The New Testament Church

The New Testament Church The Authority of the Church

The Source of Authority—God Speaking Through Christ • New Testament Message and Messenger contrasted with old • “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.” {Hebrews 1:1,2}

The Source of Authority—God Speaking Through Christ • Moses lawgiver in Old Testament period—Christ in the New • “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” {John 1:17}

The Source of Authority—God Speaking Through Christ • God was revealed through Christ • “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”{Matthew 11:27}

The Source of Authority—God Speaking Through Christ • Authority given to Christ • “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.” {John 5:26,27}

The Source of Authority—God Speaking Through Christ • Christ’s Message from God • “Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.” {John 17:7,8}

The Source of Authority—God Speaking Through Christ • Christ’s Message from God • “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.” {John 12:49,50}

Governed today by the Authority of Christ—Not Moses and the Prophets. • “Hear ye Him.” • “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 'And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.” {Acts 3:19-23}

Governed today by the Authority of Christ—Not Moses and the Prophets. • “But I Say Unto You.” • “You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.‘But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.” {Matthew 5:21,22}

Governed today by the Authority of Christ—Not Moses and the Prophets. • Under the Law of Christ. • “To those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.” {1 Corinthians 9:21} • “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” {Galatians 6:2}

Christ’s Authority to be Executed Through His Apostles. • Follow Him in judging. • “Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have? So Jesus said to them, Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” {Matthew 19:27,28}

Christ’s Authority to be Executed Through His Apostles. • Great Commission. • “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” {Matthew 28:18-20}

Christ’s Authority to be Executed Through His Apostles. • Keys of the Kingdom. • “…Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” {Matthew 16:17-19}

Christ’s Authority to be Executed Through His Apostles. • Receiving Holy Spirit. • “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” {John 20:22,23}

Christ’s Authority to be Executed Through His Apostles. • Word of reconciliation. • “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.” {2 Corinthians 5:18-20}

Christ’s Authority to be Executed Through His Apostles. • Spirit of truth or of error. • “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” {1 John 4:6}

Apostles to Be Guided by Holy Spirit • To be sent to the apostles—not to the world! • “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” {John 14:16,17}

Apostles to Be Guided by Holy Spirit • To bring to their remembrance what Christ had taught. • “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” {John 14:26}

Apostles to Be Guided by Holy Spirit • To convict the world through the teaching of Christ. • “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” {John 16:7-11}

Apostles to Be Guided by Holy Spirit • To wait in Jerusalem for His coming. • “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” {Luke 24:49}

Apostles to Be Guided by Holy Spirit • Holy Spirit came—apostle preached—people believed and obeyed! • “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” {Acts 2:1-4}

Preaching of the Apostles Confirmed by Miracles • Temporary gifts served the purpose of introducing and confirming the word of God—as from divine origin! • “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” {Mark 16:16-18}

Preaching of the Apostles Confirmed by Miracles • Temporary gifts served the purpose of introducing and confirming the word of God—as from divine origin! • “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will.” {Hebrews 2:3,4}

Preaching of the Apostles Confirmed by Miracles • Temporary gifts served the purpose of introducing and confirming the word of God—as from divine origin! • “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues... But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.” {1 Corinthians 12:28,31}

Preaching of the Apostles Confirmed by Miracles • Temporary gifts served the purpose of introducing and confirming the word of God—as from divine origin! • “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” {1 Corinthians 13:8-10}

Completeness of the Law Thus Delivered • Righteousness of God—from “faith to faith.” • “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” {Romans 1:16,17}

Completeness of the Law Thus Delivered • All things pertaining to life and godliness. • “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” {2 Peter 1:2,3}

Completeness of the Law Thus Delivered • Furnished for every good work. • “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” {2 Timothy 3:16,17}

Completeness of the Law Thus Delivered • ONCE delivered to the saints. • “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” {Jude 3}

Completeness of the Law Thus Delivered • Must not add or subtract from. • “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” {Revelation 22:18,19}

Concluding Thoughts • New Testament Scriptures contain God’s revealed will for man. • Christ and His chosen ambassadors revealedthat will. • Guided by the Holy Spirit • Constitute a complete perfect ruleof faith and practice for God’s people today. • Divine Constitutionof the Kingdom of God.

The New Testament Church