbs holds so much good for life, if heeded. They focus on teaching theology more precisely instead (think Randy & the pics on the authority poster). Like how to technically say without saying people are laptops & God is the programmer. You know how that goes…. Anyway, it doesn’t & never will produce wise, thinking Christians.
Bravo! Keep on keeping on. And you & Susan love yourselves. Jesus deems you worthy. 🙂
And Andy’s last video was great.
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Thanks for the encouragement–will pass it on to Susan.
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Just to be clear in case anyone becomes confused… We want & enforce justice. We protect the innocent. We do not force anyone to believe in God. That is their choice. Many Cals & reformed get this backwards.
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