Have you ever sat down to watch a YouTube video or read a blog, and then wonder what gives that person the authority to speak on the topic? I was chatting with someone a couple weeks ago who wondered who gave the YouTube commentator the authority to speak on the Bible, and I thought I’d try to dive into that a bit today.

The short answer: You decide based on what you know.

For example, what gives me the authority to talk about college tips and tricks? You would need to research my About Me page, maybe read through a couple of my posts. There, you’ll find that I have an Associates, Bachelors, Masters, hopefully soon-to-be Ph.D., and several certificates. You’ll also find that I adjunct for universities, teach biology to homeschool students, and work in the science industry. From what you know about me, you can probably assume that I know a little bit about what I’m talking about, from the student side, the professor side, and the science side. You essentially have to look at the resume I’ve shared throughout this blog and determine for yourself if you think my credentials are enough to give me authority on the topic. Now, of course, I could be lying about my credentials, so you’ll also need to evaluate my advice. If I’m just telling you to skip class and you’ll likely make it through, that doesn’t seem like sound advice. But, if I’m giving you pointed tips (i.e. how you can get your textbook for cheap, or how to write a research paper, or how to write discussion posts, etc.), that makes my information a bit more credible.

Now, in a similar vein to the original question – what gives me the authority to talk about the Bible or God? You’ll notice my blog covers a lot of that, too. Luckily, this is a lot easier to discern than the above scenario. And it’s the exact same advice I’d give if you asked me how to find a church in your new home.

God gave us the Bible, which is the perfect roadmap for life, and for this situation. If I tell you that I’m a Christian, God says not to murder and yet say He is ok with abortion, you can determine whether I have authority or not from that statement alone. And, if you read your Bible, you’ll notice that sentence would show I do not have authority. As a Christian, you cannot say that God is ok with abortion.

See, when someone is giving Christian advice, you have a really easy standard to compare them to. Now, everyone is flawed and human and makes mistakes (including the main character in A Great Awakening, if you had the chance to see it). Someone can be a Christian and make a mistake in their life…that’s what happens when we’re human. But, it’s also their response to that mistake when pointed out that will either solidify or destroy their credibility.

Comparing what someone says to God’s standard – whether that be a blogger, Christian YouTuber, or pastor of a church – is the only way you can determine whether they have authority or not.

If you are not 100% sure that you’ll go to Heaven when you die, now is the time to repent and put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you have any questions or doubts about your salvation, click here to learn how you can be saved!

Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions below, or you can contact me here! I love hearing from you!