Authority

THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES were extremely upset that the apostles were advocating Christian concepts...

They brought Peter and John into their assembly and demanded to know, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" ( Acts 4:7). The word "power" refers to authority. The Jewish leaders were demanding to know by what authority they were acting. Who was giving them the right to teach what they were teaching? What authoritative source approved or sanctioned their particular actions? Peter's answer was "by the name of Jesus Christ." In other words, the apostles had not been advancing their own ideas. They were simply presenting what Jesus had previously authorized them to present (cf., Matt. 16:19; 18:18).

THOUGHT: Think for a moment about the enormous implications of this biblical principle. No human being has the right to introduce into religious practice an activity for which the Scriptures provide no approval. We human beings are simply not free in God's sight to fashion religion and morality according to our own desires (cf., Gen. 4:5-7; Heb. 11:4; 1 John 3:12; Lev. 10:1ff; 1 Sam. 13:8-14; 2 Sam. 6:6-7; 1 Chron. 15:13). (Dave Miller)

KneEmail: "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).

Posted by Mike Benson at January 9, 2006 3:15 AM

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