"Searching the Scriptures and Seeking the Lost"
DOES GOD AUTHORIZE THROUGH SILENCE?
by Wayne Jones
God gave us many warnings about the way we handle His inspired Word. Paul compares “the hidden things of dishonesty” to “handling the word of God deceitfully” according to II Corinthians 4:2. In his second epistle to Timothy, Paul encouraged the preacher to study so that he might rightly divide or handle aright the Word (II Tim. 2:15). There were those in the days of the apostles (much like some today) who perverted the Word (Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Pet. 3:16). Such verses as Proverbs 30:5-6 and Revelation 22:18-19 are often cited to remind us that we should never add to or take away from what God has revealed in His Word. Thus, we understand the need of rightly handling the Scriptures.
In order to handle the Word of God properly, we should be aware of how the Bible authorizes. We should be conscious of the fact that the Bible authorizes by direct statement, approved example and necessary inference (implication). Certainly we could spend the remainder of this article in noticing several examples of each of these, but that is not our purpose. So often in preaching and teaching on authority, we leave out one of the most important ways that the Bible permits and restricts certain things–the way of silence.
Authoritative silence is something that we understand in everyday life. The old, but true argument is still sufficient. If a mother were to send her child to the store in order by milk and eggs, that child would have no right to buy milk, eggs, cookies and ice cream. Why not? The answer does not even need to be given. By her silence, that mother has not authorized her child to buy anything except milk and eggs. It is easy for us to see the logic in this situation. Why then is this same principle so hard for people in religious circles (even in the Lord’s church) to comprehend?
It is the writer’s intent in the space we have remaining, to further discuss this important and often overlooked subject. We want to answer the above question, “Does God authorize through silence?”
AN EXAMPLE FROM THE PAST
Under the Law of Moses, only one tribe of Israel was given to the priesthood. The priests of this time were taken from the tribe of Levi (Deut. 10:8; 18:1). Those chosen from this tribe would be those to offer the sacrifices and bear the ark of the covenant. Needless to say, the high priest under this law also came from the tribe of Levi. The writer of Hebrews would refer to this and he would actually call it the “Levitical priesthood” (Heb. 7:11). He would later write that in order for Christ to be our high priest, then there would need to be a change of law (Heb. 7:11-12). Notice what he wrote: “For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood” (Heb. 7:13-14). It was the silence of the Scriptures that prevented one from the tribe of Judah from being a priest under the Old Law, this included Jesus Christ. We know that the law was changed and we also know that Jesus Christ is our high priest (Heb. 4:15). Certainly, we can see the power of God’s silence through this one example from the Law of Moses.
AN APPLICATION FOR TODAY
There are many lessons we can learn from the silence of the Scriptures. When we apply this important aspect of God’s Word, we can truly understand the authority and power of the Word. Although it is the most often given, mechanical instruments of music is one of those things prohibited by the silence of the Scriptures. When God said sing with the heart (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16), that forbade using an instrument (just like when God said Levi, that forbade Judah). It is not a matter of opinion, nor is it just a matter of conscience, but it is a matter of doctrine. That is to say that God is concerned with the way we worship and will punish us for doing so in a non-authorized way.
The silence of the Scriptures must be heeded, if we are going to serve God correctly.