6. TEACHING: ACTS 2:42; II TIMOTHY 3:15-17
a. Is there authority from Christ to teach as binding in religion
anything OTHER than the New Testament Gospel? (i.e., Social gospel, politics,
Etc.)
Scripture:______________________________?
7. DOES CHRIST GIVE
MAN AUTHORITY TO WORSHIP HIM IN WAYS OTHER THAN THOSE MENTIONED IN HIS WORD?
WHAT ABOUT:
Ø Counting beads religiously?
Ø Walking on hot coals religiously?
Ø Withdrawing from society (monks, etc)?
Ø Forbidding marrying (priests)? I TIMOTHY 4:1-5
Ø Forbidding eating certain meats? I TIMOTHY 4:1-5
Ø Calling someone 'Father' religiously? MATTHEW 23:8-12
Ø Burning candles religiously?
Ø Burning incense religiously?
Ø Being called 'Reverend'? A term used only
for God! PSALMS 111:9
Ø Ringing bells religiously?
Ø Wearing 'long robes'? (religious garb -
clergy/laity distinction) MATTHEW 23:5-7
Ø
And I
could go on and on! Man has invented MANY activities in the religious realm to
worship God. Unfortunately, God will only accept what He has authorized! Read MATTHEW 7:21-23 again and see this terrible page played out on the Day of
Judgment! Just to be religious and claim to do things in the Name of Jesus,
that is, by His authority and power, will not get one into Heaven! We must do
ONLY those religious works that He has authorized! In fact, every 'work' that
we must 'do' in order to please our Creator and thus be allowed to enter heaven
(PHILIPPIANS 2:12), has been authorized by God!
Ø
Notice JOHN 6:28,29; even 'faith' is a 'work' of (from) God! Why, because He
authorized it! God is not doing the 'faith' we have, we have to do the believing,
but He does command it, He authorizes it! In other words, the good works we
perform must be authorized from God, not man!
Ø As you can see
from the above Scripture, even personal 'faith' is the 'work' of (from) God! Why,
because He authorized it! God is not 'doing' the 'faith' we have, we have to do
the believing, but He does command it, He authorizes it! In other words, the
good works we perform must be authorized from God, not man! This includes the
works of God we are commanded to do; faith, repentance, confession, baptism,
and proper worship to Him! This is why we are going to be judged in the last
day according to our 'WORKS'!
MATTHEW 16:27; ROMANS 2:4-11; I PETER 1:17.
Ø
In fact, our works are the only things we will take with
us when we leave this Earth! I JOHN 2:17.
Ø
Does this then mean that we can boast because we are to do
the works of God in order to go to heaven? No, Jesus tells us that When we do
all that He tells us to do, we are only doing our duty: LUKE 17:10.
