Authority #8 - General & Specific and Aids vs Additions

Seth McDonald
02/23/25 - Sunday AM Worship

1. Two kinds of Authority: Specific & General Authority
   1. Specific Authority
      1. The Law of Exclusion: “The certain designation of one person is an absolute exclusion of all others.” (Black’s Law Dictionary)
      2. Specific commands EXCLUDE everything except what is precisely stated or revealed.
         1. A will specifies recipients of the inheritance, not those who do not.
         2. A physician’s prescription only lists medication prescribed, not ones to exclude.
         3. A property deed specifies the property owned.
      3. Example #1: Lord’s Supper – Matthew 26.26-29   
         1. Jesus “took bread...and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.”    
         2. “He took the cup... I will not drink of this fruit of the vine...”  
         3. Automatically excludes any other type of food/beverage   
      4. Example #2: “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you...” – 1 Peter 5.1-3
         1. Their oversight was limited to the church “among” them. – cf. Acts 20.28
         2. Elders have no authority to oversee the work of other churches.
   2. General Authority
      1. A broad command with options on how to obey.
      2.  “Go preach the gospel...” – Mark 16.16
         1. How they “go” is up to the one who obeys (walk, car, plane, internet, etc.)
         2. Decision based on need, opportunity, and talents.
      3. The church is to assemble for worship and edification. – Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25 
         1. A place is required but not specified.
         2. We have options: someone’s house, under a tree, rented/purchased building, etc. 
         3. Any choice is authorized under the general command to assemble.
      4. Lord’s Supper – time of day, how many trays/cups, how they are passed around

2. Aids vs Additions
   1. When God gives a command, He authorizes the means (and all aides necessary) to obey the command.
      1. Aid example #1: padded pews, air conditioning, water cooler, lawn mower
         1. No specific mention of these in scripture (or purchasing a building at all)
         2. We do have commands/examples for assembling to worship, which requires a place that must meet government codes, & would require maintenance.
      2. Aid example #2: Equipment for teaching
         1. No specific mention of computers, marker boards, or TV’s – but we do have scripture authorizing teaching which includes the tools used for teaching.
         2. They are reasonable (not wasteful) tools to aid in evangelism.
   2. Additions are more than helping to obey the command. They are “adding” new practices.
      1. Consider this chart:
      2. To find authority for a practice, we do not need an exact example (like light bulbs). We need to find scriptures that align with the area of the activity (assembling).
         1. Example: for authority of an electric guitar in worship, we would need to see the early church do more than sing in their worship.
         2. Example: for authority for a church kitchen or gymnasium, we would need to see the early church providing for social or recreational activities.

Conclusion

1. 1. “The Bible doesn’t say not to…” is not a reasonable argument for authority.
   2. “But where do you find authority for pews, song books, computer?” is easily answerable.
   3. When we “go beyond what is written,” (1 Cor 4.6) we presume to know the mind of God.
   4. We must be careful to “do all things according to the pattern shown…” (Hebrews 8.5)

Discussion Questions

1. Where in the scriptures do we find authority for the church to 1) spend money for and 2) use song books, padded pews, church buildings, computers, etc.?
2. What do you believe the differences is between using a pitch pipe vs a piano in worship? (The only 10 NT verses about music: Eph 5:19; Col 3.16; Heb 13.15; Matt 26.30; Mark 14.26; 1 Cor 14.15; Rom 15.9; Heb 2.12; James 5.13; Acts 16.25)
3. How do you determine if something is an aid or an addition?