How Scriptural Authority Can Be Established

Introduction

Authority is the foundation of order, structure, and obedience. It is the right to command, direct, and enforce compliance. In the realm of divine matters, all authority belongs to God. Human beings do not have the right to establish their own paths of religious practice apart from what God has revealed.

Many today struggle with the concept of scriptural authority, choosing instead to follow personal opinions, traditions, or cultural preferences. But Jesus made it clear that “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” (Matthew 28:18, NASB). Since all authority belongs to Christ, we must ensure that our faith, practices, and worship are grounded in His Word.

How is scriptural authority established? How can we know what God has authorized for the church? We will explore how God has given authority to Christ, how Christ gave authority to His apostles, and how we are to understand and apply that authority today.

I. Christ’s Absolute Authority in the Church

Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and all authority has been given to Him. Hebrews 1:1-2 states, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.” (NASB).

Christ’s authority includes legislative, executive, and judicial power. He alone determines doctrine, practice, and the path to salvation. “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23, NASB).

1. The Church Operates Under Christ’s Authority

The church is not a democracy; it is a kingdom with Christ as its King (Ephesians 1:19-21; Colossians 1:18-19).
No man or group has the right to alter what Christ has commanded (2 John 9-11).
The church must walk in Christ’s teachings and avoid human innovations (Colossians 2:6-10).

II. Authority Given to the Apostles

Jesus gave binding and loosing authority to His apostles. This means they were authorized to teach and establish doctrine for the church based on His guidance.

“Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19, NASB)
“The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; but the one who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.” (Luke 10:16, NASB)

The apostles did not teach their own ideas but spoke with divine authority (John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 14:37). Thus, to reject their teachings is to reject Christ Himself.

III. The Authority of the Apostles in Scripture

The writings of the apostles are perfect and complete, containing all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We are warned not to go beyond what is written:

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” (Galatians 1:8, NASB)
“If anyone goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ, he does not have God.” (2 John 9, NASB)

We must follow the apostolic pattern (Philippians 3:16-19; 1 Thessalonians 2:14). Any religious practice not authorized by scripture is a departure from God’s will.

IV. How to Establish Authority from Scripture

There are three ways we determine what is authorized by God:

1. Direct Command (Precept)

When God directly commands something, it must be obeyed. For example, “This do in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25) is a direct command regarding the Lord’s Supper.

2. Approved Example

The practice of the early church, as guided by the apostles, serves as a model for us today (Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7). Paul and the apostles set patterns in worship, church organization, and doctrine.

3. Necessary Inference

When a command is implied through reasoning, we must accept it. For example, the necessity of partaking of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week is inferred from Acts 20:7.

V. Generic and Specific Authority

All authority is either generic or specific:

Generic Authority includes all things that fall within the command. For example, “Go into all the world” (Matthew 28:19) authorizes any mode of travel (walking, sailing, flying, etc.).
Specific Authority excludes everything not commanded. For example, God commanded Noah to use gopher wood (Genesis 6:14); therefore, he could not substitute another type of wood.

Applying this principle:

God commanded singing (Ephesians 5:19) – this excludes instrumental music.
God commanded the use of unleavened bread and fruit of the vine in the Lord’s Supper – this excludes other elements.

VI. The Church and Its Authority

The church has been given a specific structure by God:

Congregational government under elders (Acts 14:23; Philippians 1:1)
Elders must oversee their local congregation only (1 Peter 5:2; Acts 20:28)
Any attempt to alter this structure is a departure from divine authority

Conclusion

In order for anything to be authorized by God, it must be established by precept, approved example, or necessary inference. If God has specified a command, no additions or substitutions are permitted. We must obey or rebel—there is no middle ground.

There are two extremes in understanding scriptural authority:

Some believe that unless something is explicitly commanded, it is forbidden. This rejects necessary inference.
Others believe that unless something is explicitly forbidden, it is permitted. This leads to reckless additions to God’s Word.

Both are wrong. We must respect the boundaries God has set—“where God has not bound, we must not bind; where He has bound, we must not loose.”

The choice is ours. Will we follow God’s authority, or will we choose the traditions of men? Let us stand firm on His Word, for only by following His authority can we be pleasing in His sight.