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As we enter the second decade of this millennium, we don’t know what religious controversies lie ahead, although there do seem to be clues that the debate over Calvinism will probably intensify, and the issue of a state church may be revived before the end of the century. Throughout all the years that the church has been in existence, apologists for countless different views, both important and unimportant, have waged war, each hoping to establish his view as the truth, and no mortal man can know for sure exactly what is going to face us in the next few years. Church history, though, seems to verify the conclusion that the issue of authority has played a large part in nearly every major theological battle (if you haven’t yet read my previous post about this issue, I recommend that you read it now), and it’s unlikely that this issue will become less important.

Even in the time of Christ the issue of authority was very important. “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29) Some may take this verse to mean that the scribes taught as if they didn’t have authority, but this would be rather out of character when one considers the other things the Scripture tells us about the scribes. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” (Matthew 23:15) Rather, this verse is probably telling us that the people were surprised because Christ’s doctrine was different than that of the scribes, yet He taught that what He was saying was truth.

Jesus proved His authority over the Scribes with the Scripture and with God’s work in those who followed Him. “But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” (Matthew 15:3) “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17) The Apostles also used these two fundamental works of God in relation to their authority. In Romans 4:3, for example, Paul uses Old Testament Scripture to prove his point. “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” In I John 2:27, John uses the Spirit’s work to back up what he is saying. “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” The Spirit and the Scripture were not to be separated or surpassed. The Spirit uses the Scripture to work in our lives. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26)

Today, though, much of the organization that professes to be the church of Christ has lost these two fundamental witnesses of truth. In many places, pastors now hold responsibility for the doctrine of the entire congregation. The people may be allowed to have a say in physical aspects of the work, but the pastor holds authority over the people in doctrine and practice (similar to the scribes!), and this is supposed to be justified by his education. Because they supposedly cannot fully grasp the Scripture, the common members are not encouraged to study the Bible and, with the help of the Spirit, make conclusions from it. This obviously leads to spiritual apathy, because there is not an outlet for spiritual fervor (short of attempting to obtain an education). This system is, of course, not usually out in the open, and it is often not fully implemented, but the general progression is for the salaried individuals to receive significantly more authority than the common member. Those who dare to voice varying opinions are not highly regarded. I recall a retired pastor from a mainstream Protestant group saying that the church he then attended was the only one he had attended where it didn’t bother the pastor to have him, as a former pastor, attend the church. The problem with having two educated men in a mainstream church is that, supposedly, they are spiritual authorities, and the people need to listen to them. If they disagree, then what will happen to the people who heretofore have meekly followed their pastor’s leadership? They might start to look in the Scripture for answers (because the Scripture is probably still promoted as the final authority, just that education is needed to understand it), and then the system will be overthrown.

It’s time for us to bring back the authority of the Bible to our churches. It’s time to quiet down the scholars and let God speak through His Word again. Certainly the Bible makes a place for the teaching of the Word, but it promotes a brotherhood working together to let the Spirit speak through the Scripture, with the brethren verifying the teaching by the Scripture, not an institution of higher education indoctrinating students into their theology! It’s time to end this mad rush of learning and return the Bible to its rightful place as the foundation of our religion, and the Spirit to His place as the interpreter of the Scripture. The Living Word of God is not doing His work where the written Word is disregarded.