What is the basis?

While meditating on the authority given by God to His children to do the works He has prepared beforehand, this question arose...

What is the basis of this authority?

And what would be the primary characteristic of this authority in action?

Matthew 28 verse18 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go * and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, * teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, * I am with you * always, to the end of the age.” *

The basis of authority is that given to Jesus by the Father and delegated to His church.

Ephesians 1 verse 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all

Jesus authority in action:

Acts 4 verse 29 "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all"

Yes dear brother!
Very good, as I came to a similar conclusion...
With the basis of that authority being the love of God-
With the primary characteristic of love in action being grace-

Is this consistent with your understanding or have I misunderstood?

Hey Fletcher,

My thinking is more along the line of our authority as believers being derived from the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and our relationship of faith in Him and His Name above all names.

Of course, love was the motive for sending Jesus in the first place and as Paul wrote: the love of Christ compels us...

Please feel free to expound your understanding further.

Blessings,

Yes brother William,
But what was the basis of the authority vested in Jesus that was delegated to us, if not the love of God?
The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 declares Love to be both the beginning and end of all our motivations and by extension actions here on earth, no?

So (in my mind), while you are correct in that it is in the person of Jesus that our authority is derived,... it would be the love of God that actualizes the authority of God in us.

Please understand dear brother, I mean no offense nor am I attempting to split hairs as I were, rather it seems that perhaps a simple yet fundamental truth might have been overlooked.
Jesus says to the church of Ephesus (paraphrasing) basically you guys are great, your doctrines are solid, church discipline- very strong, but....
You forsook your first love... and in spite of all they had gotten right that one point seems to be of more importance to Him....
Which (for me) parallels 1 Cor 13-
Jesus also makes several references to "love" being the mark,... "they will know you by how you love" - "because sin will abound the love of many will grow cold" etc...

So it seems that our Lord and savior puts a premium on that aspect as a mark for His peeps~

Dear brother Fletcher,

I cannot fault your focus on love at all as this is and should be the identifying mark of any Christian and Christian fellowship.
The fruit of the Spirit ( born again spirit ) is love.
God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of love,power and a sound mind ( self control)
The same Spirit Who produces power for good works also produces Christlike behavior and character.

Note that the love chapter is smack in the middle of church ministry, fellowship and should govern believers lives together.
By this ( love toward one another) shall all men ( outsiders) know you are My disciples.

I am still not one hundred percent sure how you are connecting this love for each other with the authority that comes from the glorified Christ, and with the act of witnessing to Him and preaching His gospel?

Or am I being slow? 😌

Blessings,

Ha!
No dear brother you are not being slow at all. After posting the last response it had occurred to me that there were many things presupposed on my part and as such the course of reasoning itself would be difficult to follow. I apologize for that and appreciate your patience as I'm honestly "thinking out loud" hoping to apprehend this for which we were apprehended. I'll attempt to be more succinct going forward tho again I'm asking for a thing to be tested more than attempting to present it as truth. So your participation is greatly appreciated:)

Allow me a period to congeal these thoughts and I will attempt to express them more clearly.

No problem,brother!

Loving the conversation 😀👍🏻

Our authority comes from the righteousness of God in us by Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I don't see any greater authority or any higher purpose. How do we accomplish this?

Colossians 1:27-29 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

By; striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily.

He is our basis.

In Christ: Phillip

Jhn 20:21
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Gal 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

but faith which worketh by love.
Most people do not know how to activate their faith
Mat 17:20
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Mat 21:21
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.Luk 12:28 Luk 17:6 Jas 2:17

There is much on faith, our authority of course as already mentioned comes from God the Son, backed by His written Testament sealed by His Spirit seen in this world through His death on the cross, burial,and resurrection from the dead and ascension to the right hand of Power where he rules and reigns for ever. We activate our faith by love, that is true, as another mentioned, but its as much our love for Him as it is our fellowman/woman that motivates our works/actions of righteousness that God in His foreknowledge has/had prepared for us individually and collectively

Here is a book written in **1933** by John A MacMillan. Some might think of him as a charismatic or Pentecostal for writing this book but he was not.

He was a Canadian Presbyterian who after spending time being on the missionary field in the Philippines.

It's only 99 pages. Search Google for the following:

The Authority of the Believer John MacMillan pdf

See if you can glean anything from it.

Thank you Lisa,will do

Quote: """There is much on faith, our authority of course as already mentioned comes from God the Son, backed by His written Testament sealed by His Spirit seen in this world through His death on the cross, burial,and resurrection from the dead and ascension to the right hand of Power where he rules and reigns for ever."""

Amen. All this leading up the greatest act of God, the highest point after ascension. That which the scriptures call it, "The hope of Glory".

Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Who did this to us?

Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

God who has made unto us; 1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

All this by God birthing (being born again) His Son in you the hope of glory.

He who so loved the world sent His only Begotten Son to do all and in all that accomplishes salvation and gives authority to the believer as sons' of God.

Phillip