FINAL AUTHORITY

Final Authority

Psalm 119:105–112

105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. 

107 I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word. 

108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments. 

109 My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law. 110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts. 

111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. 112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.

The Word Is Light

Psalm 119:130

130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Isaiah 8:20

20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

2 Peter 1:19

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

John 12:46

46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

The World Is Darkness

John 3:19

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Deuteronomy 28:25

25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

Isaiah 59:9–12

9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

2 Corinthians 6:14

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

The CHURCH is Losing Its Light

Authority Options:

• Expert opinion (Science, Scholars, Experts)
  • Majority Opinion (“Extraordinary Popular Delusions and The Madness of Crowds” by Charles Mackay. First published in 1841. From the financial madness of Tulipmania and the South Sea bubbles to ‘Witch hunts’, ‘The Crusades and relics.)
    • Media
      • Mockery
      • Manipulation (Covid 19)
    • Jurisdictional (Mum and Dad, Government, Law)
    • Feelings
    • Fear

2 Peter 3:14–16

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Isaiah 8:20

20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Jesus Christ, The Lamp, The Light, The WORD of GOD

John 1:1–5

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 1:14

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 8:12

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 12:46

46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

John 9:5

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Revelation 19:11–13

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Rejection of his words are akin to rejecting him!

John 12:48

48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

It will be your ACTIONS that will testify of your faith!

James 1:22–25

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

See James 2:14-26

Final Authority

2 Timothy 3:16–17

¹6 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The Verbal, Plenary Inspiration of the Bible.

The Book of Enoch, Jashur, Jubilee etc employed as a ‘Final Authority’ to interpret the Bible.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

The same problem that we had from the very beginning of creation. Unbelief.

Faith saves us, unbelief damns us.

Faith brings light, unbelief brings darkness.

Stubbornness is as the sin of witchcraft.

1 Samuel 15:23 (Samuel to King Saul)

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

PRESERVATION

Matthew 24:35

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Mark 13:31

31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Luke 21:33

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

CHOOSE WHO YOU WILL SERVE.

1 Kings 18:21

21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Joshua 24:15

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

_________________________

SIDE NOTE

SLOTH

2 Thessalonians 3:6–15

6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. 13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. 14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Ephesians 4:28

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Proverbs 21:25–26

25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. 26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

Proverbs 13:11

¹¹ Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.\

Proverbs 14:23

²³ In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Acts 20:34–35

³⁴ Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. ³⁵ I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12

¹¹ And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; ¹² That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

1 Timothy 5:8

8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Proverbs 6:6–11

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Proverbs 20:4

4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Proverbs 13:4

4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Proverbs 19:15

15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

1 Timothy 5:13

13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

Proverbs 15:19

19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

Proverbs 18:9

⁹ He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.