There are many religious people who well understand
that we are to speak where God has spoken (see 1 Peter 4:11),
that we are to respect God's voice; but many fail to understand
that we are to respect God's silence as well! This principle
is found in many Bible passages, including the following:
1. Proverbs 30:5-6, "Every word of God
is pure: he is a shield to them that put their trust in him. Add
thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found
a liar."
If we are not to add to God's Word, it is obvious,
then, that we must speak what He has spoken and stop right
there! We must not speak where He has not spoken, lest we
be adding to what He has said. Adding to God's Word is a serious
violation!
2. Deuteronomy 4:1-2, "Ye shall not add
unto the words which I command you, neither shall ye diminish
aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your
God."
Notice that just as we are not to take from God's
revelation, so we are not to add to it; speaking where God has
not spoken would be just such an addition.
3. Revelation 22:18-19. Here the warning is very
plainly issued not to add to, nor take from, God's Word.
Can all not see that it is just as wrong to speak
where God has been silent, as to be deaf where God has spoken?
God condemned the people in Jeremiah's day for doing what He had
not commanded, what He had not spoken, and what had not come into
His mind (read Jeremiah 19:1-5). If the people then were guilty
of disobeying God by doing what He had not spoken, would we not
be guilty of disobeying God by doing the same today?
The command to build the ark of gopher wood forbids
pine (Genesis 6:14). The command to offer Isaac forbids
offering Ishmael (Genesis 22:2). The command to offer a lamb
in the Passover meal forbids offering a pig (Exodus 12).
The command to speak to the rock forbids smiting it (Numbers
20:7-12). The command to use unleavened bread and fruit of the
vine in the Lord's Supper forbids mashed potatoes and Pepsi
(Luke 22:18-20). The command to sing forbids plucking,
tooting, strumming, playing, banging, clicking, or blowing (Ephesians
5:19; Colossians 3:16).
If I were to receive a wedding invitation that
told me the place, date, and time, the invitation would not have
to include where the place is not, or when the date is not, or
when the time is not. "Flatwoods church of Christ, Saturday,
October 2, 2:30 p.m." forbids Lexington on Thursday
night!
If I were to tell one of my sons, "Go cut
the grass," and half-hour later I found him playing ball
instead, his explanation that "Well, Dad, you didn't tell
me not to play ball" wouldn't square very well at
all!
If people can understand this principle in the
natural realm, why can they not understand it in the religious
realm? When God says how a thing is to be done, let us be
content to do it God's way, and leave it at that!
Respect God's voice and His silence! -P.O. Box
871, Flatwoods, KY 41139.