Spring Warrior Church of Christ

7432 S. Red Padgett Road

Perry, FL 32348
584-5176

Prove All Things Vol. 1 No. 8

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21

What the Bible Says About What the Bible Doesn’t Say
By Jeff Himmel, jshimmel@perry.gulfnet.com [3/28/01]

What the Bible says is important. Our attitude toward what it says is
important. So is our disposition toward what it does not say. What does the
Bible say about what the Bible doesn’t say?

There is a reason for silence

God had a purpose in speaking to us through the written word. He hasn’t

spoken just to satisfy our curiosity. He has spoken to guide us: “I know, O Lord,
that a man’s way is not in himself; nor is it in man who walks to direct his
steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). He has spoken to show us how to be acceptable to Him:
“For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to
know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message
preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).

Since the Scriptures are sufficient to equip us for every good work (2
Timothy 3:16ff), we can reasonably conclude that if the Bible doesn’t tell us
something, it isn’t essential to our happiness or living to please God.
Deuteronomy 29:29 sums it up: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God,
but the things revealed belong to us ....”

Speculation is foolish

Many discussions about religious matters are filled with conjecture about
some detail that God has not revealed. People often get “hung up” on such
things. Many disagreements in religious teaching and practice are over matters
about which the Bible is silent. People are divided less over what is in the Bible
than over what isn’t in it.

This problem is evidently not new. Consider these warnings from Paul to
Timothy and Titus: “For some men . . . have turned aside to fruitless discussion,

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wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either
what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident
assertions” (1 Timothy 1:6ff). “But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations,
knowing that they produce quarrels” (2 Timothy 2:23). “But shun foolish
controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law; for they
are unprofitable and worthless” (Titus 3:9).

Silence is prohibitive

Sometimes people try to use the silence of the Scripture to justify what
they do in religion: “The Bible doesn’t say not to.” Does that mean we are free to
do anything and everything that God does not specifically prohibit? Is silence
permissive?

We certainly don’t think so in other areas. I ordered a part from a tool

company a few weeks ago. I simply told them which part I wanted. Happily, I
didn’t have to go through the entire parts inventory list and say, “I don’t want
that, or that, or that, . . .” The company understood, as we all do, that I wanted
only what I asked for.

Now apply that common sense to the Bible. God does not need to specify
everything He does not want. He simply tells us what He does desire, and that
rules out everything else. If not, why not? Remember, the purpose of revelation
is to guide us, to let us know how to please Him.

The Bible itself confirms that this is the correct approach. Consider a
couple of examples.

Under the Mosaic Law, God specified the tribe of Levi as the tribe from
which the Jewish priests were to be taken. He did not itemize all the other tribes
as unqualified; He just instructed that Aaron and his sons (of the tribe of Levi) be
set apart as priests (Exodus 28:1). Yet the author of Hebrews, writing by
inspiration, affirmed that God’s silence with reference to the other tribes banned
anyone from their number being a priest (Hebrews 7:13-14). Thus God’s silence
is prohibitive.

Many direct statements of Scripture warn against acting outside the

bounds of God’s revealed will. “Every word of God is tested . . . Do not add to
His words lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar” (Proverbs 30:5-6).
God cautioned the Israelites, “You shall not add to the word which I am
commanding you, nor take away from it” (Deuteronomy 4:2). As John
concluded his prophecy in Revelation, he wrote, “I testify to everyone who hears
the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to

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him the plagues which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18). If our
teaching and practice go beyond God’s revelation, we “add to” His words — and
we act presumptuously. “For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he
should instruct Him?” (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Many churches do things in their work and worship which the New
Testament gives us no authorization to do. “The Bible doesn’t say not to” is not
sufficient reason for us to engage in this or that activity. Let’s be content to focus
on what God has commanded.

Study carefully what God says. Don’t fret over what He chose not to
reveal. And in the words of Paul, “Learn not to exceed what is written” (1
Corinthians 4:6).

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