The two basic forms of authority are intrinsic authority (belonging to one's essential nature) and derived authority (given to one from another source) Since 'there is no authority except from God' every kind of authority other than that of God Himself is derived and therefore secondary to God's power.
So remarkable were the miracles worked by God at Paul's hands that handkerchiefs or aprons which had touched him were taken to the sick, and they were cured of their illnesses, and the evil spirits came out of them. - Acts 19:11 -
God's authority is absolute and unconditional - Ps. 29:10; Is. 40 - He has authority over nature - Job 38 - and history. He has power to send people to heaven and hell. Jesus Christ has the same intrinsic authority as the Father although this authority is said to be given to Christ from His Father just as the authority of the Holy Spirit is given to Him from the Father and the Son. Christ has the authority to forgive sins, to lay down His life and take it up again and to give eternal life.
Now having met together, they asked him, 'Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom of Israel?' He replied, 'it is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.' - Acts 1:6-8 - Acts 17:24-31 -
I tell you most solemnly,
the hour will come - in fact it is here already -
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and all who hear it will live.
For the Father, who is the source of life,
has made the Son the source of life;
and because he is the Son of Man,
has appointed him supreme judge. - John 5:25-27 -
But when the Spirit of truth comes
he will lead you to the complete truth,
since he will not be speaking as from himself
but will say only what he has learnt;
and he will tell you of the things to come.
He will glorify me,
since all he tell you
will be taken from what is mine.
Everything the Father has is mine;
that is why I said:
All he tells you
will be taken from what is mine. - John 16:13-15 -
Father, the hour has come:
glorify your Son
so that your Son may glorify you;
and through the power over all mankind that you have given him,
let him give eternal life to all those you have entrusted to him.
And eternal life is this:
to know you,
the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. - John 17:1-3 - John 10:17-18, 25-30, 14:26, 15:26 -
In addition to the intrinsic authority of God, the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible speaks of many kinds of derived power. The people were astonished at this authority which Jesus revealed when He taught and performed miracles. - Matt. 7:28-29, 8:27; Luke 4:36 - Christians are often given certain authority to exercise. This includes the authority of a parent or a church leader. The most noble use of authority is for serving others. 'Let...he who governs' Jesus said, be 'as he who serves... I am among you as the One who serves. - Luke 22:26-27 - The Christian who seeks to follow Christ's example will learn to use authority with others more than over others. The wise Christian remembers that all derived authority will one day be returned to the God who gave it. But the rewards of faithful service will endure throughout eternity.
Ater that will come the end when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to put under his feet. Though when it is said that everything is subjected, this clearly cannot include the One who subjected everything to him. And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all. - 1Cor. 15:24-28 -
You must not love this passing world
or anything that is in the world.
The love of the Father cannot be
in any man who loves the world,
because nothing the world has to offer
-the sensual body,
the lustful eye,
pride in possessions-
could ever come from the Father
but only from the world;
and the world, with all it craves for,
is coming to an end;
but anyone who does the will of God
remains forever. - 1John 2:15-17 -
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Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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