Cheryl Schatz

Scripture does talk about teaching with authority in 1 Peter 4:10, 11.  Note the authority is from God himself to teach as speaking the oracles of God himself.  Is this authority to be final so that the listener may not question the one teaching “with authority”?  No, not at all.  Even Paul said that his own teachings were subject to be tested by the scriptures by those listening to him.  Paul commended the Bereans for testing even Paul’s own authoritative teachings.  They checked him out with the scriptures.  1 Peter 4:10, 11 is not given for men alone, but for everyone gifted by God.

So what does this “unnamed” mentor of the blog author mean by “teaching with authority”?  He has stated on his radio show that a woman can use his material to teach men.  So, in essence, a woman can say this man says such and such about this bible passage.  But what he does not allow her to state that “God says…”  She cannot definitely state that God says… or God means this… and you must obey the word of God, because that would be, in his eyes, teaching with authority. Men are supposedly the only ones who can authoritatively say “God says..”

This “unnamed person” also teaches about the authority of the pulpit.  What he fails to tell people is that there is no such thing in scripture as a “pulpit”.  There is no such authority given to a piece of furniture or to people who stand behind this piece of furniture.  The only authority that is given resides in the gifts of God.  And even that authority is subject to testing against scripture.  We are all required to test and we are all required to hold fast to what is true.

Paula, you are right in that there are no levels of authority beyond scripture.  Although those gifted to speak are given the authority to speak as if they are speaking the very oracles of God, their authority is to speak and it is not an authority over another person.  This is why their words are to be tested by scripture.  Their authority to speak forth God’s word only exists while their words align with scripture.

By the way, I added a short audio clip to the post above that has the “unnamed mentor” of the blog author denying that quiet means silence.  What he stated so confidently a year ago is now taken and measured against his own position.