Faith & Reason Nexus

Mistaken Authority

• Human Reason Alone
• Proverbs 14:12: The way that seems right to man leads to death.
• Voice of the People
• Matthew 7:13-14: The majority can be wrong; only a few find the narrow path.
• Authority of Parents
• Matthew 10:37-38: Following family ties over God’s commands leads to spiritual loss.
• Feelings
• Example: Isaac & Jacob: Feelings and emotions should not guide decisions.
• Personal Desire
• Judges 17:6: Following personal desires leads to moral confusion.
• Human Tradition
• Matthew 15:1-9: Tradition can override God’s commands, causing error.
• Human Leadership
• Matthew 17:5: Christ is the supreme leader, and we must follow His authority.

Why This Subject is Important

• Deals with Our Souls
• Matthew 16:26: The soul’s salvation requires proper authority.
• Determines Right from Wrong
• Isaiah 5:20: Proper authority helps discern right from wrong.
• Man is Responsible for What He Accepts as Authority
• Matthew 15:14; Jeremiah 6:16; 1 Kings 13:1-34: Individuals are accountable for the authority they follow.

The Bible

• Psalm 119:105
• “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.”
• The Bible’s Role and Impact
• The Bible contains:
  • The Mind of God
  • The State of Man
  • The Way of Salvation
  • The Doom of Sinners
• Its doctrines are holy, precepts are binding, histories are true, and decisions are immutable.
• It is a guide, food, and comfort for believers.
• It is a map for travelers, staff for pilgrims, compass for pilots, and sword for soldiers.
• Paradise is restored, heaven opened, and gates of hell disclosed in its pages.
• Christ is its grand object, our good, and the glory of God its end.
• It involves great responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and condemns those who trifle with its holy commandments.
• 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”