“AUTHORITY: A SOURCE OR AN EXPEDIENT?”

Authority can be general or specific in nature. If general, there are expedient means to obeying what God has authorized. There must first be authorization to act, before expediency applies. These matters are clear from the scriptures.

When considering the question, “Is there a NEED for authority”; the answer is a clear ‘yes’ from numerous examples in the Bible. The need is seen in the examples of those who challenged it.

          ·      Moses: when confronting two of his brethren, had his authority questioned - Exod. 2:14.
    ·         John the Baptist had his authority to baptize questioned - Jn. 1:25
    ·        Peter & John had their authority challenged - Acts 4:7 
    ·         Jesus’ authority was challenged by the religious leaders of the day - Mt. 21:23

So, the question “Is there a need for authority in religion” is not new. However, it is important that we not misunderstand the issue within the question.  The issue is not, ‘Is authority needful in the sense of useful or helpful.  Rather, the question should be understood to mean, “Is authority necessary?”  

We need to understand this question as asking: MUST we have authority PRIOR what we practice in religion? Otherwise, what the Bible says about a subject is a moot issue (cf. 1 Peter 4:11).

Authority is not an expedient to accomplish what we have determined to do; rather it is the source by which we determine ‘if’ we can do the thing under consideration.                              

Therefore, if we don’t have authority for the practice; we cannot engage in the particular practice. Let us never presume to have authority​, rather let us look into the “perfect law of liberty, and continue therein” (Jms. 1:25).