On the day our Lord ascended into Heaven, forty days after His resurrection, Jesus left to His apostles the gift of His authority. “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (Mat 28:18 RSV). Was this giving of authority necessary?
This authority originates from the Father through the Son and by the power of the Holy Spirit it is given to the apostles for the forming of the Church’s life and ministry and for building up the Body of Christ. The Father’s gift of authority through the Son was made possible so every person: past, present and future, as each are made in the image and after the likeness of the Father, may receive the gift of redemption and so are justified in His eyes and heart. In addition they are given the dignity of becoming a child of God, and an inheritor of the Kingdom of God. As a child of God each one is to become a disciple of Christ. Discipleship requires faith in Christ and a desire to live the life Christ outlines.
This authority living through the Church enables anyone to become baptized and part of the Kingdom of God. So, yes, this authority that Jesus gave to the Church on the day of His ascension into Heaven is very important.
