| Volume One, Number Four |
Back To The Bible
_____________________________________________________________________
Volume One July 31, 2007 Number Four
Back To The Bible is a quarterly evangelistic outreach for the expressed
purpose of helping people study the Bible. It is a work of the Belle church of
Christ which is located at the corner of 8th and Oak in Belle, Missouri.
Editors of this publication are Jerry McDonald and Ishmael Wilson. Staff
writer is Thomas McDonald. This publication is overseen by the Belle church
of Christ. You are cordially invited to all of our services and if you would like
to study the Bible with us we will be more than glad to assist you with this.
Our mailing address is the Belle church of Christ, P.O. Box 381, Belle, MO
65013 and our phone number is (573) 859-6616. Our website is http://www.
bellecoc.com and our email address is bellecofc@centurytel.net . Past issues
of this publication can be found on our website.
Service Times:
Sunday Morning Bible Study.......................................................................9:30
Sunday Morning Worship.........................................................................10:30
Sunday Evening Worship............................................................................6:00
Wednesday Evening Bible Study.................................................................7:00
1 Chronicles 15:2 – The Law of Silence
Wayne Jackson
Many today strongly contend that the silence of the Bible is not prohibitive.
However, a comparison of some Old Testament passages indicates otherwise.
First Chronicles 15 contains an interesting comment on an incident that
occurred during the administration of David. It has to do with the induction of
the sacred Ark of the Covenant into the city of Jerusalem, thus centralizing
Israel’s religion in the king’s new capital.
The record has its background in 2 Samuel 6. David was transporting the ark
from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem (vv. 1-5). The means of conveyance was on
a cart, which, of course, was in violation of divine authority. The law had
authorized the transportation of the Ark only on the shoulders of the priests,
by means of rods which passed through rings on the side of the chest (Exodus
25:12-14). Uzzah, who apparently was driving the oxen, touched the Ark to
steady it when the beasts stumbled. Immediately he was struck dead by the
Lord, a divine decision which did not please David (2 Samuel 6:6-8).
The king must have felt some guilt since he had been the one who had
initiated this new mode of transportation. Later, however, David
acknowledged that he had not sought the Lord according to the divine
ordinance (1 Chronicles 15:13). Now here is a very important point that
relates to a method of Bible interpretation.
According to the law of Moses, “Jehovah set aside the tribe of Levi, to bear the
ark of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 10:8). Only Levites were authorized to
carry the Ark. It is true that there is no passage that specifically forbade the
other tribes to transport the sacred chest. The question is, therefore, can one
conclude that the silence of Deuteronomy 10:8 was prohibitive?
Many today strongly contend that silence is not prohibitive. Compare,
however, Deuteronomy 10:8 with 1 Chronicles 15:2. David said: “None ought
to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has Jehovah chosen to carry the
ark. . . ” In the light of David’s statement, the silence of Deuteronomy 10:8
was clearly prohibitive.
Thus, underline the phrase, “None ought to carry. . . ,” and in your margin
observe: Compare with Deuteronomy 10:8; the silence of the law is
prohibitive. Again, see David’s comment about this disobedience in 15:13, ”. .
. we sought him not according to the ordinance.” David learned the truth about
the law of silence. Many in our age need to acknowledge the same.
(http://www.christiancourier.
com/articles/read/1_chronicles_152_the_law_of_silence)
Does the Authority of the Bible Depend upon Inerrancy?
Jerry D. McDonald
Some hold to the position that the Bible can contain error (that is that it is not
infallible) and still be authoritative. This seems to be a compromise that
many are making in an effort to hold on to the Bible all the while caving in to
the Bible critic’s arguments that the Bible isn’t inerrant. The Bible critic can
bring up hundreds, if not thousands, of alleged contradictions, moral
atrocities, etc., to make the Christian feel as though the critic has
something. However, when thoroughly studied the evidence always points to
an inerrant (free from error) Bible.
Some, however, are deeply troubled over the massive amount of passages that
the critic can bring up against the Bible. Some are so troubled that it leads
them away from the Bible inerrancy doctrine. They begin to compromise and
argue that the Bible is still God’s word, and is still authoritative, but it just isn’
t inerrant. Therefore a couple of questions are in order for those who hold to
this doctrine.
Question: “If the Bible isn’t inerrant, how can it be from God?” One of the
marks of the Bible being from God is that it is free from error. Jesus said:
“Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth” (Jno. 17:17). We are told
that “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6;18). Now, if God’s word is truth,
and it is impossible for God to lie, then the Bible must necessarily be inerrant
(or free from error). Truth and error cannot occupy the same place at the
same time. The law of excluded middle denies the idea of two opposite
positions being able to occupy the same place at the same time. Either the
Bible is truth or it isn’t. If it is truth, then it will be inerrant, and if it isn’t it
will not be inerrant. Since God cannot be errant neither can his word. And if
it isn’t errant it is inerrant. So if the Bible isn’t inerrant, how can it be from
God?
Question: “If the Bible isn’t inerrant, how can it be authoritative?” Some say
that the Bible can still be authoritative even though it isn’t inerrant. Their
idea is that the authority of the Bible doesn’t depend upon its inerrancy. How
would you know what parts were error and what parts weren’t? If some parts
are error then those parts cannot be authoritative. So how would you know
what parts were authoritative and what parts weren’t. The only way that we
can know that the Bible is authoritative is to know that it is without error. If
it is without error then it is from God and if it is from God then it is
authoritative. Jesus said: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words,
hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him
in the last day” (Jno. 12:48). If Jesus’s word is going to judge us in the last
day it must be authoritative. We are told that “And whatsoever ye do in word
or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17). The words “in the
name of the Lord” means “by the authority of the Lord.” Jesus’s authority is
given to us in the Bible. This means that it is authoritative. However, if it is
inerrant it can’t be authoritative. You would not know which part was
authoritative and which part wasn’t. Either all of it is authoritative, or none
of it is. If it is not inerrant (free from error) then it isn’t authoritative.
The Bible is our sole authority from God on all religious and moral matters.
As far as our worship is concerned Jesus said that “God is a spirit and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (Jno. 8:32). If it isn’t
inerrant how do we know how to worship God in truth? Who is to say what
form of worship is right if the Bible contains error? So far as our moral lives
are concerned the Bible is our moral guide. It tells us what is right and what
is wrong. The Bible tells us not to kill, steal, bear false witness, etc.,.
However, if it isn’t without error, how can we know what is morally right and
what is not? Many, today, hold to the idea that some lying is not only right,
but is a must in certain situations. Yet the Bible tells us that “all liars shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death” (Rev. 21:8). However, if the Bible contains error, how do we
know that Revelation 21:8 is right? How can we tell?
Can we have Bible authority without Bible inerrancy? The answer is “No, we
cannot!” The authority of the Bible, to tell us how to obey the gospel, to live
the Christian life, how to worship God all depends upon whether or not it
contains error. If it contains error, then there is no way we can know what is
right and what is wrong. People who claim that it can be authoritative yet
contain error just haven’t thought the issue through. The Bible tells us to
“sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and
fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). How on earth could we sanctify Christ as Lord in our
hearts if the very Bible that shows us how to do this contained error? How
could we possibly give an answer to anyone that asked us why we have hope
with meekness and fear if the very Bible that shows us how to do this contains
error? There is no way that we could possibly obey that command or any
other with an errant Bible.
The only way we can possibly know what God wants us to do is to have God’s
word free from error so we can study it (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15), and find out what it
has to say to us. The idea of the Bible being authoritative and still contain
error is false and will cause people to be lost. Think about it.
How Bible Authority Is Established
Thomas McDonald
Many people don’t understand the Bible because they don’t know how it
authorizes. Some people think they can do whatever they want to unless the
Bible specifically says they can’t do it. David said “None ought to carry the ark
of God but the Levites: for them hath God chosen to carry the Ark…” (I Chron.
15:2), but no place does the Bible specifically say that no one else can carry it.
But David understood who was to carry the ark by what God had said. What
we want to do is look at how the Bible authorizes.
The Bible authorizes by explicit statements. Two things are involved in this.
They are commands and direct statements. A command is an order given by
our superiors. Mark 16:15 says “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Paul gave a command to
timothy in (II Tim. 2:2) saying “And the things that thou hast heard of me
among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able
to teach others also.” These are commands given by people in authority and
they to be carried out as they were given.
A direct statement would be Jesus’ statement in Mark 16:16 saying “He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned.” Jesus had the authority to say whoever believed and was baptized
could be saved, but whoever refused to be baptized would be condemned.
There are many of these commands and direct statements in the New
Testament.
The Bible authorizes by implicit statements. These are statements where
something is not specifically stated, but it is implied. An example of this is
found in Paul’s statement in Heb. 7:14 saying “For it is evident that our Lord
sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.”
There is nothing in the Bible that says that the people of the tribe of Judah
could not be in the priesthood. But it is implied because God only authorized
the tribe of Levi to be in the priesthood. Now Jesus was not in the tribe of
Levi, but in the tribe of Judah, yet he was to be our High Priest. In order for
him to do that the law had to be changed. So at His death the Old Law was
done away with and the New Law took its place. Now because of that Jesus is
our High Priest. Heb. 4:15 says “For we have not an high priest which cannot
be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as
we are, yet without sin.”
Another way the Bible authorizes is by Accounts of approved action
(Examples). There are two kinds of these. First there are examples that
must be followed. Paul told the Church in Corinth to follow him as he
followed Christ (I Cor. 11:1). This is an example that they were to follow and
we must follow it too. Peter mention one of these examples in I Peter 2:21.
It says “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” There are examples
that may be followed but we don’t have to, II Cor. 8:1-3. The Churches of
Macedonia gave what was expected of them to give and then gave more than
what was expected of them. This is an example that we can follow but we do
not have to.
Finally the Bible authorizes by Expediency. Expediencies are things like
church buildings, individual communion cups, song books etc.,. These are
things that do not interfere with the worship or do not interfere with the
obligations that we have to carry out. They simply aid or expedite the
process. Song books aid us in our singing because we are all able to sing the
same songs, the same versus to the same tune. But the song book its self is
silent. It does not make music it only helps us to make music in our hearts
(Eph. 5:19). If we will keep these things in mind we can understand better
what God wants us to do and it wont be so confusing.
____________________________________________________________________
Back To The
Bible
P.O. Box
381
Belle, MO 65013
_____________________________________________________________________
Volume One July 31, 2007 Number Four
Back To The Bible is a quarterly evangelistic outreach for the expressed
purpose of helping people study the Bible. It is a work of the Belle church of
Christ which is located at the corner of 8th and Oak in Belle, Missouri.
Editors of this publication are Jerry McDonald and Ishmael Wilson. Staff
writer is Thomas McDonald. This publication is overseen by the Belle church
of Christ. You are cordially invited to all of our services and if you would like
to study the Bible with us we will be more than glad to assist you with this.
Our mailing address is the Belle church of Christ, P.O. Box 381, Belle, MO
65013 and our phone number is (573) 859-6616. Our website is http://www.
bellecoc.com and our email address is bellecofc@centurytel.net . Past issues
of this publication can be found on our website.
Service Times:
Sunday Morning Bible Study.......................................................................9:30
Sunday Morning Worship.........................................................................10:30
Sunday Evening Worship............................................................................6:00
Wednesday Evening Bible Study.................................................................7:00
1 Chronicles 15:2 – The Law of Silence
Wayne Jackson
Many today strongly contend that the silence of the Bible is not prohibitive.
However, a comparison of some Old Testament passages indicates otherwise.
First Chronicles 15 contains an interesting comment on an incident that
occurred during the administration of David. It has to do with the induction of
the sacred Ark of the Covenant into the city of Jerusalem, thus centralizing
Israel’s religion in the king’s new capital.
The record has its background in 2 Samuel 6. David was transporting the ark
from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem (vv. 1-5). The means of conveyance was on
a cart, which, of course, was in violation of divine authority. The law had
authorized the transportation of the Ark only on the shoulders of the priests,
by means of rods which passed through rings on the side of the chest (Exodus
25:12-14). Uzzah, who apparently was driving the oxen, touched the Ark to
steady it when the beasts stumbled. Immediately he was struck dead by the
Lord, a divine decision which did not please David (2 Samuel 6:6-8).
The king must have felt some guilt since he had been the one who had
initiated this new mode of transportation. Later, however, David
acknowledged that he had not sought the Lord according to the divine
ordinance (1 Chronicles 15:13). Now here is a very important point that
relates to a method of Bible interpretation.
According to the law of Moses, “Jehovah set aside the tribe of Levi, to bear the
ark of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 10:8). Only Levites were authorized to
carry the Ark. It is true that there is no passage that specifically forbade the
other tribes to transport the sacred chest. The question is, therefore, can one
conclude that the silence of Deuteronomy 10:8 was prohibitive?
Many today strongly contend that silence is not prohibitive. Compare,
however, Deuteronomy 10:8 with 1 Chronicles 15:2. David said: “None ought
to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has Jehovah chosen to carry the
ark. . . ” In the light of David’s statement, the silence of Deuteronomy 10:8
was clearly prohibitive.
Thus, underline the phrase, “None ought to carry. . . ,” and in your margin
observe: Compare with Deuteronomy 10:8; the silence of the law is
prohibitive. Again, see David’s comment about this disobedience in 15:13, ”. .
. we sought him not according to the ordinance.” David learned the truth about
the law of silence. Many in our age need to acknowledge the same.
(http://www.christiancourier.
com/articles/read/1_chronicles_152_the_law_of_silence)
Does the Authority of the Bible Depend upon Inerrancy?
Jerry D. McDonald
Some hold to the position that the Bible can contain error (that is that it is not
infallible) and still be authoritative. This seems to be a compromise that
many are making in an effort to hold on to the Bible all the while caving in to
the Bible critic’s arguments that the Bible isn’t inerrant. The Bible critic can
bring up hundreds, if not thousands, of alleged contradictions, moral
atrocities, etc., to make the Christian feel as though the critic has
something. However, when thoroughly studied the evidence always points to
an inerrant (free from error) Bible.
Some, however, are deeply troubled over the massive amount of passages that
the critic can bring up against the Bible. Some are so troubled that it leads
them away from the Bible inerrancy doctrine. They begin to compromise and
argue that the Bible is still God’s word, and is still authoritative, but it just isn’
t inerrant. Therefore a couple of questions are in order for those who hold to
this doctrine.
Question: “If the Bible isn’t inerrant, how can it be from God?” One of the
marks of the Bible being from God is that it is free from error. Jesus said:
“Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth” (Jno. 17:17). We are told
that “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6;18). Now, if God’s word is truth,
and it is impossible for God to lie, then the Bible must necessarily be inerrant
(or free from error). Truth and error cannot occupy the same place at the
same time. The law of excluded middle denies the idea of two opposite
positions being able to occupy the same place at the same time. Either the
Bible is truth or it isn’t. If it is truth, then it will be inerrant, and if it isn’t it
will not be inerrant. Since God cannot be errant neither can his word. And if
it isn’t errant it is inerrant. So if the Bible isn’t inerrant, how can it be from
God?
Question: “If the Bible isn’t inerrant, how can it be authoritative?” Some say
that the Bible can still be authoritative even though it isn’t inerrant. Their
idea is that the authority of the Bible doesn’t depend upon its inerrancy. How
would you know what parts were error and what parts weren’t? If some parts
are error then those parts cannot be authoritative. So how would you know
what parts were authoritative and what parts weren’t. The only way that we
can know that the Bible is authoritative is to know that it is without error. If
it is without error then it is from God and if it is from God then it is
authoritative. Jesus said: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words,
hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him
in the last day” (Jno. 12:48). If Jesus’s word is going to judge us in the last
day it must be authoritative. We are told that “And whatsoever ye do in word
or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17). The words “in the
name of the Lord” means “by the authority of the Lord.” Jesus’s authority is
given to us in the Bible. This means that it is authoritative. However, if it is
inerrant it can’t be authoritative. You would not know which part was
authoritative and which part wasn’t. Either all of it is authoritative, or none
of it is. If it is not inerrant (free from error) then it isn’t authoritative.
The Bible is our sole authority from God on all religious and moral matters.
As far as our worship is concerned Jesus said that “God is a spirit and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (Jno. 8:32). If it isn’t
inerrant how do we know how to worship God in truth? Who is to say what
form of worship is right if the Bible contains error? So far as our moral lives
are concerned the Bible is our moral guide. It tells us what is right and what
is wrong. The Bible tells us not to kill, steal, bear false witness, etc.,.
However, if it isn’t without error, how can we know what is morally right and
what is not? Many, today, hold to the idea that some lying is not only right,
but is a must in certain situations. Yet the Bible tells us that “all liars shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death” (Rev. 21:8). However, if the Bible contains error, how do we
know that Revelation 21:8 is right? How can we tell?
Can we have Bible authority without Bible inerrancy? The answer is “No, we
cannot!” The authority of the Bible, to tell us how to obey the gospel, to live
the Christian life, how to worship God all depends upon whether or not it
contains error. If it contains error, then there is no way we can know what is
right and what is wrong. People who claim that it can be authoritative yet
contain error just haven’t thought the issue through. The Bible tells us to
“sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and
fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). How on earth could we sanctify Christ as Lord in our
hearts if the very Bible that shows us how to do this contained error? How
could we possibly give an answer to anyone that asked us why we have hope
with meekness and fear if the very Bible that shows us how to do this contains
error? There is no way that we could possibly obey that command or any
other with an errant Bible.
The only way we can possibly know what God wants us to do is to have God’s
word free from error so we can study it (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15), and find out what it
has to say to us. The idea of the Bible being authoritative and still contain
error is false and will cause people to be lost. Think about it.
How Bible Authority Is Established
Thomas McDonald
Many people don’t understand the Bible because they don’t know how it
authorizes. Some people think they can do whatever they want to unless the
Bible specifically says they can’t do it. David said “None ought to carry the ark
of God but the Levites: for them hath God chosen to carry the Ark…” (I Chron.
15:2), but no place does the Bible specifically say that no one else can carry it.
But David understood who was to carry the ark by what God had said. What
we want to do is look at how the Bible authorizes.
The Bible authorizes by explicit statements. Two things are involved in this.
They are commands and direct statements. A command is an order given by
our superiors. Mark 16:15 says “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Paul gave a command to
timothy in (II Tim. 2:2) saying “And the things that thou hast heard of me
among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able
to teach others also.” These are commands given by people in authority and
they to be carried out as they were given.
A direct statement would be Jesus’ statement in Mark 16:16 saying “He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned.” Jesus had the authority to say whoever believed and was baptized
could be saved, but whoever refused to be baptized would be condemned.
There are many of these commands and direct statements in the New
Testament.
The Bible authorizes by implicit statements. These are statements where
something is not specifically stated, but it is implied. An example of this is
found in Paul’s statement in Heb. 7:14 saying “For it is evident that our Lord
sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.”
There is nothing in the Bible that says that the people of the tribe of Judah
could not be in the priesthood. But it is implied because God only authorized
the tribe of Levi to be in the priesthood. Now Jesus was not in the tribe of
Levi, but in the tribe of Judah, yet he was to be our High Priest. In order for
him to do that the law had to be changed. So at His death the Old Law was
done away with and the New Law took its place. Now because of that Jesus is
our High Priest. Heb. 4:15 says “For we have not an high priest which cannot
be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as
we are, yet without sin.”
Another way the Bible authorizes is by Accounts of approved action
(Examples). There are two kinds of these. First there are examples that
must be followed. Paul told the Church in Corinth to follow him as he
followed Christ (I Cor. 11:1). This is an example that they were to follow and
we must follow it too. Peter mention one of these examples in I Peter 2:21.
It says “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” There are examples
that may be followed but we don’t have to, II Cor. 8:1-3. The Churches of
Macedonia gave what was expected of them to give and then gave more than
what was expected of them. This is an example that we can follow but we do
not have to.
Finally the Bible authorizes by Expediency. Expediencies are things like
church buildings, individual communion cups, song books etc.,. These are
things that do not interfere with the worship or do not interfere with the
obligations that we have to carry out. They simply aid or expedite the
process. Song books aid us in our singing because we are all able to sing the
same songs, the same versus to the same tune. But the song book its self is
silent. It does not make music it only helps us to make music in our hearts
(Eph. 5:19). If we will keep these things in mind we can understand better
what God wants us to do and it wont be so confusing.
____________________________________________________________________
Back To The
Bible
P.O. Box
381
Belle, MO 65013
| "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth" (Jno. 17:17). bellecofc@centurytel.net |
Back To The Bible
Belle church of Christ
 |
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