As you are continuing on the journey to becoming all that God wants you to be, you need to ask yourself a fundamental question. You need to ask yourself, “What is my ultimate authority for the journey?”
The writer Luke presents an interesting situation where Jesus asks the Pharisees a crucial question. They had a major problem with Jesus healing people on the Sabbath. So he asks them a question that strikes at the heart of the problem. Luke writes:
And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”But they kept silent…. (Luke 14:3-4 NKJV)
Jesus wanted them to acknowledge what is the authoritative basis for their prohibition. What is their ultimate authority in stating what is lawful on the Sabbath. The Old Testament law did not prohibit healing on the Sabbath. It prohibited work. The Jews developed oral traditions over time to explain what work is. So somewhere along the line, healing was considered a work. While they would not say this openly, the Pharisees held these oral traditions as being superior to the scripture itself. These traditions became their ultimate authority.
What is your ultimate authority in your life? Is it your spiritual experiences? Is it your opinions? Is it your traditions or cultural worldview? Is it what some pastor taught you? Or is it the Bible? You will know what your ultimate authority is by what you give credence to. What trumps the Bible in your life? The natural result of having a ultimate authority other than the Bible is the fact that you will develop a double standard by which you live your life.
My friends, make the Bible the ultimate authority in your life. As you do that consider these questions to determine the Bible’s place in your journey.
1. If you were honest with yourself, what would you say is the ultimate authority in your life?
2. Have you develop a double standard for your life? Do you have a standard for yourself (based on experience, opinion) and a standard for others (what the Bible says)?
3. Do you spend time in God’s word each day? If not, why?
4. Do you act upon what God shows you in His word?
5. Does your personal experiences mean more than what the Bible says? If so, do you recognize that you have a problem?
6. Are you open to allow God’s word to correct any teaching or opinion that you have embraced in the past?
Give serious thought to these questions. Make God’s word the ultimate authority in your life!
We would love to know your thoughts, please feel free to comment for the encouragement of others who are on the Journey.
Please note: As we are making the journey together, this blog provides you the opportunity to respond with your thoughts. You can also interact with others who have commented. We encourage you to use this blog as a vehicle for your spiritual growth.
