When Jesus came to earth, he came to teach people about God. He learned from God the things he was to say. When he spoke, he spoke with authority. "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes." (Matt. 7:28-29) Jesus did not teach like the scribes, with human wisdom. Again, the scriptures say, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matt. 28:18-20) This power came from God the Father, and it is ruling power or authority. We must listen to what Jesus says, "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people." (Acts 3:22-23) Hearing means to listen and obey; to do the things Jesus teaches. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" (Heb. 1:1-2)

Jesus put his authority in his word. "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." (John 12:48-50) The words Jesus spoke were given to him by his Father. He was teaching the things God wanted taught. Those teachings will determine our eternal state. In Revelation, we read, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." (Rev. 20:12) The dead were judged by those things written in the books. The written word of God has authority to condemn or to save.

Jesus gave His all-authoritative word to the apostles. "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, even as I am not of the world." (John 17:14) The "them" were the apostles, his disciples. "But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you." (John 14:26) The apostles were taught the teachings of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

The apostles wrote the words of Christ. "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." (1 Cor. 14:37) We have this written word. The New Testament scriptures were given to Jesus by the Father, and they were written by the apostles and prophets of the New Testament.

We are not to add to nor take from Christ's word. "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." (2 John 9) "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46) -Rt. 1 Box 131, Shock, WV 26638.

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