THE BIBLE THE ONLY AUTHORITY
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. The Bible alone is the standard of authority in all matters of
faith and practice.
B. When Jesus prayed that all might be united, he mentioned that
believers would be made through the apostles' word. John
17:20-21
1. We cannot be united if we rely on modern apostles or
successors to the apostles as a source of faith.
2. Nor can we be united if we depend on modern prophets,
miracle workers, or tongue speakers rather than the Bible
alone.
C. We are contending in this lesson that Christians today must be
guided by the Bible alone and not, in addition to the Bible, by
men claiming miraculous powers and revelations.
I. REVEALED SOLELY THROUGH CHRIST, THE APOSTLES, AND THE N.T.
PROPHETS.
A. In this age, God speaks to us through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Heb. 1:1-2
1. Christ spoke the words and commandments given to Him from
the Father. John 12:49-50
2. We are to hear Jesus, not Moses or Elijah. Mark 9:2-8
3. Christ is the mediator of the N.T. Heb. 9:15-17
4. Christ is that great prophet who was to come. Deut.
18:15,19; Acts 3:22-23
5. The name of Jesus is the only name by which we can be saved.
Acts 4:12
6. We cannot reject the Word of Christ and be guiltless. John
12:48
7. God, therefore, makes known His will to us today through His
Son, Jesus Christ.
B. Jesus makes known God's will through His apostles and prophets.
1. Christ gave to His twelve apostles the same words and
commandments that He received from the Father. John
17:6-8, 17-20
2. He promised His apostles the Holy Spirit. John 14:25-26;
15:26-27; 16:13-15.
a. Please notice that the promise was to the apostles only.
b. They were the ones to whom Jesus was speaking; they were
the ones who had been with Him from the beginning. John
15:27
3. The Holy Spirit would be in them and would enable them to
teach all the truth concerning the will of God.
C. The apostles were to wait in Jerusalem to receive the promise.
Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,8
1. This was in fulfillment of the O.T. prophecies. Isa. 2:2-3;
Micah 4:2
2. The apostles received the Holy Spirit on the day of
Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:1-4.
a. Thus, they began to proclaim by inspiration the will or
law of God in accord with the words of Jesus. Matt.
18:18
b. The meaning is not that the binding and loosing would
come from their own devising--God alone is the lawgiver
(James 4:12)--but with the Holy Spirit guiding them they
would proclaim the things which God wanted bound and
loosed; e.g., Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:2
D. Up to the point as recorded in Acts 2, only the twelve had
obtained the ability to speak by the inspiration of God.
1. Verse 14 of Acts 2 shows that Peter, standing up with the
eleven, declared that the gift which they had received was
in fulfillment of O.T. prophecy.
2. Verse 43 says, "And fear came upon every soul: and many
wonders and signs were done by the apostles."
3. Consequently, the apostles up to this point were the only
ones who had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
4. God worked with them by giving them miraculous powers.
Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:3-4
a. The purpose and design of those powers was to "confirm
the word"; that is, to truly demonstrate they were
speaking the Word of God.
E. As we read a little farther in the book of Acts we see how N.T.
prophets were made.
1. The first account of someone besides an apostle working a
miracle is that of Stephen. Acts 6:8
2. Stephen, as well as Philip, was of the seven on whom the
apostles had laid their hands. Acts 6:6
3. As we read still farther, we see that Philip is the next
person who was able to work miracles. Acts 8:6
a. Although Philip was a N.T. prophet and could work
miracles, he was unable to give the Holy Spirit to
others.
b. Only the apostles were empowered with that ability.
F. In Acts 8:14-19 we notice that the Spirit was given through the
laying on of the apostles' hands.
1. This is the only way N.T. prophets were made and the
prophets themselves were unable to give the Spirit to
others.
2. Philip could not give the Holy Spirit to the people of
Samaria.
3. Some apostles, Peter and John, had to be sent from Jerusalem
before that could be done.
4. When an apostle laid his hands on someone, he received
miraculous powers. Acts 19:6
5. Cornelius and his household received the "like gift" as the
apostles for the specific purpose of showing God's
acceptance of the Gentiles into the New Covenant. Acts
11:14-18
G. Thus, we have shown that the apostles were the only ones who
were to receive the power and were to wait in Jerusalem for it.
Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,8
1. This power enabled them to speak in tongues, prophesy and
work miracles. Acts 2:4,43
2. Also, it gave them the ability to transmit the Holy Spirit
by laying their hands on others.
3. N.T. prophets were made in this manner and they also could
speak in tongues, prophesy and work miracles but could not
pass on the power to others. Acts 8:4-6, 14-19.
4. There was only one exception where the Holy Spirit was given
and it was to show that God was accepting the Gentiles.
Acts 11:14-18
II. GOD'S WORD MADE KNOWN THROUGH THE INSPIRED WRITINGS ONLY.
A. The apostles and prophets made known God's will through their
inspired writings.
1. There was a time when all of the Word of God was given
orally--by word of mouth of the inspired apostles and
prophets.
2. Christians were at first guided solely by the inspired
teachers who were present with them. 1 Cor. 2:3-13; Acts
20:18-27
3. There was a period when Christians were guided both by
having inspired men in their presence and by epistles
written by them. 2 Thess. 2:15
B. When the apostles and prophets passed from the earth, their
inspired writings became the only means by which we receive
God's will.
1. When the apostles and prophets approached their deaths, they
did not direct us to other men who would have miraculous
powers and revelations.
2. Instead, they left their inspired writings and pointed us to
them. 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 3:1-2
3. Thus, today we obtain a knowledge of God's will, not
through living spiritual men or prophets, but through the
written inspired Word. 1 Cor. 14:37; Eph. 3:2-5
C. It is important for us to understand how the apostles witness
to us today.
1. It is not through other men; it is impossible for a man in
our time to be a witness in the sense the apostles were.
2. Instead, it is through their writings--the Holy Scriptures.
3. The apostle John in his introduction to his first epistle
declared that he was bearing witness to those things which
they had heard, which they had seen with their eyes, which
they had touched with their hands, concerning the Word of
life.
a. He bore witness to those things by writing them for us.
1 John 1:1-4
4. The apostles' testimony given in their writings was to
"...All that in every place call upon the name of Jesus
Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph.
1:1
5. Thus, the apostles witness to us today through their
writings and this is the only way their unerring guidance is
transmitted to the present age.
a. It is the only way God's Word is delivered to us today.
III. NO MIRACULOUS POWERS AND REVELATIONS TODAY.
A. There are no persons with miraculous powers today.
1. The miraculous powers such as working miracles, speaking in
tongues, and prophesying were given only through the laying
on of the apostles' hands. Acts 8:4-19
2. The apostles passed from this life many years ago and, thus,
there is no way for men to have those powers today.
3. No one in this age has received the powers to demonstrate
God's acceptance of the Gentiles. Acts 11:15-18
B. The apostle Paul very plainly revealed that miraculous powers
were to be done away. 1 Cor. 13:8-10
1. Notice that Paul did not say, "when he who is perfect is
come" but "when that which is perfect is come."
2. The "perfect" to which he referred can only be the perfect
law of liberty. James 1:25; 2:12
C. Men do not have miraculous powers and revelations today because
there is no need or purpose for them.
1. They do not answer any purpose in the divine arrangement.
2. There is no incompleteness or vacuum that needs to be filled
by their appearance.
3. Is there anything the so-called "tongue speakers" or
"miracle workers" can provide which was not already
furnished by the Scriptures?
4. Chart: THE SCRIPTURES FURNISH:
a. All necessary things which Jesus did - Acts 1:1-2
b. Certainty of His actions and teaching - Luke 1:3-4
c. Life in the name of Jesus - John 20:30-31
d. Instructions to salvation - 2 Tim. 3:15
e. Commands of the Lord - 1 Cor. 14:37
f. The proper conduct - 1 Tim. 3:14-15
g. Every good work - 2 Tim. 3:16-17
h. Protection against sin - 1 John 2:1
i. An assurance of eternal life - 1 John 5:13
j. Standard by which teachers are tested - Acts 17:11
k. Standard which we cannot go beyond - 1 Cor. 4:6
l. Blessings from God - Rev. 1:3
m. Joy that is complete - 1 John 1:3-4
n. Standard of judgment - Rev. 20:12
Concl.
A. There are no miraculous powers and revelations today because
God's Word has already been delivered.
1. There is nothing other men can supply which the apostles and
prophets have not already delivered. Jude 3
B. God's will reached its perfection in Christ.
1. The whole plan of God was "...According to the eternal
purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Eph.
3:11
2. The complete revelation of God's will comes through Christ
and is recorded in the Scriptures.
3. Remember Paul's warning. Gal. 1:8
C. The Bible is the sole standard of authority in all matters of
faith and practice.