Lesson 6: Understanding the Authority of God 

Heb 5: 7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;  8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;  9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

notice this is a subject that is meat…

Sometimes  when we believe things for so long =  we no longer test them any longer  à  live by assumption

(my favorite analogy is the story of Noah and the ark)  = tradition says animals by 2’s)  = Not So! ( 7’s also)

We have been studying concepts of the authority of God… Today we look at the roll it plays in our redemption.

è GOD ORDAINED HIS AUTHORITY IN THE UNIVERSE!    (he expected all to obey it)

but angels and humans rebelled  —  God may remove his presence , but he never removed his authority!

3 levels which have to obey him…    Heaven, Humans, & the Earth

He judged rebellion in the heavens already.    He will soon do it in humans at the white thrown. Then he will set the whole earth in order.

Phil 2: 7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

à à   God’s authority is established through the role of the cross!  WOW   Why?  = Obedience!

REMEMBER OUR TEXT ABOVE:  Heb 5:7

He did not bring obedience with him from heaven… He had to LEARN it!    (through suffering)  We do to.

We showed in our study that only those that are under authority can be truly in authority = POWERFUL

EX:  Matt 26: 39  And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

WHENEVER WE COME TO SUFFERING: WE NEED TO LEARN OBEDIENCE ALSO

——  Salvation should make us obedient as well as Joyful  ——

Only those that will learn through suffering… can be truly useful to God

*** Some folks increase in suffering, but not in obedience?  — If he had to learn it = SO DO WE! ***

à   QUESTION:  Does salvation come by faith alone?

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We have been told to “believe” on the Lord Jesus Christ   (Written in the Epistles to the church)

But belief alone does not secure salvation…  if so, every devil would be saved  J

James 2: 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.  19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.  20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

POINT :  There is more to securing salvation then just thinking about it…

Rom 10: 13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?  15  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written,  How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

16  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?  17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Concerning our salvation — THERE IS SOMETHING TO OBEY  — SOMETHING TO DO

Acts 2: 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.  40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.  41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

à  SALVATION COMES THROUGH FAITH –  Faith is activated by OBEDIENCE

I WANT TO DEMONSTRATE HOW WE MUST RESPOND TO GOD’S AUTHORITY WITH OBEDIENCE

IN ORDER TO ENJOY SALVATION.   à  But make no mistake – Our faith is what triggers it all.

è God secured the principle of authority through the cross.

(he suffered and became the SOURCE of salvation for all those that will obey)

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

You must have faith in the work of the cross… in order to obey the Gospel = walk through the door provided

II Thes 1: 7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,  8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:  9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Point  =  ****   THE GOSPEL CALLS US TO US TO OBEY AS WELL AS TO BELIEVE!  ****

W H Y ?    Because we are not just sinners…  We are sons of disobedience.

(he will render judgment on them that obey not the gospel)

Col 3: 6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:  7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.  8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;  10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Rom 2: 5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;  6  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:  7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

DO YOU SEE THIS?   à   SALVATION IS A MATTER OF RESPONDING TO THE AUTHORITY OF GOD

That is NOT legalism… it is practical application of faith!

I Pet 1: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,  21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.  22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:  23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

WE SHOULD BE CALLED OBEYERS AS WELL AS BELIEVERS! 

Because we are subject to the authority of the Lord as well as to believe in him!

Acts 22: 10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.  11  And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

Annanias told him to    : 16  And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

WE KNOW HE GOT THE HOLY GHOST BECAUSE HE SPOKE IN TONGUES MORE THEN US ALL

è è   The FIRST step to salvation is to acknowledge God (believe on him = FAITH)  THEN submit to him!

When Paul realized the authority of the Gospel, he readily repented.

He DEMONSTRATED his understanding of Grace by obedience to God’s authority.

So we receive his life through FAITH – and then submit to his authority. (faith without works is dead)

à  So this today:  IF YOU DESIRE TO BE SAVED, YOU MUST FIRST HAVE FAITH

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.        è   THEN SUBMIT TO HIS GOSPEL     (Acts 2:38)