Miller follows up his argument based on Colossians 3:17 with familiar arguments based on 1 Corinthians 4:6. I addressed this argument some time ago. See Going Beyond That Which is Written.
He also makes the argument that either all silences are permissive or else all silences are prohibitions. This argument is a classic false dichotomy. See this post for more on this flawed reasoning — The Question of Silence
Miller gives an example from everyday life to make his point. It’s a good example —
Suppose you send a note to your child at school instructing him to stop by the grocery store on his way home from school and to purchase a gallon of 2% milk and a one-pound loaf of wheat bread. When he returns home, he has a gallon of 2% milk, a one pound loaf of white bread, and a box of Twinkies©. Do you pat him on the head and compliment him for his faithful obedience? Do you praise him for his effort, talent, and sincerity? Or do you challenge his behavior as being unauthorized? What if he justifies his actions by insisting that you said nothing about the purchase of white bread and Twinkies?? Concerning instrumental music, Rick declares: “You can’t open your Bible and show me where God forbids it.” So what if your child hands you the written note you sent to him and declares: “You can’t open your note and show me where you forbade it.” The fact is, both you and he would know that he engaged in unauthorized behavior. He did not have your permission to purchase white bread or Twinkies?—even though you did not specifically forbid it.
Now, I have four sons, and they’ve all done things like this. And I’ve not disowned a single one! What father would disown — damn — his son over such a mistake?
And, I might add, it’s usually been true that my kids bought things I really did approve even though they went beyond my instructions. You see, they know me. They know my heart. When I send them for charcoal and hamburgers, and they come back with corn on the cob as well as the rest, I most heartily approve. In fact, I’ve been known to be a little peeved when they bought hamburger meat (which I asked for) but failed to bring the buns (which I didn’t ask for but they knew we needed and which should’ve been implicit in the first request! I mean, do I have to spell out everything?)
You see, I don’t treat my children as automatons. Rather, I’ve raised them to have good judgment, and I leave quite a lot to their discretion — and they only rarely disappoint me.
I’d be a truly horrible father if I told them: you may never, ever act except in response to my express command. They’d, quite rightly, rebel against such treatment.
And I rather suspect that the Miller household doesn’t operate in such an absurd way either. If they invite a son to travel home for Thanksgiving, telling him to bring the pumpkin pie, they won’t disown him, leaving to freeze in the cold, because he also brought banana pudding! How wicked someone would be to treat a child in such a way! And my God is not wicked.
When a certain argument is presented over and over, without it being challenged, people eventually assume it to be true. When that has happened to us, we have a really hard time seeing our mistake. I think that is what has happened with some of the major arguments in support of prohibitive silence, including the one you mentioned: "Do not go beyond what is written." People have heard that so many times that it is part of the church's DNA. It seems like it MUST be true because we've heard it so much, and we've built so much of the system of beliefs on top of it. If that falls, then much more of the belief system will fall as a result!
It seems to me that Paul was correcting the Corinthian church for passing judgment on one another based on things not written in the scripture. That's pretty much the opposite of what the "silence prohibits" camp tries to prove using that verse. That passage does not justify drawing lines of fellowship based on things not written in scripture. In fact it prohibits doing so. I gave a more complete explanation of my thoughts in this post.
It's really amazing and encouraging to see so many areas where we are coming to such similar conclusions. I'm thoroughly enjoying and learning from your articles.
I agree whole-heartedly!
Now regarding the white bread. His mommy specifically asked for wheat. So it's specificity. Not silence that narrows it down.
Now about the Twinkies. If it's his allowance then by right he can purchase it. However, if it's her money then he has violated the principle of stewardship taught in the bible. Again specificity.
Romans 15:4
" For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."
We need to have a high respect for the written word of God. (2 Tim. 3:16, 2 peter 1:3, Romans 3:3-5) knowing that, what has been revealed for our teaching has been revealed. (Det. 29:29).
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I found a great lesson in the book of 1 Samuel 15. when God command to Saul to obey his command and he did in part the will of God, but also he wants to please the people saving the best animals and forgiving the life of king amalek . God send the prophet Samuel to tell him what God though about Saul. Saul was given an specific command V.2-3 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” Did God wants his people have fellowship with the gentiles? Today the Church is his people and God give specific instructions about the fellowship. God spoke through the prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 15: 22 “So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
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Our lord Jesus is the great example of obedience (Hebrews 5:7-9) “7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” to understand the nature of the restrictive nature of scriptural silence Let’s take a daily life example: You are hungry and you decide to eat in a subway deli place and you give specific orders to the deli place about what do you like in your sandwich. You says “ I want in my sandwich, pickles, ketchup, mustard . Later Then when you get your sandwich you see that the Guy add tomatoes and onion. You says : “Excuse me sir, but this is not what I ordered”. Do you see that there is not logic if you gave specific orders? (Deut. 4:2; Deut. 12:32; Joshua 1:8, )
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Our Lord has given us specific instructions about our behavior in this world and how we should worship him in spirit and truth . The Lord Jesus always quote scripture saying “ It is written” (Mt.4:4, Mt.4:7;Mt.4:11)and much more passages in the New Testament.
We should imitate the Lord Jesus showing the true love through discipline John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 15:9-11 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full”.
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Hebrews 12:5-6 “5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
This is the way of God. And God tell us in his word How we should raise our children in the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”