Authority = right, liberty

• Deity

  • Father, Son, Holy Spirit – Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 1:1-2; John 8:28-29; 16:13-15

  • Ultimate authority starts with God.

• Inspired people

  • Apostles, prophets (John 16:13-15; Acts 8:14-17)

  • These people carried the authority of God.

• Inspired scripture

  • Bible – I Thessalonians 2:13

• Deity > Inspired people > Inspired scripture

Gather all the facts

• Commands

  • Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 17:7-10; I Corinthians 7:19; I Thessalonians 4:1-2, 11; II Thessalonians 3:4-6, 10-12; II Peter 2:21-3:2; I John 2:3-4; 3:22-24; 4:21-5:3; II John 1:4-6

• Statements

  • Psalms 119:104; Matthew 10:34-37; 15:9; 21:42-45; Acts 20:35

• Examples

  • John 15:12; Acts 20:35; I Corinthians 4:16; 10:6-11; 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 4:9; I Thessalonians 1:6; II Thessalonians 3:7-9; Hebrews 4:11; 3 John 1:9-11

• Inferences

  • Creation > Romans 1:18-21

  • Genesis 2:24 > Matthew 19:3-6

  • Genesis 3:14-18 + Psalms 110:4 > Hebrews 7:7-11; 8:6

  • Exodus 3:6 > Mark 12:26-27

  • Psalms 16:10 > Acts 2:24-32

  • Psalms 110:1 > Matthew 22:41-46; Acts 2:33-36

  • Matthew 9:6 > Matthew 9:2

  • Acts 16:9 > Acts 16:10

Harmonize the facts into a conclusion

• Matthew 4:5-7 – “On the other hand, it is written …”

  • The devil correctly quotes Psalm 91. Jesus then shows the importance of harmonizing all the facts.

• Acts 10

  • Vision: Acts 10:10-16, unclean animals, “God has cleansed”

  • Spirit: Acts 10:19-21, “accompany them”

  • Angel to Cornelius: Acts 10:5, 22, “send for … Peter”

  • Peter infers/concludes: Acts 10:28, 34-35, “I should not call any man unholy or unclean”

• Acts 11

  • Acts 11:5-10 – The vision and the commands

  • Acts 11:11-14 – The angel telling Cornelius to send messengers

  • Acts 11:12

  • Acts 11:15-16

  • Jews infer/conclude: Acts 11:18, “God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life”

• Acts 15

  • Acts 15:6-11 – Inference from events with Cornelius

  • Acts 15:12 – Paul and Barnabas: examples from first preaching journey

  • Acts 15:13-18 – James: statements from prophets

  • Apostles and elders lead them to a conclusion – “do not trouble” Gentiles (Acts 15:19)

• I Corinthians 9

  • Statement: Deuteronomy 25:4 (I Corinthians 9:9a)

  • Inference: From Deuteronomy 25:4 (I Corinthians 9:9b-10)

  • Example: Old Covenant priests (I Corinthians 9:13)

  • Command: Jesus, Luke 10:7-8 (I Corinthians 9:14)

  • Paul leads them to a conclusion: Preachers have a “right” to support (I Corinthians 9:4-6, 18)

What we need to know

• We must reason logically and objectively from the text. Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19, 28

• The failure to do so has resulted in tons of religious division and error. Matthew 15:3-9

• This did not originate with the Restoration Movement. II Timothy 2:15