Man today desires to be his own authority. We demand a total reliance on self to determine the existence of God and almost everything else. He is consecrated to independence and is given over to self reliance. This is frankly a form of self worship and self devotion. True worship and devotion is having total dependance on the Creator and none on the creature. It is to believe God made man. He, and He alone is, therefore, man’s authority.

Jesus taught that the Word of God is to be man’s authority, not man’s independence. We hear Him repeatedly saying, “It is written,” or, “Have ye not read?,” or “Search the Scriptures.” He says in John 12:48, “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.” He says in I Timothy 4:13 & 16, “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation to doctrine.” “Take heed unto thyself and to the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shall both save thyself and them that hear thee.”

The very fact that God speaks to man from His Word, the Scripture, it is therefore binding or authoritative. Scripture is called the breath of God Himself (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus said, “Not one small mark in the Bible will fail or pass away until all come to pass.” (Matthew 5:18) The prophet said His Word is forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89).

Those who have submitted to God’s authority have surrendered self as an authority. They have become happier and filled with satisfaction. Those who have not submitted struggle to keep their independence and self-destruct.