April 24

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“The Bible Doesn’t Forbid It, So It’s O.K.”

Posted by on April 24, 2013 in General | Leave a comment

I recently posted an article entitled Sola Scriptura, Faith, Practice & Evil in the Church, in which I concluded “that any practice by and within the Church regarding true religion and our Christian worship that is not found in God’s written Word is, indeed, an evil practice which God both condemns and abhors, being neither commanded nor approved by His infallible Word to men.”

I stand by that statement. It’s a broad subject and I intentionally left out specific practices in favor of the precept taught by Scripture, namely, based on 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, that “the Word of God is the perfect rule of faith and practice.”

Yet even after arriving at such a conclusion together, many believers cling to an old, and quite popular argument defending certain practices regarding Christian worship. It goes something like this: “Scripture doesn’t forbid it, therefore, it’s ok to practice.”

So, with this reasoning, I’d like to ask, what is there that you cannot do and still not sin against God?

Nothing. You can by this logic, do pretty much anything you want, as long as it is not specifically forbidden by Scripture. But is this really the case?

No, absolutely not.

In regards to the practice of Christianity and worship of God, if Scripture has no tongue, we should lend no ear. In other words, if Scripture is silent on a practice, it is prohibited.

What God has revealed, we have a duty to love and observe it with reverence, without any change to or of it (Deut. 4:2).

Now then, if there is any practice within the Church regarding worship of God and the practice of Christianity, where Scripture is silent, yet tradition or some other reason is claimed justifying its use, I declared to be evil. How is this so?

The Word of God is the perfect rule of faith and practice, not tradition or inference by logic and reasoning. We have no right nor authority to change, that is, to add to nor subtract nor dismiss anything from Scripture because we desire to do so.

Is there a practice in the Church, popular as it may be, that is not given by direct instruction in God’s Word, to observe? Then it is prohibited. Whosoever believes shall be saved, that is the positive declaration of Scripture, which, by the way, also has a negative side. Those who do not believe, shall not be saved. In regards to the practice of Christianity and the worship of God, the requirement of the positive is the prohibition of the negative.

God commands us do specific things. Such commands regard that thing only. All other things regarding the command is excluded.

In summary:

If it is not supported by Scripture, it cannot be a divine institution or precept for the practice of Christianity nor used in the worship of God.

If it is used, for reasons of tradition by inference or popularity, it is lawless, not being enjoined by God’s Law-Word.

If still used, it will create a lack of respect for the Word of God and a rejection of Sola Scriptura in favor of every man doing what is right in his own eyes. Christians cannot perfect the imaginations of men as if God did not communicate clearly or perhaps left His communications to us imperfectly. To practice anything unsupported by Scripture is criminal and lawless, yes, evil.

Conclusion? Any practice of Christianity or the worship of God not clearly taught from Scripture is sin. It is a transgression of God’s law, revealed in His written Word. That includes any thought, word, action, omission or desire that is contrary to God’s written Word. It is a violation of the law of God.

It is to promote opposition to God and rebellion against His sovereignty over our lives. It fosters a lack of respect and reverence for God’s Word among His people.

It is evil, pure and simple.