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The cry that the church can do anything so long as God has not condemned it continues and seems to be louder and more frequent than in times past. It seems that some who seek change in the Lord’s church scoff at the idea that where the scriptures are silent, we should be silent. Bear with me, please, as I try to shine a bit of light on the matter.
We are dealing with the idea that it is ok to add to God’s word. For example, if a church uses the fruit of the vine and unleavened bread in taking the Lord’s Supper, they have obeyed, even if they add applesauce to the memorial supper. This is the concept that is supposed to be the alternative to CENI (command, example & necessary inference) that some assert is unscriptural and responsible for most of the strife and division among churches of Christ. There were Jews in the early church who sought to add to God’s word regarding the matter of salvation. If we can show that God disapproved of their actions, then we will have demonstrated that God disapproves of all such additions to the word.
The apostle Paul, in his effort to establish sound churches, encountered some disciples of Christ, of Jewish decent, who added to God’s word on the matter of what to do to be saved. They said: Faith + Repentance + Baptism + Circumcision = Salvation. But Paul thoroughly refuted their thinking and teaching, and in so doing, made an example of them for any in the future who might seek to add to the word of God.
Below is the applicable text:
Ac 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Ac 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Now, some might seek to separate the circumcision issue from other additions to God’s word by making the argument that the adding of circumcision was wrong only because they were making it a salvation issue. But what did Paul say was wrong with their teachings and practice? He said “We gave no such commandment.” [Therefore, how different is what they did from any additions to what God has said? We certainly cannot reason that any new, proposed, or realized addition is ok because God did not say NOT to do it, as was the case with the circumcision issue. How large a book would the Bible be if God included everything He did not want us to do in religion?] Now, if a church determines that it is going to add applesauce to the Lords’ Supper, do those of us who would object to it have any scriptural reasoning for objecting? Should we be required to produce a passage that says: “Thou shall not add applesauce to the Lord’s Supper?” Of course we do not need to do that. We do not even need to show a passage that says to not add anything to the Lord’s Supper because God has made general statements that clearly answer the matter, and they were written long before brethren began scoffing at the idea of the silence of the scriptures.
Pr 30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Re 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Someone might argue that adding circumcision was wrong only because Paul specifically condemned it. But that dog will not hunt either. It was wrong even before he condemned it, and it was wrong for one reason only: God “Gave no such commandment.” The reason Paul rebuked the error was because it was not authorized—it was an addition to God’s teaching on a particular matter. It was contrary to the pattern for what to do to be saved. They were speaking where God had not spoken. They ignored the silence of God concept.
There needs to be some changes in the brotherhood, but condemning sound teachers and calling them legalists and patternists because of their convictions will not bring about the type of change that is needed. The change that we need is for people to quit listening to men and to start listening only to God. Friends and brethren, if you want to please God in your worship and religious practices, then do what He says—nothing more and nothing less. This is the change that we need to see in the church and the world.
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