Articles
By Whose Authority?
By Whose Authority?
By Greg King
The idea of being under some authority causes an issue for some. Most people recognize the need for authority. Jesus was even asked, “Who gave you the authority?” Matt. 21:23
Authority is needed in our homes, jobs, schools and our nation. Can you imagine a home without someone in charge? Can you imagine the lack of production and the companies that would fold without bosses? Can you imagine our schools and even our nation where authority is lacking? Considering the current state of our society we don’t have to imagine too much.
This need for authority does not escape our religion either. God is our source for authority in religion and our daily Christian lives. In the same way that we recognize the need for authority in our homes, jobs, schools and nation, we need to respect God’s authority. Colossians 3.17 states, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” “In the name of the Lord Jesus” means in accordance with His will or by His authority.
It is sad that many people today deny that we need authority from God for everything we say and do in religion. They either look to themselves or to other men as their source for authority concerning certain things in religion. The scripture provides sufficient warning against doing this very thing. It is the lack of respect for authority that has created all the religious confusion that exist in the world today (Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 14:12; Matthew 15:9 and Colossians 2:20-22).
It is this lack of respect for authority that causes people today to participate in religious activities that are not authorized by God. We have the ability to choose whether or not we are going to act with God’s authority or without it. We must all recognize that participating in things not authorized by God means that we are going beyond God’s teaching and have gone too far. God is very clear on how He feels about it. “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 9
