2013.02.10 Christs Authority - How God Communicates With Us

7/30/2019 2013.02.10 Christs Authority - How God Communicates With Us

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The Authority

of Christ


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Review

God Christ Holy Spirit Apostles &

Prophets Oral and Written Word

No audio recordings, only written word

Gods will is communicated to us in words


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God Created Communication

Exodus 4.11, God made our mouths by which

we communicate; he created communication

Then if God is going to communicate with us,he will use the same methods of communica-

tion he created in us

No special theology

So, how do we communicate?


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Tell / Direct Statement

At school: names, dates, places

At home: clean your room


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Show / Approved Example

At school: writing ABCs, math exercises

At home: tying shoe strings

1 1 1

+1

2

+2

3

+3

?


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Imply / Necessary Inference

At school: apple falling implies gravity, what

goes up

At home: dinners ready = come and eat


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How ALL Human Comm. Works

Tell / Direct Statements

Show / Approved Examples

Imply / Necessary Inferences (Conclusions)

It isimpossibleto communicate anything

without using one of these methods; try it


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How God Communicates with Us

God-Spoken Direct Statements

God-Approved Examples

God-Forced Conclusions

Again, no special theology; he simply com-

municates with us the same way he createdus to communicate with one another


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Mark 16.16: believe, baptized, saved

Acts 15.1516: James appealed to the state-

ment of God inAmos 9.1112as it promisedGentiles salvation in Christ with no mention

of the Law of Moses


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Acts 20.7, Lords Supper on first day (810)

Acts 15.12: Paul preached Christ not Moses

among Gentiles and God approved of thesethings as seen in the miracles

cpActs 14.27; 15.34, 12; Mark 16.1720;

Hebrews 2.14


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Matthew 3.16: went up out of the water

implies had been down in the water

Mark 7.19: thus he declared all foods clean;see other translations

Acts 15.79: HS baptism forced Peter/Jews to

conclude that Gentiles (Ac 10) saved just as

Jews (Ac 2), cp11.17


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Matthew 3.16: went up out of the water

implies had been down in the water

Mark 7.19: thus he declared all foods clean;see other translations

Acts 15.79: HS baptism forced Peter/Jews to

conclude that Gentiles (Ac 10) saved just as

Jews (Ac 2), cp11.17


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How ALL Human Comm. Works

Tell / Direct Statements

Show / Approved Examples

Imply / Necessary Inferences (Conclusions)

It isimpossibleto communicate anything

without using one of these methods; try it


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How God Communicates with Us




Again, no special theology; he simply com-

municates with us the same way he createdus to communicate with one another


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Two Kinds of Communication

In our communication we use two dierent

kinds of terms

General: a class of things; includes all thingsin that class

Specific: one thing in a class of things;

excludes all other things in that class


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General: a class of things

Human: request food, then any kind of food

will meet the requestGod:Mark 16.15: Go (generic mode of travel);

includes any method: walk, camel, car, plane

God:Gen 6.14: Build (method of building ortools not specified), incl. various methods/tools


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Specific instructions in building the ark

General class: wood

Specific: oak, pine, mahogany, hard, so, etc.

Genesis 6.14: gopher wood

Excludes ALL other woods


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Specific instructions re Lords Supper

General class: days

Specific: Mon, Tue, Wed, 2ndday, last day, etc.

Acts 20.7: first day

Excludes ALL other days


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Specific instructions for appointing priests

General class: tribes of Israel

Specific: Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, etc.

Deuteronomy 10.8: tribe of Levi

Excludes ALL other tribes


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Specific instructions for salvation

General class: all possible actions with water

Specific: dip, pour, sprinkle, spray, etc.

Acts 2.38: baptized / immerse

Excludes ALL other actions


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Specific instructions for worship

General class: music

Specific: vocal, instrumental

Ephesians 5.19; Colossians 3.16: sing

Excludes ALL other forms of music


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Include Aids, Exclude Additions

Specific communication includes aids but

excludes additions

Aid: give me rice includes bag to carry it orplate to serve it

Addition: give me rice excludes coconut,

pork, etc., because rice is specific


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Instructions re baptizing people

Matthew 28.19: baptizing them

Aid: baptistery, swimming pool, tub, etc.

Addition: sprinkle, pour (dierent actions)


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Instructions re eating Lords Supper

Acts 20.7: first day of the week

Aid: meeting place, containers

Addition: Saturday eating (another day)


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Instructions re worship

Ephesians 5.19: sing

Aid: books, lights

Addition: instrumental music (dierent form)


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Instructions re local church spreading gospel

1 Timothy 3.15: local church to preach gospel

Aid: radio, T.V., Internet, print

Addition: missionary society (another orga-

nization centralizing work of local churches)


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Instructions re local church to edify saints

Ephesians 4.1112: local church equipped to

edify selfAid: classes, workbooks

Addition: Sunday School Soc. (another orga-nization centralizing work of local churches)


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Instructions re local church to relieve saints

Acts 6.3: local church equi. to relieve widows

Aid: money, food, shelter

Addition: benevolent society (another orga-

nization centralizing work of local churches)


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Silence

Silence does not authorize anything

Parent tells child to go to market and buy

bread, does this authorize anything else?When God is silent on something, it does not

authorize that something


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Silence

Genesis 6.14: gopher wood, did God have to

say do not use oak, pine, and every kind?

Hebrews 7.14: when God says nothing, itdoes not authorize anything


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Conclusion

Everything we preach and practice must beauthorized by the New TestamentBook, chapter, and verseGeneral or specific termsGod tells, shows, or impliesDivine silence forbids, excludes, and prohibits

Speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where theBible is silentOriginal church of Christ under his authority

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2013.02.10 Christs Authority - How God Communicates With Us