Must You Have Authority?
Is there a difference between leadership and authority? We all know that life itself dictates that there are many situations where leadership is necessary. Not all people are leaders and many are followers. Is there however a necessary authority in terms of religious beliefs or for that matter government of men? Any church organization can "ordain" anyone they choose to a position or a title, such as "pastor", "youth pastor", "music pastor" and so forth. I suppose anyone can really appoint themselves as an "authority" figure. The weather channel states that they are the authority on matters of weather. Perhaps they are in terms of being the source that can "foretell" what the weather may be in the next few hours or even days. They are not always one-hundred percent right, but giving them credit, they often are. It is based upon modern technology and experience understanding the input
and data.
Humans have lived with authority figures since the beginning of time. We are all led to believe that government is our "authority" source that can tell us what we can and cannot do within the parameters of the physical boundaries of the governments' sphere of power. It is not a matter of freewill or personal choice, because we are all compelled to comply or else. Such is the nature of all human governments at all levels of society. Welcome to prison planet!
In terms of religious beliefs, every religious guru coming and going thinks he or she has some special status, that qualifies them to rule over the thoughts, thinking and pocketbooks of those they influence. Herbert W. Armstrong considered himself to have the status of being an "Apostle" as if that word has the meaning of a position of power and authority over matters of the church. In reality, the word "apostle" merely means "one sent" and has nothing to do with a power-position of control. Men have altered the meaning and definition of words for their own personal vanity and gain.
Many human beings are driven by vanity to seek titles such as "prophet, prophetess, apostle, pastor, senior pastor, bishop, elder" or fill in the blanks. Does it seem odd that Jesus hand-picked uneducated fishermen as personal disciples as opposed to those who attached titles of self-importance to their names? Does one really become an authority figure as a result of religious or secular education? Does having degrees such as bachelor, master or PhD, make one a necessary "authority" figure? Perhaps it all depends on the particular field of endeavor that one is involved in. There are fields of study however that don't make the PhD degree a necessary qualifying expert on what truth is. For example, one may have a PhD degree and think that because of that, they are now an expert in the field of Biblical archaeology. What happens when other PhD's disagree or have opinions to the contrary and assert that in fact, archaeology proves "Bible history" is false in many ways? Now, who is the authority?
In matters of pulpits, is Dr. Senior Pastor an expert on heavenly concerns? When was the last time Dr. Senior Pastor or board of elders, had a conference with God and sorted out disagreements? Obviously never! So what then makes those who stand in pulpits "authorities" on spiritual truth? Does being ordained qualify anyone as a master of spiritual truth? Why would anyone think that they "must obey" those that assume a false role of being "pastor-master?" No one who stands in a pulpit is your spiritual Daddy, nor is he or she your master. In Matthew 23 we read that Jesus Christ denounced man-made religion and made it clear that no man, no matter who he is, is your master. Is there really any difference in calling someone "master" as opposed to "pastor" or "elder", when they all imply that they have "authority" over your life and your thinking?
For those who think they are to follow Jesus Christ, there is ONLY ONE MASTER and that is Christ. Therefore "master" is NOT the Saturday Sabbath, "Holy" days, tithing, pastors, churches, governments of men or any other substitute for Christ. Few there are that see this. And by the way, the Bible is not master either. If Christ is God, and He is Master, then INK on PAPER is not God. Only God Almighty could possibly be infallible and inerrant.
Must you have spiritual authority? Yes, but that Authority is Jesus Christ and NOT men. The manner in which Jesus Christ is Authority is in His teachings about LOVE and His personal example, which was flawless. I have yet to meet a flawless pastor or church or human being. Virtually every authority figure and source thinks they have a right to power over others. Do they? No one will ever live in freedom as long as they worship at the feet of self-appointed religious gurus, who deceive as many as possible to follow them and submit their lives to them. Jesus came to SET THE CAPTIVES FREE. Are you FREE or are you a captive to some man-made church?
Van Robison
3 comments:
Mr. Robinson asks many questions to which they are not enough answers.
If a man would show up among us in this age speaking with authority and performing miracles in God's name, would Mr. Robinson and others believe and follow him?
What if that same man of authority would ask Mr. Robinson or others do you love me? And again, do you love me? And once again, do you love me?
I think it is probable that most would be stuck on the word yes as an answer to most anything that is offered from the one with authority.
The Christian religion is a religion with rites and ceremony. Baptism, the laying on of hands, prayer, songs of praise, symbols, evangelism and words of truth.
The Holy Spirit is given unto mankind to do what with? A one with authority said it should be out flowing and produce fruits.
The Ethiopian eunuch reading Isaiah asked of Philip, how can I understand unless some man should guide me.
So a man or men with title and authority (earned) is required at some point in time in the Christian religion to administer, teach or guide.
Understanding that point is tempered with the fact that someone is coming with authority and miracles which are defined as lying wonders. Or the one that could very well deceive the very elect.
How many people will exuberantly follow this man with a yes, yes, yes?
Those that can rightly devide the word of truth or have a love of the truth and can identify a man or men of or with the sure word of truth will keep their ship in calm waters.
The answer(s) are there. They just aren't found by living with a ideology of hiding in a cave or by walking a tightrope over the Grand Canyon.
Van is right. Each and every Christian should be seeking his/her own answers. It's your job to follow the Holy Spirit into truth. NO ONE else can or should do that for you. We can be lazy and accept what someone tells us, or we can be diligently searching for our own answers. We can be weak-willed sheep, or we can chart our own course with God's help. Each and every one of us should follow the dictates of our own conscience, not what some minister/brother/sister thinks you should do.
Each of us is responsible for ourselves to/before God. I won't answer for you, and you won't answer for me. We have ONE advocate with the Father, and that is Jesus Christ - period!
Van Robison wrote: "...Must you have spiritual authority? Yes, but that Authority is Jesus Christ and NOT men..."
Wouldn't The God, our Father, be the actual spiritual authority? You seem to be overlooking who Christ receives His guidance from, and that God knows what He is doing:
"Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world." Acts 15:18
Really? Yes, and that is a reference that does not apply to Jesus.
Besides, Jesus told us that of Himself He could do nothing. Jesus admitted the authority was His/our Father. Every parable Jesus gave came from His Father, b/c Jesus spoke His Father's words.
There is a spiritual authority over Jesus, and He is referred to, for example, as the Husbandman:
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
How does that work?
"But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him." I Cor 8:6
I only bring this up b/c so many look at Jesus Christ as though He were "The God," the One is over all things, the One who the following verse is referring to:
"For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever." Deut 32:40
The Word did not lift His hand to heaven, and neither did Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ, who did not ignore/overlook His Father authority, said: "My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father’s hand." John 10:29
One question: isn't following/thinking/worshipping Jesus Christ as though He were The God, God the Father, just another form of idolatry? Just asking.
Time will tell...
John
Post a Comment