The Silence Of The Scriptures

Passages like Col 3:17 (“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”) show us we are not free just to do anything we want to in religion. No, we must have “authority” for everything we do (Matt 21:23-27). This is because Jesus has been given all authority (Matt 28:18); He is our boss. (if it weren’t Jesus, then it would be the Father) Good company employees do not act without the authority of their boss (specific or general authority). And so just because the Bible doesn’t specifically condemn something, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is okay. Jesus acted with this principle in mind with regard to the Father (John 5:19,30 – “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. … I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”), and we should do the same.Also consider how a scripture like Heb 7:11-14 (“If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 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.”) shows that when God specifies something, that rules out other things in the same category. That has been easily illustrated through the years with Noah: When God told Noah to build the ark out of gopher wood, of course that ruled out using pine or oak.Most churches don’t really consider God’s word when it comes to how they are going to operate (worship, practice, organization, etc.). They have rock bands because they enjoy rock. They have sports teams so they can draw in more people. Instead they should let the scriptures be their guide, because as we’ve seen, the Bible is like a guidebook for how God expects us to operate in religion.