SILENCE OF SCRIPTURES
1. The people who are familiar with church history
recognize the names Luther and Zwingli.
2. Martin Luther was a German man who was part of what we know as the reformation movement.
3. He taught that whatever is not expressly contrary to scripture is acceptable.
4. In other words, If the Bible doesn’t specifically prohibit something we may do it.
5. This was not his initial conclusion; this view was reached after several years.
6. Another name we may have heard of is Zwingli.
7. Zwingli was a Swiss man who was also a reformer.
8. In many ways Zwingli and Luther agreed.
9. On Bible interpretation, however, they had a substantial disagreement.
10. Zwingli said that if something cannot be proven by scripture it is wrong.
11. If there is not Bible authority for what people do the practices are sinful.
12. The disagreement between Luther and Zwingly is illustrated by history.
13. In
14. People didn’t have religious candles, religious statues, and religious pictures.
15. These things were not used in church buildings.
16. These things couldn’t be found in scripture so they were rejected.
17. Luther and Zwingli lived about 500 years ago.
18. Before these men were born the disagreement about Bible authority had already started.
19. Tertullian (AD 150-222) spoke of people who said “whatever is not forbidden is freely permitted.”
20. This quote is from Vol. 3, p. 94 of the Ante Nicene Fathers.
21. Even though about 20 centuries have passed this debate rages on.
THERE ARE SOME WHO BELIEVE AS MARTIN LUTHER BELIEVED. IF THE BIBLE DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY PROHIBIT SOMETHING IT IS RIGHT. THERE ARE ALSO THOSE WHO THINK LIKE ZWINGLI. IF THE BIBLE DOES NOT GIVE US AUTHORITY FOR WHAT WE DO WE ARE IN THE WRONG.
A. The thinking that Luther proposed is usually found in the denominational world.
B. The teaching that Zwingli did is most visible in the church.
C. Which view is right?
D. Was Luther right? That is, if something is not specifically prohibited it is okay.
E. Or, are we prohibited from doing things that we have no authority for?
F. The view of Luther says that silence is permissive.
G. In other words, if something is not condemned it is okay.
H. The other view says that silence is prohibitive.
I. In most places congregations of the churches of Christ silence is viewed as prohibitive.
J. I gave the background about Luther and Zwingli to make this point.
K. When we affirm that silence is prohibitive this isn’t something we made up.
L. We are preaching a message that was proclaimed by people who were not associated with the church.
2. We and Zwingli may be saying the same thing but this doesn’t automatically make it right.
3. When the Bible is silent about things what should we conclude?
A. In previous lessons I have shown how Bible authority is related to everyday life.
B. The area of silence is no different.
C. Consider this illustration.
D. In tomorrow’s paper we read about a new Indiana law.
E. This law says that widows, widowers, the handicapped, and veterans are exempt from paying property taxes.
F. If we are in one of these categories our property tax bill is zero.
G. A farmer reads this and notifies the state.
H. He says, “I read about the new law and I am not going to pay taxes on my property.”
I. In his letter to the state the farmer says,
J. “I cannot find a part of the law which says ‘Farmers are not included in this bill.’”
K. “Since you did not specifically exclude me I am exempt.”
L. The state would issue a prompt reply to this man.
M. The government would say, “You are not exempt.”
N. If the state issued the type of law I described there would be authority by silence.
O. When the law states who the law applies to others are automatically excluded.
P. I am going to call this the “silence principle.”
4. At times we register to vote.
5. The registration form may say, “You must be at least 18 years old to vote.”
6. The form is silent about the people who are under 18.
7. Nothing is said about those who are 17, 16, 15, or younger.
8. We recognize and use the authority of silence.
A. We use this principle so often we would be amazed if we really thought about it.
B. Silence is used on expiration dates.
C. It is used on recipe instructions, warranties, store hours, and on our jobs.
9. THIS
PRINCIPLE IS ALSO RECOGNIZED IN AND USED BY THE BIBLE.
A. Let’s look at some examples.
B. The first one comes from Lev. 10:1-2.
C. God told the priests to get fire from a certain
place.
D. This was the command.
E. God did not say, “You are prohibited from taking
fire from here, there, or somewhere else.”
F. READ Lev.
10:1-2.
G. These two men died.
H. Think about their death in light of Martin Luther’s
philosophy.
I. If something is not specifically prohibited it is
okay.
J. If this approach to life and God is right, these men
should have lived.
K. There was no command that prohibited the use of
“strange fire.”
L. God had been silent about “strange fire.”
M. His command the people to use a certain type of fire
was all that He needed to say.
N. When this command was not followed punishment
followed.
10. Someone may say, “How do we know what God said
concerning the fire?”
11. All of us know what God said because the command is
in the Bible.
12. Lev. 16:12.
13. This was the command. God was completely silent about other sources
of fire.
14. This silence was prohibitive.
15. Another example of the “silence principle” is found
in Num. 20.
A. This part of the Old Testament tells us about Moses.
B. Moses was a great man.
C. Even great men must abide by the authority that
comes from silence.
D. Let’s begin with Num. 20:8. READ.
E. Moses was told to “speak to” the rock.
F. This was all that God said.
G. God was silent about other things.
H. God never said, “You are forbidden from hitting the
rock.”
I. The sole command was “speak to the rock.”
J. What did Moses do?
K. Verse 11. READ.
L. Moses hit the rock.
M. God said to speak to the rock and He was silent
about other acts.
N. Moses hit the rock.
O. According to Luther this was acceptable.
P. If an act is not specifically prohibited it is all
right.
Q. Zwingli said that we must have authority for what we
do.
R. Which man (Luther or Zwingli) really understood
Bible teaching on this point?
S. The Bible tells us – verse 12. READ.
T. God said that this matter was so serious Moses and
Aaron “didn’t believe.”
U. This sin was so terrible God said they would not got
to the Promised Land.
16. Martin Luther appears to have been a good man.
17. He certainly did some things that have helped many
people.
18. He was dead wrong on Bible authority.
19. Zwingli was a man who also made some mistakes.
20. There some matters on which he erred.
21. He was absolutely right about the silence of the
scriptures.
22. If we do not have authority for what we believe and do we are on the wrong road.
23. PERHAPS
SEVERAL IN THIS ASSEMBLY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE TWO EXAMPLES THAT HAVE JUST BEEN
GIVEN. IF YOU ARE I WANT TO PROVIDE AN
EXAMPLE THAT YOU MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH.
A. This illustration of the silence principle comes
from Mt. 15:1-3.
B. Some “Pharisees” came from “Jerusalem.”
C. These religious leaders had a complaint.
D. They were not happy with the Lord’s disciples.
E. They wanted to know about hand washing.
F. Here is what they said – verses 1-2. READ.
G. The Pharisees recognized that they had a “tradition”
from the “elders.”
H. In other words, this practice was not from God.
I. Even though it was not from God they had turned it
into a law.
J. They asked why the Lord’s disciples were not
following this rule.
K. Notice the Lord’s response – verse 3. READ.
L. Jesus said that the rule about religious hand
washing was a sin.
M. These people broke “the commandment of God.”
N. If God’s word was silent about hand washing (and it
was) making this rule was wrong.
O. This was adding to the word of God.
24. All of us know that Noah built an ark.
25. God said this craft needed to be “300 cubits” in
length (Gen. 6:15).
A. God didn’t specifically condemn an ark that was 250
cubits long.
B. He didn’t prohibit an ark that was 200 cubits long.
C. He was silent about every length except the 300
lengths.
26. Examples of the “silence principle” abound.
27. The Levites were told to carry the ark (Deut. 10:8).
28. God was silent about the other tribes carrying the
ark.
29. Even though God was silent what if people from Judah
had tried to carry the ark?
30. We know that this would have been wrong because of 1
Chron. 15:2.
31. Please listen very carefully to this verse. READ.
32. Combining Deut. 10:8 and 1 Chron. 15:2 shows that
silence is prohibitive.
33. I could include other passages but I want to list
just one more.
34. This is found in the book of Jeremiah (7:31). READ.
A. If God has not authorized us to do some thing we
need to leave it alone.
B. This is why Jesus said, “If ye love me keep my
commandments.”
C. Do we love the Lord?
D. Are we willing to keep His commandments?
E. Do we recognize and abide by the “silence principle” in scripture?