Generic and Specific Authority and Expediency
We have already looked at three ways of establishing authority from Christ and noted that these overlap in many ways. As we look at generic and specific authority and expediency, we will find that these concepts overlap in many ways also.
The terms “generic authority,” “specific authority,” and “expediency” are not terms that we find in the Bible, but rather they describe concepts that are true in all areas of life. It is not something unique to the Bible, but it is true of the Bible as well. You don’t have to know these terms to please God, but you do need to use the scriptures properly to please God. Having this framework of thinking about how to determine what Christ wants us to do about various things can be helpful in doing this.
I believe the easiest way to explain these terms is to start with a simple example outside of the Bible. So let us examine a situation where a mother communicates with her child about what she wants the child to do.
“Go to the Spar grocery store and get some rice.”
Generic Authority
All this term means is that there is room for making choices within what we are supposed to do. In the illustration we are using, we see that the child is given authority to buy any kind of rice. The kind of rice was not specified so it is just rice in general.
We could also say that he is given the authority to buy the rice or steal it because she only said “get some rice.” However, we would assume that the child already understands that stealing is wrong, so there are other things that limit his authority. He does not have authority to steal because the law does not allow that (and hopefully his parents have taught him not to steal already).
Specific Authority
All this term means is that there is no room for making choices within what we are supposed to do because what we might have chosen is already specified.
In the illustration we are using, we see that Spar is specific. If the child goes to a different store, he is doing it without authority and his mother will not be happy. We also see that rice is specified. While the kind of rice is generic, the fact that it must be rice is specific. He is not permitted to buy bread instead.
Expediency
What this term refers to is something that is optional within generic authority that assists in doing what is authorized. In our illustration, the child had to decide how he would get to Spar. If he walked, that would be obeying his mother, but it may be that riding a bicycle would help him do what she wanted quicker. In that case, taking the bicycle is an expediency.
When the child is in the store, he can just carry the bag of rice or he can use a shopping cart. If he is strong enough, carrying the bag might be faster. If it is heavy, he might need a shopping cart. Whichever helps him obey his mother is an expediency and is authorized (unless his parents have already told him in the past how he must do it).
Applying This Thinking to the Bible
Generic Authority
Jesus expects us to be able to use generic authority to figure out what to do in different situations. We see this regarding His teaching about the Sabbath.
Matthew 12:7-12 (NKJV)
7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” 9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him. 11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
At the end of Jesus’ conversation with the Pharisees about His disciples picking grain on the Sabbath, Jesus reminded them of something God had said about Himself. “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” This is an example of generic authority to place showing mercy above whatever laws God has given regarding sacrifice (worship).
Jesus shows that they understood this principle in relation to their sheep that falls in a pit, but they failed to apply it to helping people in severe need. We must remember this principle. If we are supposed to meet with brethren to worship God, but we need to help someone who has been in an accident or has become very sick, we should prioritize mercy over sacrifice.
Specific Authority
Jesus also expects us to understand that specific authority (when He specifies what He wants) does not give any more authority than what it specifies. We see this clearly in how the Hebrew writer reasons about the priesthood of Christ.
Example from the Priesthood of Jesus
Hebrews 7:12-14 (NKJV)
12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
Jesus had no authority to be priest under the Law of Moses. Levi was specified as the tribe from which the priests must come and Jesus was from Judah. The author of Hebrews mentions two things that could have given authority for Jesus to be priest under the law. If there had been an example of someone from Judah being priest, that would have demonstrated God’s approval under the law, but there was no such example. Moses could have directly spoken of Judah in relation to the priesthood, but he did not.
Since there is only specific authority for someone from the tribe of Levi to be priest, there is no authority for someone else to be priest. That is why the law had to be changed for Jesus to be priest. When something is specified (and there is no other teaching to broaden it), anything of the same kind that is different from what is specified is not authorized.
Example from Musical Worship
Acts 16:25 (NKJV)
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Romans 15:8-9 (NKJV)
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name.”
1 Corinthians 14:15 (NKJV)
What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
1 Corinthians 14:26 (NKJV)
How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
Ephesians 5:18-20 (NKJV)
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Colossians 3:16 (NKJV)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Hebrews 2:11-12 (NKJV)
11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
James 5:13 (NKJV)
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
These passages are the only instructions regarding musical worship in the New Testament that I am aware of. You will notice that there is one kind of musical worship that is mentioned in every case. Singing is specified (quite a few times), so any other kind of music for worship is not authorized.
We find authority for singing as individuals and collectively. We find authority for singing to praise the Lord and to teach and admonish one another. We find authority to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. But in all of it, we are to sing. The songs we sing must be have words that teach. We do not find authority for singing nonsense sounds to make it sound nice. The act of speaking and teaching is specified. Any other kind of “singing” is not authorized.
Example from church vs. individual support for widows and orphans
James 1:26-27 (NKJV)
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
It is clear from this passage that Christians must take care of widows and orphans. But can we get authority from this passage for churches to do the same? No, we cannot, because the one doing it is specified as an individual. They are ones who can bridle their tongues or deceive their own hearts. It is clear that the context is speaking to the individual Christian. We cannot think that the church we are part of can practice our pure and undefiled religion for us. We must visit the fatherless and widows in their trouble and we must keep ourselves unspotted from the world. That is the responsibility for each of us.
So does this mean that a church cannot support widows or orphans? If this verse was all we had, then that would be true. However, in this case we have other passages that talk about similar things.
Acts 6:1-6 (NKJV)
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
While the word “church” is not used in this passage, it is clear that “the multitude of disciples” in this context are acting as a church in collectively choosing seven men to manage the daily distribution to the widows. So we have an example of a church taking care of widows within the church and it being approved by Christ. This would, I believe give us general authority for a church to take care of needy Christian widows within that congregation. However, we also need to keep in mind that there can be restrictions placed in other passages. That is the case here, particularly from 1 Timothy 5:3-16. I will note just verse 16 here.
1 Timothy 5:16 (NKJV)
If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.
So we have no restrictions on individual Christians helping widows or orphans, but there are restrictions given to churches in who they are to assist collectively. This is an example of generic authority being restrained by specific teaching. We actually have no authority for a church to take care of orphans that I know of, other than those who may be needy saints (based on other passages). This tells us that we had better be very active in practicing pure and undefiled religion because we cannot count on the church to visit orphans for us!
Expediency
When we apply the concept of expediency to the authority of Christ, what we are asking is, “What can we use to help us fulfill what Christ wants us to do?”
If we look at the command to sing to one another, we find that we will need to know the words that we are collectively singing. One of the types of songs we are to sing is psalms. The Psalms are a type of song book that we already have in our Bibles. But hymns and spiritual songs are not already found in our Bibles and so we need to know what we are singing to one other when we sing those also. A song book is an expediency in carrying out the command to speak to one another in song. It is not changing anything about the type of musical worship we are commanded to do. It is directly helping carry out the command.
Some claim that musical instruments are an expediency to help with the singing. The problem is that they are a completely different type of musical worship from singing. It does not help us speak to one another. In the Old Testament, God specified the instruments to be used in the temple worship (2 Chronicles 29:25). They had specific authority for using musical instruments. We do not even have generic authority for using them.
An expediency cannot add to what Christ told us to do. It can only directly assist in carrying out the commandment. Otherwise, it is a new thing, not an expediency.
Conclusion
Jesus has given us much authority and has left many decisions to us regarding how we will fulfill His will. But we do need to have authority from Him. There is nowhere else we can get authority and if we do something without authority, that is the same thing as lawlessness. Lawlessness is sin (2 John 3:4). We want to please our Lord, so let us do all that we know that pleases Him and leave off everything that He has not given any authority for.