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The Authority of the Believer?
May 09, 2023
What is the authority of the believer?
The authority of the believer rests on the believer’s mandate to serve the Lord. When we are in God’s will, we can move with confidence that we are doing what is right and that the Holy Spirit’s power is at work within and through us. Some ministries emphasize the authority of the believer to an unhealthy and unbiblical extent. It’s better to remember the meekness to which we are called (Titus 3:1–2; James 3:13). Even Paul, who as an apostle had genuine authority over the church, did not always exert his authority: “Although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love” (Philemon 1:8–9).
Before we start enumerating the things that fall under the authority of the believer, we must acknowledge that, first and foremost, the believer is under authority. “God [is] the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15). And our Lord Jesus reminds us, “You also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’” (Luke 17:10). The believer’s life is one of total dependence on God, as modeled by the Son of Man (see Luke 22:42 and John 5:30).
God has appointed lesser authorities in this world to rule under Him. Parents have authority over their children (Ephesians 6:1). Husbands have authority over their wives (Ephesians 5:22–24). Kings have authority over their subjects (Romans 13:1–7). The apostles had authority over the church (Acts 4:34–35; Philemon 1:3).
Some people use the Great Commission to teach the authority of the believer: “Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you’” (Matthew 28:18–20). But the authority in the passage clearly belongs to Jesus. He claims “all authority” and then tells those who fall under His authority what to do. Based on the Great Commission, the only “authority” believers possess is the authority to go into all the world, the authority to make disciples, the authority to baptize in the name of the Triune God, and the authority to teach Jesus’ commands. In the exercise of this authority, the believer is simply obeying orders.
Besides the authority to share the gospel, the authority of the believer includes the right to be called a child of God (John 1:12) and the authority to “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16). In all things, we remember that Christ is the Lord. “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord” (2 Corinthians 10:17).
Some Christians get mixed up about the authority of the believer because they take verses out of context. Matthew 10:1, for example, says, “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” Some people claim authority over demons and sickness based on this verse, overlooking the fact that Jesus was speaking to a particular group of people (“his twelve disciples”) for a particular time of ministry. Others assert they possess apostolic gifts, claiming for themselves the same authority as Peter or Paul. Some people claim authority for the believer based on Old Testament promises to Joshua (Joshua 1:3), Gideon (Judges 6:23), or Israel (Deuteronomy 8:18; Malachi 3:10)—again, taking verses out of context. Other believers claim authority based on Mark 16:17–18, even though that portion of Mark’s gospel is a late addition and not original.
Paul exhorted Titus to teach the Scripture boldly, with authority (Titus 2:15). As believers serve each other and the Lord, they should do so with confidence and the authority that comes with knowing they are doing God’s work: “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11).
The authority of the believer comes from God and from God’s Word. As we are God’s ambassadors, we can speak with His authority as we share His Word, appealing to the world on behalf of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). We wield the sword of the Spirit, a mighty weapon forged by God for our use (Ephesians 6:17).
Does God exist? Whether God exists is one of the most basic and important questions any person can consider. Opinions about God abound, but answering the question does God exist? demands more than a few seconds of attention and involves a wide range of ideas and evidence. Ultimately, what we see in human experience, science, logic, and history leads to a confident answer: yes, God exists.
The word fallen is used in the Bible to describe someone or something spiritually and morally degraded. Israel is described as “fallen” (Amos 5:2), as are angels (Isaiah 14:12; Revelation 12:4) and the glory of mankind (1 Peter 1:24). Each of these has fallen away from the heights of God’s good will for them, fallen into sin, and therefore fallen under the just wrath of God. Those in a fallen state suffer the degrading and deadly spiritual, moral, and social consequences of sinfulness. Several Bible passages speak of this kind of downfall: 1 Corinthians 10:12 warns Christ’s followers, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” Falling into sin is the opposite of growing up in righteousness. In Revelation 2:5, Jesus speaks to the church of Ephesus, which had left its first love: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first” (ESV). The whole world of mankind has fallen: • from friendship with God into proud estrangement from Him and enmity with Him; this leaves us diseased and dying in every part of our personalities and bodies (Genesis 2:16; 3:2-19; Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 30:15–20) • from our full reflection of His likeness into shattered, distorted images, suffering the results of our brokenness (Genesis 6:5; Matthew 15:19; Romans 1:14—2:16; Romans 3:9–20) • from joyful obedience to God’s rules so as to fulfill His superlative design for our lives into lawless rebellion and constant frustration and warfare at every level of society (Genesis 3:14–16; James 4:1–10) • from the beauty, tranquility, and vitality of godly family life into a cesspool of sexual-identify confusion, domestic strife, and aimlessness (Genesis 3:16; Romans 1:14—2:16; Galatians 5:19–21) • from dominion as trustees of God’s world into a selfish exploitation of the land and the resulting ecological disaster (Genesis 3:17–19; Ecclesiastes 5:8–17; Haggai 1:6) • from knowledge of God’s enlightening truth into the darkness of ignorance and the confusion of depraved minds (Genesis 2:17; Proverbs 1—31; Judges 1—21; Romans 1:28) To live in a fallen world means we struggle with sin on a daily basis. We experience heartache and pain. We witness natural disasters and staggering loss. Injustice, inhumanity, and falsehood seem to hold sway. Discord and trouble are commonplace. None of this was God’s original plan for humanity. We fell from our original position in the Garden of Eden. We now live in a fallen world, and all creation “groans” under the consequences of our sin (Romans 8:22). The good news is that God does not intend His world to forever groan. Through Jesus Christ, God is repairing His creation: • restoring friendship with Himself in Jesus Christ, giving us eternal life (John 10:10; 15:15; Romans 3:21–31; 5:1–11; 6:1–14; 8:1–4; 8:22–23; 1 Corinthians 15:26; Ephesians 1:3—2:22; Colossians 1:15–22) • restoring the reflection of God’s likeness in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28–32; 1 Corinthians 6:11) • restoring His rules for a fulfilling life in Jesus Christ, resulting in true peace and prosperity (Matthew 5—7; Ephesians 5:15–21; James 2:8) • restoring His design for the family through Jesus Christ (Luke 1:17; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:21—6:4; Colossians 3:18–21) • restoring man’s proper dominion in caring for God’s world (Romans 8:18–21) Jesus Christ has promised to return, and when He comes back, He will finish setting everything right forever (Isaiah 2:2–4; 25:6–9; 65:17–25; Revelation 20—22). Don’t miss God’s final invitation to all fallen people: “Come!” (Revelation 22:17). All who come to God by faith in Jesus Christ will be restored.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Proverbs 14 :12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death."
Unlike the question “ Does God exist? ” the question of whether Jesus Christ existed is asked by relatively few people. Most accept that Jesus was truly a man who lived in Israel 2,000 years ago. The debate begins with the discussion of Jesus’ full identity. Almost every major religion teaches that Jesus was a prophet or a good teacher or a godly man. But the Bible tells us that Jesus was infinitely more than a prophet, a good teacher, or a godly man.
