Round the Sphere Again: Authority and Submission

And complementary….

Some Are Called to Exercise Authority
From Gene Edward Veith:

Before God, all vocations are equal. Our standing before Him is based solely on Jesus Christ, our sin-bearer, our redeemer, and our righteousness. But as we receive God’s grace in Christ, we are then sent into the world to live out our faith in the daily routines of ordinary life — that is, in our vocations.

Yet some vocations exercise authority:

This authority is not inherent in the person but rather comes by virtue of the office. But authority in vocation is not just a matter of who gets to boss whom. Authority in vocation must be exercised in love and service to the neighbor (see Matt. 20:26–27). The ruler is described as “God’s servant” (Rom. 13:4). Masters are reminded that they too have a master (Eph. 6:9).

(Read the whole post from Ligonier Ministries.)

All Are Called to Submit
From Michael Kruger:

Calls for submission in the Bible are not just limited to women.  It is not as if they have been singled out. On the contrary, the Bible is very clear that everybody submits to somebody.   We are called to submit to the government (Rom 13:1), children are called to submit to their parents (Eph 6:1), church members are called to submit to their elders (Heb 13:17), servants are called to submit to their masters (1 Pet 1:18), and on it goes.

Read the whole post at Canon Fodder.

Theological Term of the Week

cessationism
The view that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit (healing, tongues, prophetic revelations) ended with the apostolic age, and that while God still does do miracles, he does not gift individuals with the miraculous spiritual gifts. 

• Scripture that helps make the case:

…[Y]ou are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone…. (Ephesians 2:19-20 ESV) 

• From Commentary on Galatians by Martin Luther (quote found here):

In the early Church the Holy Spirit was sent forth in visible form. He descended upon Christ in the form of a dove (Matt. 3:16), and in the likeness of fire upon the apostles and other believers. (Acts 2:3.) This visible outpouring of the Holy Spirit was necessary to the establishment of the early Church, as were also the miracles that accompanied the gift of the Holy Ghost. Paul explained the purpose of these miraculous gifts of the Spirit in I Corinthians 14:22, “Tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.” Once the Church had been established and properly advertised by these miracles, the visible appearance of the Holy Ghost ceased.

Learn more:

1. Theopedia: Cessationism
2. GotQuestions.org: Is cessationism biblical?
3. Richard Gaffin: Where Have All the Spiritual Gifts Gone?
4. Bob Gonzales: A Humble Argument for the Cessation of NT Prophesy and Tongues, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8.
5. Nathan Busenitz: What Cessasionism Is Not
6. Monergism.com: Long list of audio resources on cessationism

Related term:

• continuationism

Filed under Ecclesiology

Do you have a term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

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A Catechism for Girls and Boys

Part III: Questions about Salvation

98. Q. What hinders the completion of sanctification in this life?
       A. The Scripture says “The flesh lusts against the Spirit so that you cannot do the things you would”.

(Click through to read scriptural proof.)

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