Authority gives the right to rule. Absolute authority gives the right to rule completely over events, people, friends and enemies. Dunamis is the Greek word describing the ability or power to perfectly effect one’s absolute authority. Jesus combined both words in himself. He possessed absolute authority to rule and control; and his absolute power to rule equals his innate ability to rule.
We have often heard it said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Often very true, with few exceptions in history. Jesus Christ is the SOLE exception with the authority he possesses. For he has total, absolute, unquestioned authority over heaven and earth, and spelled out the use he made of it in Matthew 28:18-20. He devoted ALL of HIS ALL authority to the spiritual crusade based on his NAME as Savior and equaled by his NATURE—unrivalled POWER. During his ministry Jesus forgave sins, raised the dead, preached good news of God’s love—and gave the apostles his authority to continue it and his authority to succeed in it. The very commission still in place for every believer and every church. To the apostles he gave his initial commission. To every believer and church he gives his ongoing commission: teach to make disciples, baptize the taught for forgiveness of sin, continue teaching them all the facets of Christian discipleship until they too are witnessing learners of Christ’s forgiving grace. Remember: no earthly sovereign had the Someone Like Himself to supervise and empower his work. Even though David had a Solomon to succeed him, Solomon didn’t prove to be a King David. Charlemagne established the Holy Roman Empire in the ninth century A.D. But he had no Charles the Great to succeed him. Otto von Bismarck lashed a congeries of German states into the Second German Reich. But when Kaiser Wilhelm retired Bismarck, he found no Bismarck to replace him. As “Kaiser Bill” Wilhelm did find the stupidity to bungle his way into WWI sixteen years after Bismarck’s death. Completely different from human leaders, ten days after Jesus ascended into Heaven, he sent back to the Twelve Apostles the someone Just Like Himself: God, the Spirit! As a result: Jesus Christ has been the source of all the good that has been done in fallen humanity; all the good that is being done in fallen humanity; all the good that will ever be done in fallen humanity; as the Result of his use of his ALL AUTHORITY to remove sin from humanity. By removing sin, the obstacle that stands between humanity and God, Jesus empowers God’s grace and compassion to freely operate in solving other issues in humanity. Therefore, Christians don’t wander aimlessly, fearful that the Christian Faith may yet fail. It never shall, for it never can. We don’t wonder hopefully if Christianity can somehow yet succeed. IT HAS succeeded, IS succeeding and SHALL always succeed. Jesus came to destroy the words of Satan—and has. He has conquered all he faced and...in him...we also overcome. The last provision is...Because HE perfected every intention he ever HAD, he brings all of our intentions for him, however flawed in execution, to complete perfection by his unfailing success. It’s called Salvation and Service by GRACE! Amen. Fini
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