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Primary Ways the Bible authorizes Christians today (cont.)

     So far in comparing God’s authority to a box drawn around everything we can do with God’s approval, we’ve drawn the first of the four sides.  God authorizes by…
          …  using “commands” to order the “do”s and “don’t”s;

     God also authorizes by using “direct statements.”

• Direct statements – God communicates the real facts
     The majority of passages we read in the Bible are not commands as such, but are actually recorded facts.  These “Direct Statements” or Biblical facts form the second side of our box and are responsible for authorizing most what we believe about God, Jesus, salvation, and Christ’s church.  The information they provide helps us understand God’s guidelines for Himself and for us. And, in turn, these understandings helps us recognize and sort through man-made religious confusion.
     •  Some of these direct statements reveal parts of His plans for people and reveal how He operates.  
     In John 20:30-31, John recorded his purpose in writing that gospel.  “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”  This statement is not a command telling us “do this” or “do that,” so we cannot obey it in that sense. Yet it does give us information about God’s intentions and goals and about what He expected to accomplish by having John write down this account of Jesus’ life.  Therefore, we can “obey” the authority of this passage and others like this it by applying the understandings we gain from them and acting accordingly.
     In Romans 8:1, we find out about a couple decisions God has made.  One decision is about an advantage He reserves for a certain group of people.  The other decision describes something about the authority guiding that group.  “There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”  Again, this is not a “do” or “do not” command, but this passage certainly can motivate our own decisions about becoming part of that group of people.
     •  Some Bible passages reveal facts about life in general and about spiritual life.  A few of those statements might even be treated as spiritual laws of nature describing how the spiritual world works — much like our physical laws of nature do not dictate, but rather describe how the physical world works.  As with other direct statements, these spiritual laws are not worded as commands, but they do imply requirements for those seeking to please God.  We obey the authority of these spiritual laws by considering and fulfilling their implied requirements — basically, we apply the practical attitude of “that’s the way things work, so that’s what we need to do.
     For example, “So faith comes by hearing,” we read Paul’s words in Romans 10:17, “and hearing by the word of God.”  This statement is no command, no comment about what God expects of us, no guideline of right or wrong, no insight into God’s character or into His plan of salvation.  It’s a simply-stated observation of how the spiritual world operates without exception.  It summarizes so clearly and so deeply everything we’ve been looking at about authority.  It is the reason why God gave us His written word – so we could have His faith, which in turn allows us to access the benefits of that faith.  If you’re seeking to have a faith in God or if you truly desire to live the faith God approves, then it must come by hearing the word of God.  If you have a faith that’s not 100% based on God’s word, then — no matter how pretty your faith, no matter how entertaining or helpful or generous your faith, no matter how personally satisfying your faith — it’s not God’s faith and it will do you no good in the long run because Jesus will tell you “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”
     •  Many passages record an objective presentation – a history, if you will – of something that happened or was said.  Granted, there are still understandings for us to learn from these passages, but to gain those understandings requires both further thought on our part and further explanation from the rest of the Scriptures.  
     For example, in the book of Genesis, there are no commands for Christians to obey.  However, from Genesis Christians can learn a lot about the earliest history of God’s dealings with people and about God’s personal character.  (The New Testament writers often refer to the events and people recorded in Genesis and the Old Testament to help them explain or illustrate their teaching.)  We “obey” these facts when we believe their truthfulness, apply them as we shape our understandings, and learn the valuable lessons God intended.
     •  Many times the direct statements in passages could be described as “proof” statements — statements intended to prove something to the reader.
     For example, the gospel of John resembles very much a document presented as evidence in a trial.  And, as we noticed earlier, John himself told the readers that what he had written was intended to persuade them to believe Jesus is the Christ.  The theme of the letter to Hebrews deals with proving the superiority of the new law of Christ over the old law of Moses — partly by proving that the old law had to be fulfilled and finished before the new and better law could become in effect as it is now.

     In part two, we’ll continue examining the primary ways the Bible authorizes Christians today.  We’ll see how “Commands” and “Direct Statements” combine together with “Instructions” and “Approved Examples” forming the four boundaries of what Christians may believe and do with God’s authority.    
     Working within these boundaries are the two secondary ways the Bible authorizes Christians today.  Unfortunately, many in the religious world abuse them into excuses to ignore and to break God’s authority.  We’ll look at how these secondary means are actually responsibilities and privileges that God delegates to Christians and we’ll consider some ways to avoid abusing and misusing them.• Instructions – God explains the way things are; the way the system works and why
     … how / what to do
     … how / what to understand
     … how / what to expect

      Generally speaking, whenever God gives a command in the Bible to His people (whether to the Israelites in the Old Testament or to Christians in the New Testament) ordering them to do what they need to do, He usually includes some instructions explaining how to do it — kind of like a “step 1, step 2, step 3, etc.”  Often these instructions will also explain God’s “why” or reasons behind the command.
     Of course, the Bible is a big book and while a command might be explained close by in the same passage, additional instructions for that command might also be available elsewhere in another passage afterwards (and sometimes beforehand).  For example, in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus instructed his apostles, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”  He then commanded them saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;” immediately following with more instruction, “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Basically, Jesus’ explanation here about the why behind the command is that He’s the guy in charge and He’s watching.   However, in John 12:49-50, Jesus gave further instructions about why He commands what He does.  “For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.  And I know that His command is everlasting life.  Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”  Here we see three other reasons behind His commands — (1) Jesus Himself is following orders from God the Father, (2) Jesus trusts God the Father, (3) the commands Jesus gives us are good for us.  Can Jesus order us about our lives just because God the Father put Him in charge of us?  Yes, He can.  Is He motivated by other reasons?  Yes, He is.  How do we know this?  Because He gave us these instructions explaining how and why He commands us.

     Likewise, many times a particular fact given to us in the Bible has instructions provided relating to it, either alongside where we read the fact or elsewhere in the Scriptures.  For example, many Old Testament events and commands that may seem confusing to us are explained for us by the New Testament writers, such as how the purpose of the Old Testament pointed to Christ, as Paul pointed out in Galatians 3:21-25:
     “What purpose then does the law serve?  It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.  Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.
     “Is the law then against the promises of God?  Certainly not!  For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.  But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.  But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.  Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” [dc: emphasis mine]

     God’s instructions explain what to do and how to do it; and they explain what to understand and how understand it.  They also explain what to expect and how to expect it.  For example, in Deuteronomy 18:15-22, Moses instructed the Israelites that God promised to one day raise up a Prophet like him from their midst, “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.  And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.”  Peter, in Acts chapter 3:11-26, points out that Moses was talking about Jesus.  Let’s read again Jesus’ words in the earlier passage from John chapter twelve, but starting with verse 44 and reading through verse 50.  Notice how familiar this sounds compared to what God promised through Moses’ instruction — “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.  And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.  I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.  And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.  He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.  And I know that His command is everlasting life.  Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
     Simply put, God’s instructions prepare us by explaining.  They prepare us for many facts (like 2 Peter 1:5-7 prepares us for verses 8 & 9 and like Romans 10:1-16 prepares us for verse 17).  They prepare us for many commands (like 2 Timothy 3:16-17 prepares us for 4:1-2).  And, they prepare us to be watchful (like 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 4:3-5, and Ephesians 5:15-21 prepare us to be alert).

• Approved examples – God illustrates for us to imitate

     When was the last time you learned a new work task or improved your results by patterning upon the results of someone more skilled and experienced?  Or, when was the last time someone told you what to do and explained it, but you didn’t quite understand until that person showed you what to do?  Or, when was the last time you realized you had made a mistake because your results didn’t match the picture shown in the instruction manual?  Yes, it’s definitely true — many times we learn best by practicing to imitate a good example … an approved example ... a pattern shown to us that illustrates clearly and correctly the guidelines we’ve been given to follow.
     Of course, when we talk about the Bible using “approved examples” to authorize what Christians do, we are talking about examples that are approved according to what the Bible has authorized Christians through commands, direct statements, and instructions.  These are the examples God intends for us to imitate — patterns to examine thoroughly, to learn from, and to practice for ourselves.  Jesus pointed out in John 13:15 that He is an example for His followers to imitate Him, especially in serving each other.  James referred to God's prophets in the Old Testament as examples of suffering and patience (James 5:10).  Paul encouraged fellow Christians to imitate God as His dear children (Ephesians 5:1; 4:17-32), to follow his own example (Philippians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:9) by imitating him as he imitated Christ (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1).  Likewise, Paul instructed Christians to be good examples to each other (1 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Timothy 4:12) and to be imitators of the good examples (1 Thessalonians 2:14). The writer of the New Testament's letter to the Hebrews instructs to imitate those Christians who were faithful even through death (Hebrews 6:12) .  Peter referred to Christ as our example (1 Peter 2:21) and encouraged his readers to be good examples to the other Christians (1 Peter 5:3).  John explained what he wrote about Jesus was so “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ” (John 20:30-31) and encouraged Christians to imitate what is good because they belong to God (3 John 11).
     Obviously, any Biblical examples of people disobeying God or rebelling against God are intended to teach important lessons about what NOT to do — these identify and illustrate mistakes we should avoid doing and turn away from if we catch ourselves following them (see 1 Corinthians 10:6,11; Hebrews 4:11; 2 Peter 2:6; and Jude 7).  Likewise, since today’s Christians are under the New Testament’s guidelines, the examples of obedience in the Old Testament demonstrate important understandings and attitudes for us to imitate rather than actual actions.  [EGW editor:  For more information about how God’s different covenants apply to Christians, check the subjects “Dispensations” and “Covenants”.]

Secondary Ways the Bible authorizes Christians today

     How does the Bible authorize?  Through commands, direct statements, instructions, and approved examples — this combination of guidelines has defined the contents and boundaries of God’s authority for His people all throughout time, but especially for Christians today.  Within that box describing all we may do with His approval, God also entrusts to us to use our own discretion with some things some times.  He does this by (1) expecting some responsible self-management and by (2) delegating some freedom of choice.
     You may have noticed that some guidelines in the Bible are very exacting and strict — this is called “specific authority.”  For example, in Genesis chapter six, when God told Noah how to build the ark, He specified building it (1) out of gopherwood; (2) sealed inside & outside with pitch; (3) 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high; (4) with lower, second, and third decks; (5) because He was going to send a flood to cleanse the entire earth.  Obedience required using these specified materials and following these specified requirements for the specified reason and timeframe.  What if Noah had used oak wood, or skipped the pitch, or made the ark shorter?  He would have been disobedient for not following God’s instructions.  What if after the flood was over, Noah kept on building arks “in the name of the Lord”?  He would have been disobedient because (1) it would have been for the wrong reason (2) outside the provided timetable, and (3) God only told to build “an ark” … one ark, not two or three or a few or many or several, but one … therefore (4) he would have been mistaken to think he was acting in the name of the Lord.
     You may have also noticed that some guidelines in the Bible require the obedient person to use responsible discretion; in other words, the guidelines imply a limited measure of freedom to decide and act according to one's own judgement or choice — this is called “generic authority.”  For example, in Genesis chapter six, when God told Noah how to build the ark, He gave very specific instructions about the ark's material and overall dimensions and purpose, but gave no mention of building animal pens or of their sizes — however the authorized purpose of the ark implicitly required such pens and thereby authorized & expected Noah to appropriately build them.  The provided instructions that he gather sufficient food for the animals and his family to survive the Flood implicitly required Noah to make responsible decisions about which foods in what quanitities to gather for which animals and thereby authorized him to make those decisions according to his own judgement.  Likewise, the instructions given him that his family would live on the ark during the Flood implied authority to prepare living quarters on the ark — i.e. the "OK" to build the quarters was a necessary inference from his directions — and without other guidelines to restrict or qualify this authority, Noah could build his family's living quarters anyway he wanted.  Notice , No In fact, his obedience depended required using these specified materials and following these specified requirements for the specified reason and timeframe.  What if Noah had used oak wood, or skipped the pitch, or made the ark shorter?  He would have been disobedient for not following God’s instructions.  What if after the flood was over, Noah kept on building arks “in the name of the Lord”?  He would have been disobedient because (1) it would have been for the wrong reason (2) outside the provided timetable, and (3) God only told to build “an ark” … one ark, not two or three or a few or many or several, but one … therefore (4) he would have been mistaken to think he was acting in the name of the Lord.

• Implied requirements – God expects some responsible self-management
     Obeying God’s authority some thought, decisions, and initiative on our part.
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• Personal preferences – God delegates some freedom of choice
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