The Final Authority, Period.
July 18th, 2007
(By John MacArthur)
Anyone who faithfully and correctly proclaims the Word of God will speak with authority.
It is not our own authority. It is not even the ecclesiastical authority attached to the office of a pastor or teacher in the church. It is a still greater authority than that. Insofar as our teaching accurately reflects the truth of Scripture, it has the full weight of God’s own authority behind it. That is a staggering thought, but it is precisely how 1 Peter 4:11 instructs us to handle biblical truth: “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.”
Of course that is a profound threat to the tolerance of a society that loves its sin and thinks of compromise as a good thing. To speak boldly and declare that God has spoken with finality is neither stylish nor politically correct. But if we truly believe the Bible is the Word of God, how can we handle it any other way?
Many modern evangelicals, cowed by post-modernism’s demand for latitudinarianism, claim they believe Scripture, but then shy away from proclaiming it with any authority. They are willing to give lip service to the truth of Scripture, but in practice they strip it of its authority, treating it as just another opinion in the great mix of post-modern ideas.
Neither Scripture nor common sense will allow for such a view. If the Bible is true, then it is also authoritative. As divinely-revealed truth, it carries the full weight of God’s own authority. If you claim to believe the Bible at all, you ultimately must bow to its authority. That means making it the final arbiter of truth — the rule by which every other opinion is evaluated.
The Bible is not just another idea to be thrown into the public discussion and accepted or rejected as the individual sees fit. It is the Word of God, and it demands to be received as such, to the exclusion of all other opinions.
Amen–to the entire series.
We are not prophets in the sense of prophetic office however, when we speak the word, we are prophesying (speaking God’s mind) and we must do it without apology or trepidation. Amen to the bold proclamation! Never back down… for a painful example of vascillation, see Joel Osteen on Larry King!
Oops…I meant vacillate
Thanks for standing unequivocally on God’s Holy Word, the only true word ever in this world. Blessings to you.
How we need the Church of Jesus Christ to proclaim this truth once again. The Bible has been defended by the blood of men who gave their lives for its truthfulness. And yet today we have various attacks against the Word of God not only from the world but from those claiming to be followers of Jesus. Thank you John for proclaiming the truth of Scripture.