AUTHORITY : FROM GOD TO CHURCH

Junrey J. Moncada
Pastor of Berea Baptist Church
Sabang, Caburan Big, Jose Abad Santos,Davao Occidental, Philippines

“And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came
unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who
gave thee this authority”(Matthew 21:23)
” For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority
to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch”.(Mark 13:34).

Authority is vital thing that really matters especially in distinguishing who are the false and
who are those rightful persons that are in authority or power to implement and deliver works
or orders. A law is obeyed, an order is implemented, a work is honoured when it is done with
persons in authority. A medical doctor cannot practice medicine if he had no authority
received from the Government institution, a police officer cannot impose and implement the
law without the authority or else they are just but a mere impostor and false claimer having
no authority vested upon them. Authority is an important thing most especially in religious
matters, as to establish mission works and organize churches, having no authority from the
existing church whose progeny from Christ making a church a false church, a competition
from the true church built by Christ.
Thus we have this study concerning the church authority in order for us to know how
important it is in our spiritual service, because God receive glory only from His church and no
other (Eph. 1:21).

•Authority defined
Definition of the Term Authority
Merriam Webster Dictionary- The power to give orders or make decisions: the power or right
to direct or control someone or something.
Strong’s Greek Dictionary- “ EXOUSIA”- ejxousi>a, — ex-oo-see’-ah; from (1832) (e]xesti) (in the
sense of ability); privilege, i.e. (subject) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (object)
mastery (concrete magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence:
— authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.
Having an Authority means:
Being independent or not dependent or self-govern or management, autonomy, freedom from
interference in external and internal affairs, that no one dictates nor question, in command.
Control or right to rule oneself. God is the Greatest example who has the authority over all His
creation (Romans 9:21)

•Source of Authority
The source of Authority is God whether it be secular or religious matters,
John 3:27-"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from
heaven".
John 19:9-11"And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou?
But Jesus gave him no answer.Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me?
knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?Jesus
answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from
above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin".(KJV- Emphasis JJM).
-The authority that has been given from God are two types :
1. The Personal Authority- it is an authority given by God to a person, may it be a direct
authority or through to an authority of an Institution like: King, President, Doctor, Police officer.
(Dan. 4:17)
In spiritual matters especially in salvation of our souls, Christ Jesus was given the direct
authority from the Father to be the Saviour of all the Father’s has given to Him (John 17:2 cf.
14:6; Acts 4:10-12). That shows that no one and nothing that has the authority to save but
Christ alone, not us, not our works of righteousness, not our will, not Baptism, nor the church.
John the Baptist was also an example who received a especial personal Authority, who was
given a direct personal authority to preach and to Baptize from God (Jn. 1:6,33; Acts 19:4).
2. The Institutional Authority – it is an authority given by God to a group of men, or nation, or
institution like: Government Constitution, Kingdom, Judicial court and etc..
In the sense of spiritual institutional authority, it was and is only given to the Church built by
Christ (to be study below). (Psa. 22:28; Romans 13:1-2).
The first church at Jerusalem has received authority directly from Christ (Matt.28:18;Lk 24:33),
but the authority received of the Church of Samaria and the Church of Antioch was not
coming directly from God or from Christ but from the existing Church of Jerusalem (Acts 8:6-14;
11:19-27).Churches that was organized under the missionary journeys of apostle Paul has
received their authority coming from the existing church the Church of Antioch (Acts 13:1-3;
14:26-27). Therefore the first church at Jerusalem received their authority vertically from Christ
but the progeny of this church including these present day churches received authority
horizontally from the existing church whose history trace back from the church established
before at Jerusalem. So to start a new church without authority from the existing church is
unscriptural and much worst a man-made churches for they are not of Christ’s ownership,
apostate churches are all disqualified to Christ already (Rev.2:5; 3:16).
•Authority of Christ
Christ received His authority from the Father and so He has the authority in:
-all things in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18 as He is the King of kings and LORD of lords
Rev.19:16)
-His own life (Jn. 10:18)
-Salvation of all God’s elect as already stated above 👆
-Execution during the Judgment day (Jn. 5:27)
-All demons (Mk. 1:27; Lk. 9:1)
-Teaching God’s doctrines (Mk.1:22; Jn. 7:16-17; 12:49-50; 2Jn.9)
-His own church; as He purchased her by His own blood (Acts 20:28), as the church is His wife
(2Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:22-24), as He is the head of His church (Col.1:18 like man to woman 1Cor. 11:3).
•Christ gave authority to His church
(Matt. 28:18-20 cf. Jn. 20:21; 2Cor.10:8, Mk.13:34)
To teach all nations
To preach
To Baptize
To observe all things that He Commanded (These includes all practices, customs, and
managements in the church)
• Church Authority
When the Bible speaks of authority of the Church that means that the church must be govern
by the church itself. Christ did not gave authority to the apostles alone but to the whole
church, compare Matthew 28 and Luke 24 and you found that they were in the same
instanced and when Christ gave authority to the church, it said that not only the apostles
were present at that time but they had many companions Luke24:33. In other words having
an association, convention, boards, mission boards, or league of elders and etc., to govern the
church in carrying the Lord’s work is unscriptural, Christ said “tell it to the church”(Matt. 18:17),
He does not says tell it to the Apostles, elders, association, convention and so on.
The New Testament church has shown example to us as to how they manage the church
through the church itself.
>The selection of Matthias (Acts 1:23-26)
>The selection of seven deacons (Acts 6:2-3)
>Setting apart and sending out missionaries (Acts 11:22; 13:1-3)
>Reporting of Accomplishments (Acts 14:26-27)
>Resolving church problems (Acts 15:1-6;22-29)
>Exclusion and restoration of incestuous man (1Cor.5; 2Cor.2:6)
>The selection of travelling companions of Paul (1Cor.16:3 cf. 2Cor.8:19,23)
>The duty and responsibility of the whole church to-
>Maintain unity of action (Rom. 12:16; 1Cor.1:10; 2Cor.13:4; Eph.4:3. Phil.1:27, 1Pet.3:8
>Preserve pure doctrines and practices (1Tim.3:15, Jude 3; see also Rev. 2 & 3)
>Guard the ordinances (1Cor.11:2, 23-24).
The authority given by Christ to his church can only be perform by an existing, living, local and
visible body of believers, universal invisible church cannot perform those things authorized by
Christ for all things mention are seen and heard unlike the non-existing invisible universal
church!
A church institution that has a genuine authority received, will authorize persons to carry the
work of the Lord. And the persons to speak out as having an authority inside the church, was
apparently declared given only to men, to lead, to oversee, teach, preach or manage the
church, but women are forbidden to do such ( 1Tim.2:11-12, 1Cor. 14:34-37), even in public
prayers we are instructed that godly men are to lead, not child, not woman(1Tim2:8). Except
for unbelieving people outside the church, and only women are the true believers only then
she can lead those who are dead in the spirit or babes in Christ.
It is said that women will have their authority when wearing Head Covering inside the Church,
by citing (1Cor.11:10), but it is not to understand woman will have her authority when covered
but that only means that she is in submission under the authority to her husband, to men, or
to angels verse 3,7-9 cleared it.