This question of authority has been on my mind to. The sticky wicket for some is that it is either/or. Bear with me for a minute, my thoughts don't always flow freely.
My authority is Christ, alone. Ultimately, when I stand before God, I won't be able to say "This person made me..." .. or "I beleived that person..." or "I was a part of this church" . I am, WE are, ultimately responsible for our Christian walk and the decisions we make.
Yes, there are those called to be leaders, and while a part of their congregation I would be under their "authority", but never to the point that I would blindly trust ANY MAN. Scripture is the standard. If that man's teachings began to blatantly contradict scripture, I could no longer follow that man, or men in the case of an institution.
I think to the point that they are called, elected, graduated, appointed .. leaders are probably held to a higher accounting for the souls of the people they lead. But ultimately, each person is responsible for their walk with the Lord.
The AUTHORITY given to all of us as believers is the authority to reach others with the gospel, pray for the sick, cast out demons. It is SUPERNATURAL authority over a SUPERNATURAL enemy, to walk daily with the weapons of our warfare, which is not carnal, and to take authority over the enemy.
We have in us the SAME POWER that raised Jesus from the dead. We have the weapons. We have the authority. We are given the scripture to speak. We are given the Holy Spirit for discernment and POWER. We just flat FAIL to use it.
Jesus said that HIS people parish for a lack of knowledge. HIS people. That is not unbelievers parishing because they don't have the knowledge of the gospel. That is HIS people .. Christians, parishing because they have a lack of knowledge about HOW to live AS HE LIVED.
We are sick, dying, and manipulated by the enemy on a daily basis. Jesus showed us and told us how to overcome these things. Why don't we? He showed us how to overcome the works of satan, to be healed and delivered and set free? Why aren't we? Is that the wide gate to destruction Jesus talked about? The narrow gate being the way to supernaturally overcoming the enemy in every circumtance, the way that leads to LIFE?
God's ways are foolishness to the world. He uses the foolish things to confound the wise.
I don't understand it all. I can't 'prove' any of it. I can only share what Jesus has worked in my life, and in my family's life. How I have witnessed, and moved in, the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. How it is possible for different churches with different gifts and even some differences in doctrine, can work together as the BODY OF CHRIST to reach a community with the Gospel.
Jesus: Our ultimate, undeniable, indescribable, incorruptable, sovereign Lord and Authority.
To Him alone I bow.
About finished with lunch and headed back to the pottery studio. Will get to your great post later.
7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
8that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11In Him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.
18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church,
23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.
Jesus: Our ultimate, undeniable, indescribable, incorruptable, sovereign Lord and Authority.
To Him alone I bow.