“Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead)” (Galatians 1:1).
Paul’s defense of himself as an apostle of the Lord revolved around one point — that he had obtained the authority for his apostleship from Jesus Christ. That fact alone made his claim to apostleship legitimate. Conversely, if his claim had originated from men’s authority, it would not have been legitimate.
The same is true for us. Regarding our faith and practices, both individually and collectively, the only question that matters is, “Is it from man, or through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead?” If it is from God, then no other justification is needed for what we do. If it is from man, then no matter the justification we put forward, it is unacceptable to God.
It is amazing that most of the religious world does not recognize this fundamental truth. To broach the subject among them brings cries of “intolerance” and “Phariseeism.” Even those who claim to accept the “Lordship” (authority) of Jesus Christ are uninterested in vetting their practices with Him. May we never exhibit the same willfulness. Think about it, brethren!
