Jesus is the only law-giver for His church

[Mary Naeem]

What is God's attitude toward such human authority in religion?

Human authority has never been acceptable to God in spiritual matters.

Isaiah 55:8,9 - Our ways are not God's ways. His ways are higher than ours as Heaven is higher than earth. Men by our own wisdom are not able to know what pleases God. We cannot invent doctrine and expect Him to be pleased.

Jeremiah 10:23 - It is not in man that walks to direct His path.

Matthew 15:9,13 - For this reason, Jesus forbids our following man-made teachings. It makes our service to God vain. Such doctrines will be rooted up, and those who follow teachers of these doctrines will fall into the ditch (v13,14).

[Galatians 1:8,9; 2 John 9-11; Colossians 3:17; Proverbs 14:12; 3:5,6; Revelation 22:18,19; 1 Timothy 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:13; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 1 Peter 4:11]

Jesus is the only law-giver for His church.

Matthew 28:18-20 - He had all authority in heaven and on earth, so men should observe all things He commands.

Ephesians 1:22,23 - He is head over all things to His church. What is left for men to rule or make laws over? [James 4:12]

The fundamental error of all man-made religious authority is that it puts man in the place of God. It says that men are wise enough to make rules about how to serve God, whereas God says men do not have this wisdom. Only God has the right to make religious laws, and those laws have all been made and revealed in the Bible.

People who respect the authority of Jesus will not make or follow laws other than those He has revealed. To follow man-made laws is to show lack of respect for Jesus!