Authority
As Given By God
P.W. Martin
Christ Has All Authority
• Over angels, authorities, and powers (1 Pet.
3:22)
• Over principalities and powers (Col. 2:9-10,
14-15)
• Over all rule, authority, power, dominion,
every name (Eph. 1:20-21)
• Over all things to the church (Eph. 1:22-23)
• Over all flesh (Jn. 17:1-2)
• Over all things (Jn. 13:3; 1 Cor. 15:27; Eph.
1:22)
P.W. Martin
Aids Or Additions
Commands Aids Additions
Make Ark (Gen. 6:14) Tools, Work Animals Sail Boat, Tower
Offer Isaac (Gen. Wood, Fire, Knife Sarah, Servants
22:1-2 (Gen. 22:6)
Observe The Passover Halter, Lead Rope, Calf, Chicken, Etc.
(Ex. 12:1-14) Knife, Etc.
Make A Fiery Serpent Tools, Etc. Burn Incense (2 Ki.
(Num. 21:8) 18:4)
Take Jericho (Josh. Megaphones, Shoes, Battering Rams,
6:1-7) Crutches, Etc. Horses, Etc.
Move The Ark (Num. Gloves, Shoulder Pads, An Ox Cart (1 Chr.
4:15, 17-20) Etc. 15:1-2, 12-15)
P.W. Martin
Aids Or Additions
Commands Aids Additions
Baptize (Mt. 28:18- Pool, River, Baptistry, Basin, Font, Etc.
20) Etc.
Assemble (Heb. House, Hall, Church Family Life Center,
10:24-25) Building, Etc. Gymnasium, Etc.
Observe Lord’s Cups, Plates, Table, Social Meal (1 Cor.
Supper (1 Cor. Etc. 11:17-22, 34)
11:23-29)
Give (1 Cor. 16:1-2) Collection Baskets Raffle Tickets, Chili
Suppers, Cake
Walks, Etc.
Sing (Eph. 5:19) Song Book, Leader, Piano, Guitars,
Pitch Pipe, Etc. Organ, Violin, Etc.
P.W. Martin
Assemble or Worship
• A certain time
• A certain place
• An appropriate place for worship
• An expedient place (i.e. location,
size, comfort, etc.)
• A lawful place
• A means for providing a place (i.e.
borrow, buy, build, rent)
P.W. Martin
The Bible Is…
• The Pattern (2 Tim. 1:13)
• The Inspired Pattern (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-
21)
• The Complete Pattern (Jn. 14:26; 16:13; 1 Cor.
2:10-13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3)
• The Final Pattern (1 Pet. 1:24-25; Jude 3)
• The Understandable Pattern (Eph. 3:3-5; 5:17; 2
Tim. 3:15)
• The Unalterable Pattern (Gal. 1:6-10; 2 Jn. 9-11;
Rev. 22:18-19)
• The Saving Pattern (Rom. 1:16-17; Jas. 1:21-25; 1
Pet. 1:22-25)
P.W. Martin
The Chain of Command
• All inherent authority belongs to God (Acts
17:24-28; 1 Chr. 29:11-12; Isa. 45:9-10; Rom. 9:19-
21)
• God gave all authority to Christ (Mt. 28:18; 17:5;
Heb. 1:1-4)
• Christ sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles
into all truth (Jn. 14:26; 16:12-14; 1 Cor. 2:10-13)
• Christ delegated authority to the apostles (Mt.
16:18; 18:18)
• The apostles and other inspired men wrote the
Bible which is God’s word (Eph. 3:3-5; 2 Pet.
1:21; 1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Th. 2:13)
P.W. Martin
Examples
• Approved examples reflect authority
• Approved examples may reflect recorded authority
– Specific authority
– Generic authority
• Approved examples may reflect unrecorded
authority
– Generic authority
– Specific authority
• Approved examples do not limit generic authority
• Tell us what we may do
• Do not tell us what we must do
• But we must do only what we may do
P.W. Martin
Examples
• Must first be lawful (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:23)
• Must not be specified
• Must edify (Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 8:1;
10:23-24; 14:26)
• Must not offend the conscience of others
(Rom. 14:20-21, 23; 1 Cor. 8:7-13;
10:32-33)
• Must not be an addition (Gal. 1:8-9; Col.
3:17; 2 Jn. 9-11)
P.W. Martin
False Standards of Authority
• Our Parents (Mt. 10:21, 34-37)
• Our Conscience (Acts 23:1; 24:16; 26:9-11)
• The Majority (Mt. 7:13-14)
• Preachers & Religious Leaders (2 Cor. 11:13-15; 2
Pet. 2:1-3)
• Tradition (Mt. 15:1-9; Col. 2:8, 18-23)
• Personal Desire (Pr. 14:12; 16:25; Jer. 10:23)
• Emotions & Feelings (Pr. 28:26; Jer. 17:9)
• Churches & Denominations (Acts 20:28-32; 1 Tim.
4:1-3)
• The Good End (Rom. 3:8)
• Human Creeds (Mt. 15:7-9)
P.W. Martin
General and Specific Authority
• General: “1. Relating to, concerned with, or
applicable to the whole, or every member of a
class or category.... 4. a. Not limited in scope,
area, or application; not restricted.... b. Not
limited to one class of things; diversified;
miscellaneous.... 5. Involving only the main or
more obvious features of something; lacking
detail or precision....” (The American Heritage
Dictionary)
• Specific: “1. Explicitly set forth; particular;
definite....” (The American Heritage Dictionary)
P.W. Martin
When God Speaks
• When God says nothing, He means “No”
(cf. Lev. 10:1-2)
• When God says nothing, we must do
nothing (cf. 1 Chr. 17:1-6)
• When God says something, He doesn‟t
say everything (cf. Gen. 22:1-2)
• When God says something, we may
choose everything that is essential or
anything that is expedient to do only
what God says (cf. Gen. 22:6)
P.W. Martin
How The Bible Teaches Us
• Express Statements (cf. Heb. 11:6;
Lk. 13:3, 5; Rom. 10:9-10; Mk.
16:15-16)
• Direct Commands (1 Jn. 2:3-6; 5:1-
3)
• Approved Examples (1 Cor. 4:16-
17; 11:1; Phil. 3:17; 4:9)
P.W. Martin
Implication used in the bible
• Jesus used it to reassure John the Baptist
(Mt. 11:3-5)
• Jesus used it to teach the Sadducees
about the resurrection of the dead (Mt.
22:31-33; Lk. 20:37-40)
• Jesus used it to teach the Pharisees about
the humanity and deity of the Messiah
(Mt. 22:41-46)
• Paul used it to condemn the division at
Corinth (1 Cor. 1:10)
P.W. Martin
The Implications of Implications
• Whatever God has definitely
implied, we must necessarily infer~
(Mt. 15:10-11, 15-18; 16:5-12;
19:3-6)
• Whatever God has definitely
implied, we can necessarily infer~
(Eph. 3:3-6)
P.W. Martin
Inferences Made In The Bible
• Samson‟s mother inferred that she and her husband would
not be destroyed by the angel of the Lord (Jud. 13:21-23)
• Abraham inferred that God would raise Isaac from the
dead (Heb. 11:17-19)
• Jesus inferred that divorce is sinful (Mt. 19:3-6)
• Peter inferred that the Gentiles could be saved (Acts
10:17, 19-20, 28, 34-35, 47; 11:15-17)
• The Jewish brethren inferred that the Gentiles could be
saved (Acts 11:18)
• Peter inferred that the Gentiles could be saved without
circumcision (Acts 15:7-11)
• James inferred that the Gentiles could be saved without
circumcision (Acts 15:13-21)
P.W. Martin
Inferences From Implications
• Lot went down into Egypt (Gen. 13:1)
• Jesus went down into the water when He was
baptized (Mt. 3:13-17; Mk. 1:9-11)
• Jesus was raised on Sunday (Lk. 24:1, 7, 13, 21, 46)
• Preaching the man involves preaching the plan
(Acts 8:35-36)
• Unleavened bread should be used for the Lord‟s
Supper (Ex. 12:15-20; Lk. 22:7-8, 13-20; Heb. 4:14-
15; 1 Cor. 11:24)
• The baptism on Pentecost was water baptism (Acts
2:38, 41; 10:47-48)
P.W. Martin
Do All In His Name
• Colossians 3:17: 17And whatever you do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through Him.~ (NKJV)
• Acts 4:7-12: 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they
asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" 8
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of
the people and elders of Israel: 9 "If we this day are judged for a
good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been
made well, 10 "let it be known to you all, and to all the people of
Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you
crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man
stands here before you whole. 11 "This is the 'stone which was
rejected by you builders, which has become the chief
cornerstone.' 12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is
no other name under heaven given among men by which we
must be saved."~ (NKJV)
P.W. Martin
Loving God
• “Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a
question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher,
which is the great commandment in the law?"
Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD
your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind.' "This is the first
and great commandment. "And the second is
like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.„ "On these two commandments hang
all the Law and the Prophets." (Mt. 22:35-40)
P.W. Martin
Loving God
• Jesus answered and said to him, "If
anyone loves Me, he will keep My
word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make
Our home with him. "He who does
not love Me does not keep My
words; and the word which you
hear is not Mine but the Father's
who sent Me. (John 14:23-24)
P.W. Martin
We Must Have Bible Authority
• “For you were once darkness, but now you are light
in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit
of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and
truth), proving what is acceptable to the Lord.”
(Eph. 5:8-10, NKJV)
• “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through Him.” (Col. 3:17, NKJV)
• “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” (1 Th.
5:21, NKJV)
• “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of
God....” (1 Pet. 4:11, NKJV)
P.W. Martin
Name (Onoma)
• W. E. Vine: “is used (I) in general of the name by which a
person or thing is called.... (II) for all that a name implies, of
authority, character, rank, majesty, power, excellence, etc., of
everything that the name covers: (a) of the Name of God as
expressing His attributes.... (b) of the Name of Christ....also the
phrases rendered „in the name;‟ these may be analysed as
follows: (1) representing the authority of Christ.... (2) in the
power of.... (3) in acknowledgement or confession of.... (4) in
recognition of the authority of (sometimes combined with the
thought of relying or resting on)...Col. 3:17; (5) owing to the fact
that one is called by Christ‟s Name or is identified with Him....
(III) as standing, by metonymy, for persons....” (Bold emphasis
mine, #3686, pp. 771-772)
P.W. Martin
Name (Onoma)
• Joseph Thayer: “...[fr. Hom. down], the name by which a person or a
thing is called, and distinguished from others; 1. univ.: of prop.
names.... 2. By a usage chiefly Hebraistic the name is used for
everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of
which is roused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the
name, i.e. for one‟s rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command,
excellences, deeds, etc....to do a thing eh ohomati tihos, i.e. by one‟s
command and authority, acting on his behalf, promoting his cause....
Acc. to a very freq. usage in the O.T...the name of God in the N.T. is
used for all those qualities which to his worshippers are summed up in
that name, and by which God makes himself known to men; it is
therefore equiv. to his divinity...the divine majesty and perfections, so
far forth as these are apprehended, named, magnified....After the
analogy of the preceding expression, the name of Christ...is used in the
N.T. of all those things which, in hearing or recalling that name, we are
bidden to recognize in Jesus and to profess;
P.W. Martin
Name (Onoma)
• accordingly, of his Messianic dignity, divine authority, memorable
sufferings, in a word the peculiar services and blessings conferred by
him on men, so far forth as these are believed, confessed,
commemorated.... The phrase en tw onomati Cr. is used in various
senses: a. by the command and authority of Christ; see exx. just above.
b. in the use of the name of Christ i.e. the power of his name being
invoked for assistance.... c. through the power of Christ‟s name.... d. in
acknowledging, embracing, professing, the name of Christ...in
professing and proclaiming the name of Christ.... e. relying or resting on
the name of Christ, rooted (so to speak) in his name, i.e. mindful of
Christ...Col. iii. 17....to ask a thing, as prompted by the mind of Christ
and in reliance on the bond which unites us to him....God is said to do a
thing en on. Cr. regardful of the name of Christ, i.e. moved by the name
of Christ, for Christ‟s sake.... f. en onomati Criston, [A.V. for the name
of Christ]...i.e. because one calls himself or is called by the name of
Christ.... The simple dat. tw on. Cr. signifies by the power of Christ‟s
name, pervading and prompting souls....” (Bold emphasis mine, #3686,
pp. 447-448)
P.W. Martin
The Nature of Biblical Instruction
• Biblical instruction is expressed generically and
specifically
• Biblical instruction can be both generic and
specific at the same time
• Generic instruction includes all the essentials
and the expedients to fulfill that instruction
• Specific instruction, either stated or implied,
takes precedence over generic instruction
• Instruction, either specific or generic, can only
be altered, modified, or limited by more specific
instruction
P.W. Martin
If It Is Not In The Bible
• It is going beyond what is written (1 Cor. 4:6)
• It is an addition to God‟s word (Dt. 4:2; Pr. 30:5-6)
• It is not as the oracles of God (1 Pet. 4:11)
• It is not according to the pattern (Heb. 8:5)
• It is not according to truth (Jn. 17:17)
• It is another gospel (Gal. 1:6-10)
• It is of men (Mt. 21:25)
• It cannot be done by faith (Rom. 10:17)
• It cannot be done in the name of the Lord (Col. 3:17)
• It is not a good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
• It does not pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:2-3)
• It causes one to not have God (2 Jn. 9-11)
P.W. Martin
Respect for God’s Word
• Do all things ACCORDING TO THE
PATTERN (Ex. 25:9, 40; 26:30; 27:8; 31:11;
39:42-43; Acts 7:44; 2 Tim. 1:13; Heb. 8:5)
• Do not GO BEYOND (Num. 22:18; 24:13; 1
Cor. 4:6; 2 Jn. 9-11)
• Do not ADD TO or TAKE FROM (Dt. 4:1-2;
12:32; Pr. 30:5-6; Gal. 3:15; Rev. 22:18-19)
• Do not TURN ASIDE (Dt. 5:32-33; 17:11, 18-
20; 28:13-14; Josh. 1:7; 23:6; Pr. 4:26-27)
P.W. Martin
Respect for God’s Word
• Do whatever is commanded EXACTLY (Ezra
7:21-23)
• Do not preach ANOTHER GOSPEL (Gal. 1:6-
10)
• Do not teach a DIFFERENT DOCTRINE (1
Tim. 1:3-7; 6:3-5)
• Speak as the ORACLES OF GOD (1 Pet. 4:11)
P.W. Martin
The Thunderous Silence of God
• The Attitude Of The Faithful
• When the ceremonially unclean requested to
observe the Passover (Num. 9:1-14)
• When the son of an Israelitish woman
blasphemed the name (Lev. 24:10-12)
• When they found a man picking up sticks on the
Sabbath (Num. 15:32-36)
• When the Judaizers tried to bind circumcision
on the Gentiles (Acts 15:24)
• THE THUNDEROUS SILENCE OF GOD
P.W. Martin
The Thunderous Silence of God
• The Attitude Of God
• When Nadab and Abihu offered “strange fire” (Lev.
10:1-3)
• When David transported the ark of the covenant on an ox
cart (2 Sam. 6:1-11; 1 Chr. 13:1-14; 15:2, 12-15)
• When David wanted to build the temple (2 Sam. 7:1-7)
• When the Pharisees bound their man-made traditions
(Mk. 7:1-9)
• When David ate the showbread (Mt. 12:1-8)
• When Jesus became a priest after the order of
Melchizedek (Heb. 7:11-17)