Making Your Choice From The Authority Smorgasbord
“Eventually, one central issue brought him to the doorstep of the Eastern Orthodox church. ‘The issue of authority,’ he explains. ‘I felt I was flying by the seat of my pants as a Christian. I would read Scripture and come to conclusions myself. At some point, I felt I had to submit myself to some authority outside of myself.'”
How does one decide what “religion” is the correct one? How does one find objective truth amid the whirling maelstrom of subjectivism? Whether it is Baptist or Catholic or Islam or in this case Eastern Orthodox, the progression of thought always begins with the assumption of mass incompetence – man’s “depravity.” If one begins with the premise that man is metaphysically unable to know truth, the conclusion is that he is therefore epistemologically disqualified from being able to make a correct ascertaining of truth.
Once you have bought into the assumption that man is not qualified to make a reasoned decision regarding truth, he MUST then relegate this decision to some authority. The irony then is that whatever “authority” is chosen is STILL a completely subjective decision. Man is still the one choosing which “authority” rules his life.
So who is ultimately to decide which “authority” is the correct one? It comes down to whichever one has the biggest stick, or which one is the most effective in its ability to use force to compel others into compliance. This is always the end result of this progression of thought: a force that must compel dictated good in the name of “God” or “allah” or “buddha” or whoever.
The thought process of the individual in the article linked below is a perfect example.
~ Andy
Theron’s Story: Why I Left Evangelicalism for Eastern Orthodoxy
https://trevinwax.wordpress.com/2006/11/08/therons-story-why-i-left-evangelicalism-for-eastern-orthodoxy/
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
Andy, it may be 11 years ago, but the link’s article is cringeworthy, as neither person knew the gospel! Both were shooting blanks in the dark, hoping to hit a duck. The interviewer is (was) as Calvinist as one can get.
Ya, which authority to choose, eh? Matthew 28:18 does it for me. Just as there is ONE mediator between us and God, so there is one authority, Jesus Christ. . . . and not a single man/woman.
Yesterday, I bumped into a lady I had known for a while and she said she was now doing her articles (I thought for an attorney or an auditor or something like that). “For theology,” she said.
“Theology?” I answered. “You need articles to tell people the gospel and to teach the Bible? How many of Jesus’ disciples did their articles?”
…the sound of silence.
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“doing her articles”? I don’t think I am familiar with that expression.
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Sorry, Andy, it’s a local/British term. I guess it must have another name where you are. This is from the mighty prof. Google: Articles: bind (a trainee solicitor, architect, surveyor, or accountant) to undergo a period of training with a firm in order to become qualified.
My son is doing his “articles” (3 years) with an international auditing firm, and this is to become a certified chartered accountant worldwide. (He has a bachelor’s degree which took him 4 years and which he completed at College/university.) In my son’s case, after his articles, he’ll be a certified chartered accountant (CA). He is now in his second year of articles. They basically have to show competencies (and gather “marks”, experience) in various sections: tax, auditing, finance control, etc. There are also two 8 hour exams to test these competencies. He’s already written the one exam and aced it. He was top of the class throughout his university career and was offered a job when he was only 17! Now, other countries are hunting him and he is considering New Zealand.
So this woman, who is working towards her “doctorate” in theology, has to do her “articles” too. I wonder where she’s going to do them, hence her silence at my question at her.
This article (yes, deliberate pun) explains better than I can: http://paulmaughan.co.za/2017/01/31/52/
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The interviewer is Trevin Wax, manager of the non-gospel project. If you think that is cringe worthy, try sitting in a Sunday School that uses that rag.
Where were the Christians during the long spans of church history? Being hunted down like dogs and killed. They don’t like it when you go against their authority.
We have a church not far from where I grew up that used to be called Bohemian Baptist. It was founded by Czeck immigrants who fled persecution by the Orthodox. When that church links up with the state, they mean business.
You can tell these Calvinist types long for some “vestments”. Look at me! I’m the leader! I’m the authority! I’ve got a certificate! I know things!
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“Bohemian Baptist”? NO! So you had to sit and listen to this guano every Sunday? I would have killed myself every week.
Bless you, RM, you cheer up my timezone. Especially for you:
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And God predetermines who is saved, but by which authority? Sooooo, we have to choose one that believes it’s not our choice. We are talking the contrary gospels here: the gospel of sovereignty, the gospel of authority, the gospel of total inability, etc., etc., all supposedly “good news” IF you chose correctly which will be discovered at the “final tribunal.” Alrighty then.
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Yes, God has predetermined my beautiful daughter to end up in hell one day. Good news! Whoop! Whattagod! Glory to him, yeah!!!. Unless, of course, Jesus magically appears then with John Piper and saves the day somehow…because she was one of the elect and never knew it. Whoop again. Assurance-R-Us Inc.
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