15 Bible Verses about Apostles, Authority In Church

For this reason I write thus while absent, that when present I may not have to act severely in the exercise of the authority which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for pulling down.

If, however, I were to boast more loudly of our Apostolic authority, which the Lord has given us that we may build you up, not pull you down, I should have no reason to feel ashamed.

And, in fact, there was not a needy man among them, for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the money which they realised, and gave it to the Apostles, and distribution was made to every one according to his wants.

So the Twelve called together the general body of the disciples and said, "It does not seem fitting that we Apostles should neglect the delivery of God's Message and minister at tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among yourselves seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, and we will appoint them to undertake this duty. But, as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the delivery of the Message."read more.
The suggestion met with general approval, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch. These men they brought to the Apostles, and, after prayer, they laid their hands upon them.

As they journeyed on from town to town, they handed to the brethren for their observance the decisions which had been arrived at by the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem.

For you know the commands which we laid upon you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

For I must tell you, brethren, that the Good News which was proclaimed by me is not such as man approves of. For, in fact, it was not from man that I received or learnt it, but by a revelation from Jesus Christ.

But as God tested and approved us before entrusting us with His Good News, so in what we say we are seeking not to please men but to please God, who tests and approves our motives.

Therefore a defiant spirit in such a case provokes not man but God, who puts His Holy Spirit into your hearts.

And in every Church, after prayer and fasting, they selected Elders by show of hands, and commended them to the Lord on whom their faith rested.

"Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan taken possession of your heart, that you should try to deceive the Holy Spirit and dishonestly keep back part of the price paid you for this land? While it remained unsold, was not the land your own? And when sold, was it not at your own disposal? How is it that you have cherished this design in your heart? It is not to men you have told this lie, but to God."

I for my part, present with you in spirit although absent in body, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has so acted. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are all assembled and my spirit is with you, together with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have handed over such a man to Satan for the destruction of his body, that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord Jesus.

nor did we seek glory either from you or from any other mere men, although we might have stood on our dignity as Christ's Apostles.

For you remember, brethren, our labour and toil: how, working night and day so as not to become a burden to any one of you, we came and proclaimed among you God's Good News.

Is it a sin that I abased myself in order for you to be exalted, in that I proclaimed God's Good News to you without fee or reward? Other Churches I robbed, receiving pay from them in order to do you service. And when I was with you and my resources failed, there was no one to whom I became a burden--for the brethren when they came from Macedonia fully supplied my wants--and I kept myself from being in the least a burden to you, and will do so still.