RESPECTING THE BIBLE’S SILENCE

In our religious walk we are guilty of “legalism” when we make laws in areas where the Bible is silent, where the Bible gives no explicit command.

We cannot be dogmatic where the Bible is silent. We must reverence its silence like we reverence its commands.
We can have firm convictions where the Bible is explicit, where it makes commands or instructions that are clear and plain leaving no room for doubt.
We can also have firm convictions for ourselves in those areas where we infer a principle where the Bible is implicit and the word is not plainly expressed. However, we cannot impose our convictions on others in these areas where the Bible is not explicit.
In areas where the Bible is clear and its meaning is clear and obvious, we can speak dogmatically and firmly. But in areas where the Bible is vague or silent, we must allow others to follow their own conscience in the matter. One of my friends was addicted to surfing, and so he said, “I will not go surfing again.”
This makes him bound to a law, “Thou shalt not surf.” This law now prevents him from being led by the Holy Spirit. He is now unable to hear the Holy Spirit say, “Go surf today. There is a surfer I want you to share Christ with.”
We should be bound to the clear and explicit word of God, and we should be free to be led by the Holy Spirit. Man-made legalism quenches the Holy Spirit and our ability to obey Him. It causes us to bind ourselves to laws that the Bible does not lay upon us.
There is no Biblical law that says it’s wrong to surf. However, if my friend felt that surfing had become an idol or was affecting his conscience and his walk with God, he was free to be led by the Spirit to not go surfing. But since the Bible says nothing about surfing, he should be free to be led by the Holy Spirit to surf or not to surf.
We reverence God and tremble before His written word. We respect what it says and we also respect what it does not say. According to scripture, we do not take away from the written word of God, and neither do we add to it.

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