ConclusionThat Bible authority is derived by statement of fact, command, example, and necessary inference is not a church of Christ formula, not even a religious formula. These are the ONLY ways that one in authority can make his wishes known to one who is under authority in ANY relationshipIn familyIn businessIn governmentIn schoolAd infinitumAuthority, how to establish:IntroductionA local church must have Bible authority for all it teaches and practices. The question is not “how long have we been doing it?,” or “does it seem right?,” or “do we think good will come of it?,” but DOES GOD AUTHORIZE IT? A thing must be authorized in the gospel or God’s people must leave it out (II John 1:9.Two extremes as to how Bible authority is established:A thing must be specifically commanded.A thing has to be specifically forbidden.It is a sin to bind where God has loosed and it is a sin to loose where God has bound:Pharisees bound washing of hands (Matthew 15:1-2They loosed “honor father and mother” (Matthew 15:3-4God said it made their worship vain (Matthew 15:8-9Christ has all authority (Matthew 18:8He gave binding and loosing authority to the apostles (Matthew 18:18The question is: “Is it from heaven or man?” (Luke 20:2-4How then is Bible authority established?A thing is authorized by:Command: Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 11:25Example: First day (Acts 20:7Necessary inference: How often (Acts 20:7There is generic and specific authority:Command: Build arkGeneric: WoodSpecific: Gopher woodCommand: PraiseGeneric: MusicSpecific: SingThings that help expedite the command without adding another coordinate element are authorized:Command: Water of cleansing (Numbers 19Generic: HeiferSpecific: Red heiferExpedient: Breed, ageCommand: Praise (Hebrews 13:15Generic: Music (Colossians 3:16Specific: VocalExpedient: Alto, tenor, bass, sopranoCommand: Preach gospel collectively (I Corinthians 9:1-14Generic: The savedSpecific: Local churchHow large, number of eldersNOTE: For a thing to be expedient, it must be lawful. To observe the Supper on the first day of the week is lawful, any hour of that day is expedient. But observe it one hour before or one hour after the first day and it would not be lawful; thus, not expedient.
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