Authority #5 The Silence of the Scriptures

Seth McDonald
10/20/24 - Sunday AM Worship

Authority #5: The Silence of the Scriptures

Introduction

1. 1. By 1906, many “churches of Christ” withdrew from the “Christian Church” / “Disciples of Christ” over disagreements about instrumental music, & missionary societies.
   2. The disagreement came down to two possible views on silence:
      1. Silence gives permission.
         (We can do anything not specifically forbidden in scripture.)
      2. Silence does not give permission.
         (We should not do something that is not positively indicated in scripture.)

1.  The Logical Argument for Binding Silence
   1. Easily understood & utilized in everyday life.
      1. Example #1: “Go to the store and buy bread and milk.”
      2. Example #2: “Women’s bathroom” implies “no men allowed.”
      3. Example #3: The doctor doesn’t tell the pharmacist which medications to not fill.
   2. Appeals to the authority of silence in the Bible:
      1. God called Jesus, “my Son,” which naturally excludes angels. – Hebrews 1.4-5
      2. God specified priests come from Levi, excluding all other tribes. – Heb 7.14
   3. In 1808, a Presbyterian man named Thomas Campbell coined the phrase:
      “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent.”
       
2. The Law of Exclusion
   1. There are two kinds of commands.
      1. General authority – “Order us some pizza.”
      2. Specific specific - "Order us three pepperoni pizzas from Papa John’s.”
   2. When God gives specific commands, He excludes any changes.
      1. God specified how the ark was to be transported. – 1 Chron 13.1-12; 15.12-15
      2. God specified fire from the altar, so other sources are excluded. – Leviticus 10.1-2
      3. God specified Noah to use gopher wood to build the ark. – Genesis 6.14
      4. When God specifies immersion… (Romans 6.4; Acts 8.36-38)
   3. When God gives general commands:
      1. He gives freedom within the command. – Matthew 28.19
      2. But still excludes changes. – Numbers 20.8
      3. Example: Churches raise funds through free-will giving. – 1 Cor 16.1
      4. Example: Commanded to sing Psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs – Eph 5.19

3. The Problem of Presuming  
   1. If God is truly silent on a subject matter, either…
      1. He intended to say something about the subject but failed or forgot. – not an option
      2. He intends to be silent.
         1. We must either presume to know His mind.
         2. Or refuse to put words in His mouth. (Psalm 19.13; 1 Cor 2.10-13)
   2. Important to not go beyond what is revealed. (Deut 4.2; 29.29; Jam 1.25; 1 Cor 4.6)
      1. Example: Substituting the Lord’s Supper with donuts & coffee.
      2. Example: Instrumental music in worship because it sounds good to us.
   3. The Word of God serves as our boundary – Rev 22.18-19; 2 John 1.9; 2 Cor 5.9

      Authority #5: The Silence of the Scriptures

      Introduction

   4. 1. By 1906, many “churches of Christ” withdrew from the “Christian Church” / “Disciples of Christ” over disagreements about instrumental music, & missionary societies.
      2. The disagreement came down to two possible views on silence:
         1. Silence gives permission.
            (We can do anything not specifically forbidden in scripture.)
         2. Silence does not give permission.
            (We should not do something that is not positively indicated in scripture.)

   5.  

   6.  The Logical Argument for Binding Silence
      1. Easily understood & utilized in everyday life.
         1. Example #1: “Go to the store and buy bread and milk.”
         2. Example #2: “Women’s bathroom” implies “no men allowed.”
         3. Example #3: The doctor doesn’t tell the pharmacist which medications to not fill.
      2. Appeals to the authority of silence in the Bible:
         1. God called Jesus, “my Son,” which naturally excludes angels. – Hebrews 1.4-5
         2. God specified priests come from Levi, excluding all other tribes. – Heb 7.14
      3. In 1808, a Presbyterian man named Thomas Campbell coined the phrase:
         “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent.”
          
   7. The Law of Exclusion
      1. There are two kinds of commands.
         1. General authority – “Order us some pizza.”
         2. Specific specific - "Order us three pepperoni pizzas from Papa John’s.”
      2. When God gives specific commands, He excludes any changes.
         1. God specified how the ark was to be transported. – 1 Chron 13.1-12; 15.12-15
         2. God specified fire from the altar, so other sources are excluded. – Leviticus 10.1-2
         3. God specified Noah to use gopher wood to build the ark. – Genesis 6.14
         4. When God specifies immersion… (Romans 6.4; Acts 8.36-38)
      3. When God gives general commands:
         1. He gives freedom within the command. – Matthew 28.19
         2. But still excludes changes. – Numbers 20.8
         3. Example: Churches raise funds through free-will giving. – 1 Cor 16.1
         4. Example: Commanded to sing Psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs – Eph 5.19

   8. 
      
      
      
       

       

   9. The Problem of Presuming  
      1. If God is truly silent on a subject matter, either…
         1. He intended to say something about the subject but failed or forgot. – not an option
         2. He intends to be silent.
            1. We must either presume to know His mind.
            2. Or refuse to put words in His mouth. (Psalm 19.13; 1 Cor 2.10-13)
      2. Important to not go beyond what is revealed. (Deut 4.2; 29.29; Jam 1.25; 1 Cor 4.6)
         1. Example: Substituting the Lord’s Supper with donuts & coffee.
         2. Example: Instrumental music in worship because it sounds good to us.
      3. The Word of God serves as our boundary – Rev 22.18-19; 2 John 1.9; 2 Cor 5.9