TITLE: Authority in Worship
There are two approaches to the silence of the scriptures:
What is not commanded is forbidden.
What is not forbidden is approved.
What verses you need for authority - depends on your view of these two ways to find Biblical authority.
Only Scripture
Many today take the “what is not forbidden is OK” approach.
Hear what the Bible says about this view.
Under the Old Covenant consider:
Deuteronomy 4:2: Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of Jehovah your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy 5:32-33: Ye shall observe to do therefore as Jehovah your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the way which Jehovah your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
Deuteronomy 12:32: What thing soever I command you, that shall ye observe to do: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Proverbs 4:26-27: Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left
Proverbs 30: 5,6: Every word of God is tried: He is a shield unto them that take refuge in him. Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Joshua 1:7: Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest.
Under the New Covenant study these passages:
1 Corinthians 4:6b: In us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written.
Galatians 1:7: But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema.
Galatians 3:15: Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.
Hebrews 7:12-14: For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are said belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests.
2 John 9: Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son.
Revelation 22:18,19: I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.
Bible stories
Genesis 4 - Cain's offering
Leviticus 10 Nadab and Abihu, offered strange fire at the altar and were killed.
Numbers 20 Moses was not told, "do not strike the rock," he was told to speak to it, but he struck it anyway (as he'd been told to do in an earlier trip through the region). God said that this was a sign of unbelief or lack of trust depending on your version, and Aaron and Moses were not allowed into the promise land.
Logical Argument – Now, from a logical viewpoint, is silence consent?
A Silence does not imply consent.
Dead men are silent but do not consent to wrongs.
We are not obligated to speak about ever wrong, everywhere in the world
Where does the burden proof lie?
Logicians worked out an objective standard as to who carries the burden. It is always on the affirming party or the party introducing the condition.
B Asking "Why not?" is not proof of anything.
We cannot prove a negative. IE, Without a witness' statement can you prove you did not open a Bible last Tuesday?
"Why not?" is shifting the burden of proof and is a case of arguing from ignorance, all we end up doing is assuming our conclusion.
It is not enough to say that something is not prohibited. That is an "Appeal to Ignorance" which proposes that we accept the truth of a proposition unless someone can prove otherwise. IE,: - No one has conclusively proven that there is no intelligent life on the moons of Jupiter. - Therefore, there is intelligent life on the moons of Jupiter.
The Regulative Principle – We must do what is commanded, not what is no mentioned.
A. The Scripture teach this principle with reference to worship
1 Samuel 15:22: "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams."
Matthew 15:9: "In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men."
A contemporary of John Calvin, John Hooper, stated the same principle this way: "Nothing should be used in the Church which has not either the express Word of God to support it, or otherwise is a thing indifferent in itself, which brings no profit when done or used, but no harm when not done or omitted.
Meanwhile, some churches have simply abandoned virtually all objectivity, opting for a worship style that is turbulent, emotional, and devoid of any rational sense.
B. Applying the Only Scripture Principle to Worship
How does this principle apply to worship?
The Bible instructs us to follow the pattern.
God commands that – in worship – we must do:
WHAT God says (not what he does not say)
In the WAY God says it should be done (not in a way that pleases us)
BECAUSE God said this is what we should do.
Conclusion:
The Bible does NOT teach that silence is consent.
The Bible does NOT teach that what is not forbidden is accepted.
It is not consistent with Scripture.
It is an illogical proposition.
It is a fairly recent proposition.
Basic outline from Scott P. Wiley