Bro. Junrey J. Moncada
Pastor- Berea Baptist Church, Caburan Big, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental Philippines

“And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority”(Matthew 21:23)
” For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch”.(Mark 13:34).

Authority is vital thing that really matters especially in distinguishing who are the false and who are those rightful persons that are in authority or power to implement and deliver works or orders. A law is obeyed, an order is implemented, a work is honoured when it is done with persons in authority. A medical doctor cannot practice medicine if he had no authority received from the Government institution, a police officer cannot impose and implement the law without the authority or else they are just but a mere impostor and false claimer having no authority vested upon them. Authority is an important thing most especially in religious matters, as to establish mission works and organize churches, having no authority from the existing church whose progeny from Christ making a church a false church, a competition from the true church built by Christ.

Thus we have this study concerning the church authority in order for us to know how important it is in our spiritual service because God receives glory only from his church and no other (Eph. 1:21).

•Authority defined

Definition of the Term Authority.
Merriam Webster Dictionary- The power to give orders or make decisions: the power or right to direct or control someone or something.
Strong’s Greek Dictionary- “ EXOUSIA”- ejxousi>a, — ex-oo-see’-ah; from (1832) (e]xesti) (in the sense of ability); privilege, i.e. (subject) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (object) mastery (concrete magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence: — authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.

Having an Authority means:
Being independent or not dependent or self-govern or management, autonomy, freedom from interference in external and internal affairs, that no one dictates nor question.
Control or right to rule oneself
God is the Greatest example who has the authority over all His creation (Romans 9:21)

•Source of Authority

The source of Authority is God whether it be secular or religious matters (John 3:27; 19:9-10). But the authority that has been given from God are two types :

1. The Personal Authority- it is an authority given by God to a person, may it be a direct authority or through to an authority of an Institution like: King, President, Doctor, Police officer, (Dan.4:17).

In spiritual matters especially in salvation of our souls, Christ Jesus was given the direct authority from the Father to be the Saviour of all the Father’s has given to Him (John 17:2 cf. 14:6; Acts 4:10-12). That shows that no one and nothing that has the authority to save but Christ alone, not us, not our works of righteousness, not our will, not to the authorized preacher, not Baptism, nor the church.

John the Baptist was also an example who received a especial personal Authority, who was given a direct personal authority to preach and to Baptize from God (Jn. 1:6,33; Acts 19:4)

2. The Institutional Authority – it is an authority given by God to a group of men, or nation, or institution like: Government Constitution, Kingdom, Judicial court and etc..
In the sense of spiritual institutional authority it was and is only given to the Church built by Christ (to be study below). (Psa. 22:28; Romans 13:1-2)

The first church at Jerusalem has received authority directly from Christ (Matt.28:18;Lk 24:33), but the authority received of the Church of Samaria and the Church of Antioch was not coming directly from God or from Christ but from the existing Church of Jerusalem (Acts 8:6-14; 11:19-27).Churches that was organized under the missionary journeys of apostle Paul has received their authority coming from the existing church, the Church of Antioch (Acts 13:1-3; 14:26-27). Therefore the first church at Jerusalem received their authority vertically from Christ but the progeny of this church including these present day churches received authority horizontally from the existing church/churches whose history traced back from the church established before at Jerusalem. So to start a new church without authority from the existing church is unscriptural and much worst a man-made church for they are not of Christ’s ownership, no link to the first church established by Christ. Apostate churches are no longer qualified to Christ (2 Jn.9; Rev.2:5; 3:16).

•Authority of Christ

Christ received His authority from the Father and so He has the authority in:
-all things in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18 as He is the King of kings and LORD of lords Rev.19:16)
-His own life (Jn. 10:18)
-Salvation of all God’s elect as already stated above 👆
-Execution during the Judgment day (Jn. 5:27)
-All demons (Mk. 1:27; Lk. 9:1)
-Teaching God’s doctrines (Mk.1:22; Jn. 7:16-17; 12:49-50; 2Jn.9)
-His own church as He purchased her by His own blood (Acts 20:28)
-The church as His wife (2Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:22-24), as He is the head of His church (Col.1:18 like man to woman 1Cor. 11:3).

Christ gave authority to His church
(Matt. 28:18-20 cf. Jn. 20:21; 2Cor.10:8, Mk.13:34)
To teach all nations
To preach
To Baptize
To observe all things that He Commanded (These includes all practices, customs, and managements in the church)

• Church Authority

When the Bible speaks of authority of the Church that means that the church must be govern by the church itself. Christ did not gave authority to the apostles alone but to the whole church, compare Matthew 28 and Luke 24, you found that they were in the same instanced when Christ gave authority to the church as it said that not only the apostles were present at that time but they had many companions Luke24:33. In other words having an association, convention, boards, mission boards, or league of elders and etc., to govern the church in carrying the Lord’s work is unscriptural, Christ said “tell it to the church”(Matt. 18:17), He never told “tell it to the Apostles, elders, association, convention and so on”.

During the days of the Apostles the New Testament churches has shown an example to us on how they manage the church through the church itself.
>The selection of Matthias (Acts 1:23-26)
>The selection of seven deacons (Acts 6:2-3)
>Setting apart and sending out missionaries (Acts 11:22; 13:1-3)
>Reporting of Accomplishments (Acts 14:26-27)
>Resolving church problems (Acts 15:1-6;22-29)
>Exclusion and restoration of incestuous man (1Cor.5; 2Cor.2:6)
>The selection of travelling companions of Paul (1Cor.16:3 cf. 2Cor.8:19,23)
>The duty and responsibility of the whole church to-
>Maintain unity of action (Rom. 12:16; 1Cor.1:10; 2Cor.13:4; Eph.4:3. Phil.1:27, 1Pet.3:8
>Preserve pure doctrines and practices (1Tim.3:15, Jude 3; see also Rev. 2 & 3)
>Guard the ordinances (1Cor.11:2, 23-24).

The authority given by Christ to his church can only be perform by an existing, living, local and visible body of believers, Universal Invisible Church cannot perform those things authorized by Christ for all things mention are seen and heard that cannot be applied nor exercise of the non-existing invisible universal church!

A church institution that has a genuine authority received, will authorize persons to carry the work of the Lord. And to speak out as having an authority inside the church, it is given only to men, to oversee, teach, preach or manage the church, women are forbidden( 1Tim.2:11-12, 1Cor. 14:34-37) even in public prayers we are instructed that godly men are to lead, and not child not woman(1Tim2:8). Except for unbelieving people outside the church and only women are the true believers only then she can lead those who are dead in the spirit or babes in Christ.

It is said that women will have their authority when wearing Head Covering inside the Church, by citing (1Cor.11:10), but it is not to understand woman will have her authority when covered but that only means that she is in submission under the authority of her husband, of men, or of angels verse 3,7-9 cleared it.