How does Paul’s apostleship by "command of God" influence our understanding of authority? Setting the Scene 1 Timothy 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.” The Weight of the Word “Command” • “Command” (Greek: epitagē) speaks of an authoritative order, not a suggestion. • Paul’s role isn’t self-chosen; it is God-appointed, God-directed, God-backed. • Galatians 1:1 echoes this: “Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father.” • Because the call is divine, the message carries divine authority. Rejecting Paul’s teaching is, by extension, resisting God’s directive. Authority Anchored in Divine Initiative • Scripture consistently roots spiritual authority in God’s initiative: – Jeremiah 1:5 – 10: the prophet appointed “before you were born.” – Matthew 28:18–20: Jesus’ Great Commission flows from “all authority in heaven and on earth.” • Paul’s apostleship illustrates that true authority in the church never originates in popularity, charisma, or human appointment—it flows downward from the throne of God. Implications for Interpreting Paul’s Letters • We receive his writings as the very Word of God (2 Peter 3:15-16 equates Paul’s letters with “the other Scriptures”). • Instructions on church order (1 Timothy 3), discipline (1 Corinthians 5), family life (Ephesians 5-6), and doctrine (Titus 1:9) carry binding weight. • The modern reader does not stand over Paul as critic; we sit under him as a divinely commissioned teacher. Implications for Church Leadership Today • Elders and pastors exercise delegated—not inherent—authority (1 Peter 5:2-3). • Any leadership claim must align with Scripture; deviation forfeits legitimacy. • Teaching, correcting, and discipling take their cue from apostolic doctrine, not cultural trends (2 Timothy 4:2-4). • Leaders serve to build up, never to dominate (2 Corinthians 10:8). Implications for Personal Discipleship • Submit willingly to biblical instruction, trusting its divine origin. • Measure every “new teaching” against apostolic truth (Acts 17:11). • Embrace your own callings as assignments from God—whether public or private—and steward them with reverence, knowing authority ultimately answers to Him. |
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