By What Authority? (Matthews)
by Samuel Matthews
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee” (Titus 2:11-15, KJV).
The Importance of Authority
Loved ones, authority plays a role in everyone’s daily life. Laws and rules guide us, offering protection and direction. In schools, regulations preserve order and enhance learning. Similar principles apply in the realm of religion.
To worship and serve God, we must not invent our own rules but instead follow the directions He has provided. As stated in John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
Sadly, today, countless “Christian” denominations exist, each claiming to serve God. Many have adopted additional creeds, manuals, or articles of faith alongside the Bible. These additional man-made teachings often contradict God’s revealed Word. Paul wrote that God had revealed the mystery of Christ to the apostles and prophets by the Spirit (Ephesians 3:3-5). Ultimately, God’s authoritative book is the Bible.
Passages Concerning Authority
With respect to authority, let’s notice a few “authoritative” passages from the Bible:
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Christ said He had been given “all authority,” which means we need to listen to Him and give heed to His teaching. In fact, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). “In the name of” means “by the authority of.”
The Apostle John wrote by the Holy Spirit, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son” (II John 1:9).
Another authoritative passage that applies is in Matthew 4:4: “But Jesus answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Denominational Practices That Contradict God’s Word
Let us examine certain denominational teachings and practices that diverge from biblical authority, applying biblical principles as we do so.
Infant Baptism
Some denominations practice infant baptism. If this is done by Christ’s authority, where in Scripture is this found? There is no passage in the Bible that supports infant baptism, nor is there an example of infants being baptized.
Scripture calls for belief and repentance prior to baptism. In Mark 16:16, Jesus states: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Here, belief —something an infant cannot possess – precedes baptism.
At the church’s founding (Acts 2), Peter instructed the believers who were pricked in their hearts to “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:37-38). Repentance, too, comes before baptism. Infants are incapable of repenting.
The Greek word for “baptize” means “to immerse.” Therefore, a Biblical baptism is a burial or immersion in water. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).
Acts 8:36-39 details baptism as immersion, as Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch: “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized (immersed) him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”
Some denominational groups “baptize” by sprinkling, pouring, or even using rose petals. The Presbyterian Church baptizes by pouring water, the Catholic Church by sprinkling water, and the Salvation Army does not baptize at all.
Sprinkling or pouring water on an infant is not a biblical baptism. Sprinkling for baptism was officially recognized by the Catholic Church at the Council of Ravenna in A.D. 1311. Previously, baptism was performed through immersion. By what authority was the biblical teaching on baptism changed? The Bible remains unchanged.
Since these practices are of men, not God, they are not accepted by God. These groups are not the one body of Christ revealed in the New Testament (I Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:4; Matthew 16:18-19).
Women Preachers
None of the apostles were women; however, many denominations now ordain women as evangelists. What does Scripture say about this? “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (I Timothy 2:11-14).
Titus 2:15 commands the preacher to teach with all authority, yet I Timothy 2:12 prohibits women from teaching or holding authority over men in the church. Therefore, women preachers are not authorized by God.
This does not mean women cannot teach men privately. Acts 18:24-26 shows Priscilla, along with Aquila, teaching Apollos privately. “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”
Paul instructed the church in Corinth: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church” (I Corinthians 14:34-35).
So, by what authority do churches ordain women preachers or evangelists today? It is not by God’s authority, but by human authority, influenced by Satan to disregard God’s revelation (cf. I Timothy 4:1).
Descriptive Titles and Names
Elders/Bishops
Local church shepherds have various titles—overseer, bishop, pastor, or elder—depending on the Bible translation. Their qualifications are listed in I Timothy 3:1-7: “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach... Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
A pastor must be married and have good children—qualifications showing leadership. Do all churches follow this teaching? No. Some denominations now have women serving as "pastors" or "elders," even though the Bible states that an overseer must be a "husband." Surely the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church are not authorized because bishops, archbishops, priests, and popes are prohibited from marrying, which is a devil’s doctrine contradicting Scripture (I Timothy 4:1-3).
The Church
Among others, Scripture refers to “the churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16), “church of God” (I Corinthians 1:2), or “church of the firstborn” (Hebrews 12:23). These designations are given by God to His church—the church that follows His Word, the New Testament.
The name is not the only concern. To find God’s church, one must examine its teachings and practices, ensuring they conform to Scripture, not the denominational commandments of men (cf. I Corinthians 1:10). Even in the Old Testament, Christ rebuked denominational divisions.
In Matthew 23:13, He said, “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” Scripture affirms that under the Old Testament law, God wanted His people to be just “Israelites” (John 1:47; Romans 11:1) — not divided into denominations (Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, etc.).
Every denominational creed differs from the Bible in some way. The creeds divide believers; therefore, the Lord is not pleased with, nor does He ask for, denominational Christians. Today, God wants His disciples to be simply Christians (Acts 11:26), members of the church Jesus promised He would build (Matthew 16:18), who follow only the New Testament. God does not want Presbyterian Christians, Mormon Christians, Pentecostal Christians, Catholic Christians, etc.
Before His ascension, Christ said: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth...” (John 16:13). Nowhere were the apostles guided into denominational titles. If the New Testament contains all truth, why would anyone desire to follow doctrines that contradict it? If the Bible contains all truth, what do the denominational creeds contain—God’s Word, or Satan’s deceptions?
About the doctrines of men, Christ said: “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:7-9). Notice that word “doctrines” – it means many different teachings. Yet, the Bible's Godhead is one, and He reveals oneness.
Ephesians 4:4-6 states: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
How many bodies – One, which is the church of Christ. Jesus “is head of the body, the (one) church…” (Colossians 1:18). Not thousands of denominational church bodies. How many faiths – One, which is the Gospel (Romans 10:17). Not the doctrines of men. How many Spirits, hopes, Lords, baptisms, and Gods – one.
Final Warnings
Many differences exist between the Bible and denominational doctrines, but those referenced illustrate the problems of following human doctrine rather than God’s authoritative word.
Question: What is Satan’s role in the world? He is a deceiver! “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:9). Don’t be one of his victims!
God has warned us against going “too far”—beyond what has been given to us in the God-inspired Word of God, the Bible. We must heed the warnings found in Revelation 22:18-19: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
Through the free gift of God’s grace by Jesus’ blood (Ephesians 2:8; Revelation 1:5) and your obedient faith (Romans 1:5; 16:26), salvation is offered. If you have any questions or would like to comment, please don't hesitate to do so. Lord willing, a Bible answer will be provided for every Bible question. The God of Heaven and Earth is good, and His love reaches all. We love you with the love of the Lord (John 13:34-35).
