![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/BibleAuthority.jpg\")
<\/a>What is your attitude toward the church?\u00a0 For many sectarians, a foundational belief is that the church has all authority.\u00a0 Whatever the church says to believe and practice, that is what must be done without question.\u00a0 This is the basic attitude of the vast majority of Roman Catholics.\u00a0 They are taught that the church \u201cis not the child of the Bible, as many non-Catholics imagine, but its mother. She derives neither her existence nor her teaching authority from the New Testament. She had both before the New Testament was born: she secured her being, her teachings, her authority directly from Jesus Christ” (The Faith of Millions<\/em>, John O\u2019 Brien, p. 146).\u00a0 Their belief is that authority lies within the Catholic church and its traditions, not the New Testament.\u00a0 What is further implied in this statement is the idea that the New Testament is a product of the Catholic church.\u00a0 Devotion to the scriptures is secondary to devotion to the church.<\/p>\nIn a recent article in the Mountain Sun (Kerrville, TX), Al Shultz (preacher for the Motley Hills Baptist Church) wrote, \u201cWe must never forget that we are under the authority of the church that we belong to.\u00a0 For example, if I teach in a Southern Baptist Church then I am obligated and responsible to teach Southern Baptist doctrine.\u00a0 If I am in the Methodist Church, then obviously I am obligated to teach Methodist doctrine.\u00a0 I am responsible to my church to teach the truth according to what my church teaches me.\u201d\u00a0 Mr. Shultz further explains, \u201cIf I am a teacher in the Lord\u2019s church, and let us break this down to another level, as a teacher in one of the Lord\u2019s churches, then I must ensure that I teach by the authority of the church.\u00a0 I must teach within the rules and regulations, so to speak, of the church that I belong to and have agreed to serve in the capacity of a teacher of the church.\u201d This philosophy is the same as the Catholic\u2019s: the Bible must be interpreted in the light of what the church (denomination) teaches.\u00a0 Sadly, most of the religious world believes this.<\/p>\n
The New Testament Is Not the Product of the Church But of God<\/h2>\n
There is no doubt that the existence of the Lord\u2019s church preceded the completion of the New Testament.\u00a0 Both the church and the Scriptures derive their existence from heaven.\u00a0 The word of God was given to be the church\u2019s guidebook.\u00a0 Consider what He had to say on the matter: \u201cHowever, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come<\/em>\u201d (John 16:13), \u201cBut the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you<\/em>\u201d (John 14:26).\u00a0 The apostle Paul adds, \u201cBut God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.\u00a0 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.\u00a0 These things we also speak, not in words which man\u2019s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual<\/em>\u201d (I Corinthians 2:10-13).\u00a0 And Peter adds, \u201cfor prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit<\/em>\u201d (II Peter 1:21). The New Testament message was preached before it was written, and there was no conflict between the spoken and written word for those who were inspired.\u00a0 It should also be pointed out that before the 3000 were added to the church (Acts 2:41,\u00a047), they heard the gospel (Acts 2:14-36).\u00a0 So, the word of God as preached by Peter preceded the church.<\/p>\n Catholics place the Bible on the same authoritative level as tradition (the writings of the \u201cchurch fathers\u201d) so that their doctrines can be changed from time to time.\u00a0 Sectarians teach that the Bible is a \u201cliving document\u201d (Hebrews 4:12?) that is subject to change from generation to generation.\u00a0 But if we understand that the Bible is the product of God and that God tells us not to add to nor take from it (Deuteronomy 4:2,\u00a012:32;\u00a0Proverbs 30:6;\u00a0Matthew 5:18;\u00a0Galatians 1:8-9;\u00a0Revelation 22:18), we will respect the authority of God\u2019s Word above all.<\/p>\n Surely, all recognize that Jesus has all authority (Matthew 28:18).\u00a0 But the question is whether Jesus delegated some His legislative authority to the church.\u00a0 If He did, what passage teaches it?\u00a0 Some claim church authorization from\u00a0Matthew 16:18-19: \u201cAnd I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 The problem is that the verbs (dedemenon<\/em>,\u00a0lelumenon<\/em>) in verse 19 are perfect passive particles.\u00a0 A more accurate reading would be something like \u201cwhatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 The perfect tense describes completed action with a lasting effect.\u00a0 The passive voice means that the subject is the recipient of the action.\u00a0 That places authority not on earth with Peter, but in heaven.\u00a0 Peter would bind and loose based on what God had already decided.<\/p>\n The New Testament clearly teaches that Jesus retains all legislative authority.\u00a0 \u201cHe who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him\u2014the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day<\/em>\u201d (John 12:48).\u00a0 He does not say we will be judged by the words of a church or denomination, but by His words.\u00a0 \u201cThere is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?<\/em>\u201d (James 4:12).<\/p>\n The modern ecumenical mindset emphasizes \u201cchurch teaching\u201d and diminishes Bible teaching.\u00a0 Should a church\u2019s teaching be different from Bible teaching?\u00a0 According to some, whatever a church teaches is approved by God since God has given authority to the church.\u00a0 Therefore, it is not possible for a church\u2019s doctrine to be displeasing to Him.\u00a0 In speaking to the elders of Ephesus Paul said, \u201cFor I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.\u00a0 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.<\/em>\u201d (Acts 20:29-30).\u00a0 Clearly, God does not approve of everything that a church decides to do.\u00a0 \u201cBut I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.<\/em>\u201d (Revelation 2:14).\u00a0 Clearly, God does not approve of every doctrine that man decides to believe.\u00a0 We must believe only what is revealed in the word of God without adding to it or taking from it (Deuteronomy 29:29).<\/p>\n Throughout the Scriptures, the word of God is put forward as authoritative while the traditions and commandments of men bring condemnation.\u00a0 Jesus said, \u201cAnd in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men<\/em>\u201d (Matthew 15:9;\u00a0Mark 7:7).\u00a0 Paul warned, \u201cLet no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.\u00a0 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations\u2014 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using\u2014according to the commandments and doctrines of men?\u00a0 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.<\/em>\u201d (Colossians 2:18-23).\u00a0 In the light of these statements, how can one cling to denominational traditions?<\/p>\n Mr. Shultz states, \u201cI must teach within the rules and regulations, so to speak, of the church that I belong to and have agreed to serve in the capacity of a teacher of the church.\u201d\u00a0 The presupposition behind that statement is that all of the denominations are God-given.\u00a0 But God hates religious division (I Corinthians 1:10-13).\u00a0 Unity is derived from a mutual understanding of God\u2019s word (Ephesians 3:4), not a false unity based on the unscriptural concept of \u201cagreeing to disagree.\u201d\u00a0 While Jesus prayed for the unity of His disciples (John 17:20-23), He also expressed that unity must be based in truth: \u201cSanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.<\/em>\u201d (John 17:17).<\/p>\n The church does not have primary authority, only that which is delegated by God.\u00a0 God has not authorized the church to make its own laws, rather the church is to teach and practice the laws given by God through the Scriptures.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0by Dan Gatlin What is your attitude toward the church?\u00a0 For many sectarians, a foundational belief is that the church has all authority.\u00a0 Whatever the church says to believe and practice, that is what must be done without question.\u00a0 This is the basic attitude of the vast majority of Roman Catholics.\u00a0 They are taught…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[78,1388,448,1599],"class_list":["post-4201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-authority","tag-baptist-church","tag-church","tag-roman-catholic-church"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":19441,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/could-the-roman-catholics-early-list-of-popes-be-accurate\/","url_meta":{"origin":4201,"position":0},"title":"Could the Roman Catholic’s early list of popes be accurate?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 13, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: The Catholics base their entire religion on the belief of ''Sacred Tradition'' and ''Apostolic Supremacy.'' Catholics claimed that a man named Linus was the second pope and succeeded Peter in 67 A.D. And they believe him to be the same Linus mention in II Timothy 4:21.\u00a0 They even have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":59745,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/sola-scriptura-or-sola-papa\/","url_meta":{"origin":4201,"position":1},"title":"Sola Scriptura or Sola Papa?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 7, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Chuck Durham via\u00a0Biblical Insights, Vol. 7, No. 9, Sept. 2007. Pope Benedict XVI released a Vatican document on July 10, 2007, that reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church as providing the only true path to salvation. The document claims that the Roman Catholic Church is the only\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87366,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-i-left-the-catholic-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":4201,"position":2},"title":"Why I Left the Catholic Church","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Weaks Twenty-One Years a Catholic I grew up a member of the Roman Catholic Church. Most of my mother's side of the family had been Catholic for generations. However, in February of 1985, I found I was no longer content to be part of the Catholic Church just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63045,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-development-of-papal-power\/","url_meta":{"origin":4201,"position":3},"title":"The Development of Papal Power","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By Andy Sochor Unmasking Sophistry, October-December, 2023, Vol. 3, No. 4 The pope is arguably the most influential religious figure in the world today. Yet there was a time when the one who occupied this office was even more powerful than the current pope. He would not only be the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39146,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-you-know-the-roman-catholics-changed-worship-from-the-sabbath-to-sunday\/","url_meta":{"origin":4201,"position":4},"title":"Did you know the Roman Catholics changed worship from the Sabbath to Sunday?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 28, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi, Did you know that the sabbath is Saturday, the seventh day of the week? Sunday is the first day of the week. Did you know that the Papal system takes credit for changing the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday? Father God establishes his dominion and his\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68731,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-bible-on-roman-catholicism\/","url_meta":{"origin":4201,"position":5},"title":"The Bible on Roman Catholicism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Zeke Flores A while back, I read a shared post by a Catholic priest. He was angered by \"a sea of stupid articles, idiotic commentary and boneheaded op-eds about the Catholic Church, by people who have no clue what they're talking about.\" He went on to rant about \"the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4201"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4201\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Jesus Did Not Give Legislative Authority to the Church<\/h2>\n
Individuals Obligated to Follow Bible Teaching Not Church Tradition<\/h2>\n
Denominations Do Not Come from God<\/h2>\n