The Authority of the New Testament

Many times the way people have been taught the Baptist Distinctives in the past is by means of an acrostic.

BAPTIST- What does the “B” stand for? Bible is our only rule of faith and practice.

I taught that before and got someone mad at me (who did not attend a Baptist church). Why?

Because it is misleading. Baptists are not the only one who acknowledge the authority of the Bible. All true Christians recognize the authority of the Bible. That does not set Baptists apart- it is not one of our distinctives.

What the baptist distinctive really is- is the absolute authority, of not simply Scripture in general, but of the New Testament specifically, in all matters of church faith and order.

The genuine distinctive that sets Baptists apart from many other groups of Christians is this:

Baptists consistently affirm the absolute authority of the New Testament in all matters of church faith and order.

Why would a Covenant Church not affirm this distinctive?

What this does not mean: It does not mean that we reject or ignore the general authority of the Old Testament.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Baptists insist that the present form of the church is uniquely a New Testament institution.

Where should we look to discover the church’s nature, mission, and order? The New Testament alone is our absolute authority on all matters of CHURCH faith and order.

Only the NT tells us what the church is. Only the NT tells us what the church is supposed to do. Only the NT tells us how the church is supposed to be organized. This is why we call the church the “New Testament Church.”

This distinctive is motivated by a doctrine called the sufficiency of Scripture.

What is the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture?

Scripture reveals everything necessary to life and godliness.

The NT reveals everything that is necessary to the right order of the church. Since Christ has addressed the question of how He wants His people to live and worship, and since He has (through His apostles) revealed how He wants his church to be ordered, Christians do not have the liberty to invent these things.

What idea was at the center of a dispute between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli?

This idea was at the center of a dispute between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli- both leaders of distinct branches of the Reformation.

They both argued that the RCC with its beliefs and practices had corrupted the church. So they both began removing obviously anti-Scriptural doctrines and traditions from the church. They disagreed on one important point. What should we do with the man made Romanist doctrines, forms, and customs, that are not specifically authorized in the Bible, but did not contradict any Biblical teaching?

Luther allowed them to remain so as not to ruffle too many feathers all at once. If the traditions and customs did not contradict Biblical teaching, he allowed them to stay.

Zwingli took the exact opposite approach. He insisted that Christ is the Lord of the church and the Bible is the church’s law. Therefore, Christians have no liberty to introduce teachings or customs into the ministry of the church unless Christ authorized them. Therefore, if a ritual or observance (an element of worship) is not authorized by the Bible, the church must regard it as forbidden.

In general Baptists have taken Zwingli’s side of the debate.

Where can we go in the Scriptures to argue this? Where can we go (in the NT) that clearly teaches the sufficiency of the Scriptures, especially in matters of the church?

The Sufficiency of Scripture from Colossians 2

One of the best arguments for the sufficiency of Scripture comes from Paul’s response to the heresy going on in the church at Colosse. This heresy was an interesting mixture of man made religion. It contained an early form of gnosticism, but it also had a mix of OT Judaism. It had elements of pagan philosophies while also mixing in elements of OT rituals into NT worship.

The Judaizers drew their elements of worship by importing OT patterns into the church. The gnostic side of the heresy simply made up doctrines and practices as they went. How did the Apostle Paul respond to church practices that had no grounding in the teaching of Christ aka the teachings of the apostles of Christ? What was Paul’s answer to a church that simply made up their own forms of worship as they went along?

He contradicted this heresy by means of a radical exaltation of Christ.

Colossians 2:1–3 ESV

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Wisdom (sophia) and knowledge (gnosis). All the treasure stores of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ. These two terms sophia and gnosis became coined terms within the gnostic heresy. Paul is saying that terms are bound up in Christ Himself. With respect to spiritual things, no true wisdom or knowledge can be found outside of Christ.

Colossians 2:4 ESV

4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

He makes this claim in order to warn these Colossian believers against being deluded by pithy arguments.

Colossians 2:5–6 ESV

5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,

Do not be deluded by these arguments of heresy, instead I command you to walk in Christ- just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord.

How did the Colossians receive Christ Jesus the Lord? Christ was proclaimed and taught through the teaching and witness of Jesus’ apostles. Don’t be deluded by false teaching, instead keep on walking according to the doctrine given to you by the apostles (the teachings of the NT).

Colossians 2:7 ESV

7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Paul gives primacy to the teachings of Christ as handed down by the apostles.

Colossians 2:8 ESV

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Now Paul warns the believers concerning people who desire to carry the Christians into spiritual captivity (a clear reference to the heretics at Colosse).

What three different forms does Paul warn us about in v. 8?

This potential captivity takes three different forms:

1). Philosophy and empty deceit (philosophical and theological speculations carried beyond the warrants of revelation).

2). Human tradition (rites, forms, and customs that people have made up for themselves) Both of these are references to the gnostic side of the heresy and its invented styles of worship.

3). “elemental spirits of the world” Not sure exactly what this means. In Galatians Paul connects this idea with the transmission of Judaistic forms into Christ observance.

Summary: “Paul was warning that when doctrine and order go beyond what is revealed, this excess brings Christians into captivity—whether the imported teachings and customs arise from deceitful speculation, from human invention, or from Judaistic retention.” Bauder- 30.

Colossians 2:9 ESV

9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

What reason does Paul give in v. 9 as to why he restricts faith and order to what is revealed in the teachings of Christ?

Here is the reason Paul restricts faith and order to what is revealed in the teachings of Christ as given by the apostles.

The entire fulness (pleroma) of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily.

Plermoa is as gnostic code word. It stood for a series of divine beings called eons. Paul’s use of the term pleroma here in connection with Christ was a direct attack against this false teaching. Paul taught that Christ Himself contains the entire Plermoa, that is, the entire fullness of the Godhead.

What all the eons were together to the gnostics, Christ alone is to Christians. That means that Christians are complete in Christ.

Colossians 2:10 ESV

10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

Filled- pleroma turned into a verb. What does that mean?

Christians need nothing and can have nothing outside of Christ, Who is the head of all RULE and AUTHORITY.

Why does Christ alone have the authority to dictate the mission, nature, and purpose of the church? Because He alone is the head of all RULE and AUTHORITY!

Matthew 28:18 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

What verses come next? Great Commission. What is the primary mission of the church? Why? Jesus said so! How can He say so? Because ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth has been given to Him!

Colossians 2:10 ESV

10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

What is point of Paul’s argument in v. 10?

All spiritual authority resides in Christ. Christ’s absolute authority provides a basis for condemning and refuting the heresy that was going on at Colosse.

The mixture of religious forms going on within the heresy did not have to be directly forbidden within special revelation. Because Christ is the center and sum of spiritual authority, He alone can authorize the doctrines that Christians must believe and the practices that Christians must employ in their churches.

In matters of the church’s faith and order, whatever Christ has no commanded is forbidden.

What this means practically for all Christians is that no one but Christ has the authority to bind the conscience.

Colossians 2:16–17 ESV

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

Only Christ has the authority to forbid or to command. No mere human has authority to establish moral standards for any Christian (important when we get to responsibilities of membership and pastoral authority).

Only Christ has that kind of authority. Church authority consists only in the announcing of the standards that Christ has revealed.

That means no human has the right to introduce new doctrines or practices.

Colossians 2:18 ESV

18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,

Finite human beings lack the authority and the knowledge to determine how God wants to be worshiped. There is so much about God that is unseen and unknown. People who think they can please God by making up new doctrine, practices, or forms of worship on their own initiative are “puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind.”

If we insist on making up our own forms of worship what are we in effect doing?

Colossians 2:19 ESV

19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

Paul concludes in vv. 20-23 by denouncing both sides of the Colossian heresy as of NO VALUE whatsoever.

Colossians 2:20–23 ESV

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

The Colossian heresy restricted the individual Christian where Christ does not (do not handle, taste, touch), and some parts of the heresy introduced doctrine, order, or elements of worship where Christ does not (asceticism and severity to the body). Paul saw both of these errors as an abysmal heresy. They have an appearance of wisdom, but they have NO VALUE in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

What two lessons can we learn from Colossians 2?

1. Christians do not have the freedom to make up moral rules for other Christians.

If a requirement is not revealed in or cannot be soundly inferred from the Word of God, then it cannot be a matter of binding morality.

2. Christians do not have freedom to make up their own doctrines, order, or worship.

If a doctrine or practice is not revealed in or cannot be soundly inferred from the Word of God, it must not be introduced as an aspect of the Christians faith.

Paul did not give the Colossians permission to adapt and add any element of Judaistic or gnostic ritual to the church just because they wanted to.

Instead Paul pointed the Colossians to hold fast to the teachings of Christ. The faith and order of the church must be goverened by the doctrines, customs, requirements, forms, and elements authorized by Christ Himself through the apostolic testimony.

Where do we look to discover the teachings of Christ through the apostolic testimony? Only through the New Testament. So Paul taught the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture. Whatever we need for faith and life must be found in the Bible.

In the case of the church- its doctrine and practice, it must be found in the NT. Any offices, ordinances, teachings, practices, or elements of worship that cannot be authorized from Scripture itself must not be adopted as a part of the Christian faith.

Parameters of the Sufficiency of Scripture

The question is not, “Does the NT forbid this practice?”

The question is, “Does the NT authorize this practice?”

What are the two important exceptions to the rule?

There are two important exceptions to this rule-

The NT does not always specify every means by which its own requirements are to be fulfilled.

We must acknowledge that some administrative latitude exists in arranging the details of church life, even where Scripture is silent.

Does the NT authorize church buildings? No! So buildings are heresy then right?

There is a requirement that the church meets (assembles) on a regular basis right?

The NT does not specify the means by which the church is to fulfill the requirements to meet- therefore the choice to build a building is allowable as a means of expediting effective church gatherings.

Does the NT specify a time which churches will meet? 9:30, 10:30, 6pm right?

We assume the congregation has a certain amount of liberty in determining the hour(s).

Are we commanded to distribute gospel tracts?

Are we commanded to meet once a week to disciple another person in the church?