Under Attack

1
Under Attack
The Law of Silence
Introduction

• The appeal to change is being observed
  everywhere we look today. While some change can
  be good and needed, much of the obsession with
  change is misguided and produces a worse
  condition. Serious change is underway on a large
  scale in many churches of Christ.

2
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• There are many tools (dare I say weapons)
  employed in the promotion of legalistic
  patternism, but one of the favorites is a humanly
  devised, and inconsistently applied, precept
  known to most as The Law of Silence. In essence
  it declares that biblical silence should always
  be interpreted as prohibitive in nature, rather
  than permissive. In other words, if the Bible
  says nothing about something, then that which is
  never mentioned is ipso facto proscribed. Do it
  and DIE! is their motto.

3
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Thus, using the same laws, they justify
  themselves and condemn all others. It is such an
  absurd display of illogic, that the worldly (and
  even other Christians) shake their heads in
  wonder that such people actually exist. And yet,
  they do ... and they are bringing death in the
  wake of their preposterous theology. As Jesus
  told the Pharisees (the legalistic patternists of
  His day), You travel about on sea and land to
  make one proselyte and when he becomes one, you
  make him twice as much a son of hell as
  yourselves Matt. 2315.

4
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Brethren, I'll make a confession -- nothing gets
  my blood pressure up any quicker than seeing
  these voices of legalistic patternism drag out
  the old law of silence, dust it off, and seek
  to pawn it off once again upon an unsuspecting
  public. I will boldly challenge such persons
  every time I encounter their attempts to beguile
  my fellow disciples. I can not, and I will not,
  remain silent in the face of such attempts to
  shackle my spiritual siblings. Freedom in Christ
  is literally at stake, and for us to remain
  silent as lamb after precious lamb is dragged off
  by the wolves is unconscionable.

5
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Thus, in an effort to get around this obvious
  inconsistency, they had to devise yet another
  precept -- The Law of Expediency. Through some
  creative manipulation of texts and logic, they
  have managed to placate themselves. The Bible is
  silent about what WE do, but that is okay. What
  WE do is expedient. However, because the Bible is
  silent about what YOU do, you are an apostate
  bound straight for hell. Well, as you might
  imagine, each party of patternists reasons
  exactly the same.

6
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• But it's absurb to be of the mindset that you
  have to find authority in the Bible for
  everything we do. That mindset is not a product
  of a relationship with a God who is our loving
  Abba. Our actions should spring for a love for
  God, not a fear that we will break the (some
  quite carefully hidden) laws and commandments.
  Where in the Bible does it say 'thou shouldst
  have authority for everything thou doest?
• See Colossians 3 17 and I John 5 3.

Attitude toward authority in general
7
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• The power to judge, act, or command (R.H.C.D.,
  p.91).
• A commandment or revelation from Goddivinely
  appointed order of system (Ibid., p. 759).

Definition of "authority" and "law."
8
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Legalistic.
• Patternism.
• Law of silence.
• Pharisees.
• Freedom in Christ.
• Expedients.

Key terms examined
9
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Legalistic.
• 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil
  the law of Christ (Gal. 6).
• 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of
  liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a
  forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this
  man shall be blessed in his deed (Jas. 1).

Key terms examined
10
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Patternism.
• 5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of
  heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God
  when he was about to make the tabernacle for,
  See, saith he, that thou make all things
  according to the pattern shewed to thee in the
  mount (Heb. 8, cp. Acts 7 44).

Key terms examined
11
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Law of silence.
• 14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out
  of Juda of which tribe Moses spake nothing
  concerning priesthood (Heb. 7).

Key terms examined
12
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Pharisees.
• They were denounced because they taught but did
  not do (Matt. 23 3, 7 24ff.).

Key terms examined
13
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Freedom in Christ.
• 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me for
  I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find
  rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy,
  and my burden is light (Matt. 11, Gal. 5 13).

Key terms examined
14
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• Expedients.
• The command to not forsake assembling together
  implies a place (Heb. 10 25). The place, then,
  can be an expedient, a means of carrying out the
  command.

Key terms examined
15
Under Attack
The Law of Silence

• We are witnessing a new in that it is more
  intense rebellion today against Bible authority.
  They are attacking all phases of Bible authority
  including, but not limited to the law of
  silence.
• 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never
  knew you depart from me, ye that work iniquity
  (Matt. 7).

Conclusion