ACTION OF AUTHORITY
Authority demands. The challenge is always the same: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Josh. 24:15); “Choose life” (Deut. 30:19); “How long will you falter between two opinions” (I Ki. 18:21); “Whoever is on Yahweh’s side—come to Me” (Ex. 32:26). Truth is demanding, and the authority projecting from Truth requires that man respond. Neutrality is impossible.
Man has two choices: submit to authority or question authority. There can be no middle course. Truth is of such a nature that there can be no conflicting response. There must be a “Yes” or a “No” to its pronouncements and claims. Scriptural Truth engages man—informing him, testing him, searching him, condemning him, enlightening him, challenging him, confronting him, demanding him. The engagement is such that man cannot experience it and remain the same; he must and he will make a response. Either he submits or he questions. To question the claims and demands of Truth is to waver; to continually question while resisting the authority is to reject.
The authority embodied in God’s Truth calls man to faith; it demands faith. Constantly the Scriptures require man to believe: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 16:31); “Believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead” (Rom. 10:9); “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe” (Heb. 11:6); and “Believe in the Lord your God” (II Chron. 20:20). Scripture demands that faith be the response to its Truth; receptivity on the part of man is a requirement that has dreadful eternal consequences if it is not met. Man is not provided with options to consider; he is confronted with a demand that he cannot avoid.
Let it be understood that the Scriptures assert that they are the revealed Truth of God; and with that assertion comes the force of authority, with its demand for a response. And the only acceptable response is one of faith and submission to the teachings of Scripture.
The authority of Scripture not only demands faith,
it initiates faith—it creates what it demands.
it initiates faith—it creates what it demands.
“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). It is the Spirit using the Word of God that engenders faith within the mind, a supernatural act—an act of grace. The Word is heard and faith begins! Man is embraced and submits to the authority of Revelation because he becomes convinced by the Holy Spirit’s work that the Revelation is Truth. The very Truth that says: “Believe!” creates the belief that it commands; and this is Truth’s ultimate authority and action in the life.
Not only is the mind given faith but the will is converted. The psalmist understood this when he called upon God:
Teach me, Yahweh,
the way of Your statues, and I shall keep it to the end.
Give me
understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it
with my whole heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to
covetousness
(119:33-36).
God must “teach,” “give,” “make,” and “incline”; when God does this then God’s Truth will be accepted and followed. The will is perverse and must be convinced and converted by a greater authority than itself. The mind needs to know and the will needs to do.
Informing and Facilitating is accomplished by the Truth,
which provides the instruction and produces the enabling.
which provides the instruction and produces the enabling.
For it is God who works in you
both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Phil. 2:13
both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Phil. 2:13
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