ALL MEANS ALL

 

That’s in the Bible? Part 1

 

Introduction

In the continuation of this series, “Is it Scripture?” we’re going to look at things that are actually found in the bible that people may not have realized is in there.

In Matthew 28:18-20 just before He ascended into Heaven Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” What does ‘all authority’ mean? We’ll discuss that in this article.

 

The Son of God

We know from scripture that Jesus is the Son of God (Mt. 16:16); that He walked the Earth (Jn. 1:14) for about 3 ½ years; teaching, healing, leaving us an example. We also know that He purposefully went to the cross (1 Jn. 3:16) to die for our sins.

Then He was raised from the dead (Lk. 24:6), ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9), and is seated at the right hand of God (Eph. 1:20). It’s at this point that some religious people get confused as to who’s authority we should abide by. In the scripture above, verse 28, states plainly, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

If we are the believe the bible, and I’m sure those reading this article believe it, this verse means that although Jesus is in Heaven, He still has authority; all of it.

 

What about the Pope?

Somewhere along the line, the catholic religion came into existence and, with it, the establishment of an individual called the pope. To them, it is the Vicar of Christ. Here’s the definition of Vicar from the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary:

1.    In a general sense, a person deputed or authorized to perform the functions of another; a substitute in office. The pope pretends to be vicar of Jesus Christ on earth. He has under him a grand vicar, who is a cardinal, and whose jurisdiction extends over all priests, regular and secular.

Notice how it says, “pretends”. Religious people, including non-Catholics, see the pope as the official substitute for Jesus on Earth. They believe that since Jesus ascended back into heaven, He’s no longer in charge. So why did Jesus make that very statement in Matt. 28:18? If He has ‘All authority’ then there is no room for another.

 

No One tells me what to do

Have you ever had that one friend or family member who says, “I don’t understand how you can believe in God; telling you what you can and can’t do? God is nothing more than a crutch for those who can’t do it on their own. I’m my own person; I stand on my own two feet.”

Here’s the problem with that, we’re told what to do most of our lives. As children, we’re told by our parents the difference between right and wrong; in school, our teachers tell us what to do; even at work, our boss will tell us what to do. The difference is that they can see these people whereas they cannot see God.

Although the bible clearly shows who and what God is, and what He expects from us, people will draw the line here since they can “see God”. That is where faith comes in (Rom. 10:17). Whether you can see God or not, you can know of His presence by seeing His creation on a daily basis and know that there was a designer behind it all.

 

Conclusion

Jesus has all authority and many people don’t realize that this is in the bible. It is one of the foundational principles of scripture that must be understood and adhered to. Without it, every belief will be accepted without consulting scripture.