Posts Tagged ‘authority’
Who Started The Argument From Silence?
by Paul Earnhart The students of John L. Girardeau, professor at Columbia Seminary, South Carolina in the 1880s, asked him to explain to them why he opposed the use of instrumental music in the worship of the Presbyterian churches. In response, he wrote a book that was published in Richmond, Virginia in 1888. It was…
Read MoreYou use the Internet, for which there is no approval, so I can use instrumental music in worship
Question: I have just read your article on music in church. In it you state “…we cannot assume approval for something when none is given.” How, then, can you use the Internet when obviously there is no approval to use it? Answer: The line of reasoning is invalid. Instead of addressing the issue raised, you are…
Read MoreThe Silence Argument
by Wayne Jackson One of the strongest arguments against the use of instrumental music in Christian worship is the “silence” principle. This is the concept that when God is silent about a matter, man is not at liberty to “presume”, and so to act without divine authority. There is no New Testament authority for the…
Read MoreWhere Does the Bible Specifically Condemn That?
by Doy Moyer Here’s a question often asked, and it can be asked about many things. Besides misunderstanding the nature not only of biblical authority but of communication itself, the question is typically geared toward defending a practice that is likely questionable, to begin with. After all, we don’t ask this question if we know…
Read MoreDo We Have a Right to Our Own Opinions?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DoWeHaveARightToOurOwnOpinion.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 1:16-21 I. When two disagree, one will say “Well, everyone has a right to their own opinions.” A. It is a statement saying, “I disagree with you, but that is okay. Your thoughts are just as good as mine.” B. In some sense this is right. We may be…
Read MoreOur Changing Attitude Toward the Bible
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/OurChangingAttitudeTowardTheBible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Peter 1:22-25 I. A new translation of the Bible came out last month, called “As Good as New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures.” A. Actually, “translation” is not a good description of it. As my wife commented, it doesn’t even make a good paraphrase. B. Several examples were given…
Read MoreShould we leave our current church because of unbiblical practices?
Question: I am currently attending a church of Christ where I was baptized and continue to worship. I have been studying the Bible through your very informative website and have realized that a lot of things taught on your site are not practiced in our congregation, which has made me a bit worried as I…
Read MoreEveryone worships differently, but does it matter if we are all worshiping Christ?
Question: I have one question that concerns me: There are many Christian denominations or groups such as Orthodox, Protestantism, Catholic, Baptist, etc. Each one of those denominations or churches has its own practices and symbols. Ones who have the cross without Jesus, ones who have the cross with Jesus, ones who believe in Saints, ones…
Read MoreCreeds and Statements of Faith
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CreedsAndStatementsOfFaith.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 17:11-23 I. Every once in a while someone will ask what is our statement of faith. A. Back when we were home schooling, we were wanting to get involved with a local group, but they wanted us to sign a statement of faith B. Another name for a statement of…
Read MoreProof-Texting
by Doy Moyer In light of the way Paul sometimes quoted Scripture, even using isolated verses together in order to establish a point (e.g., Romans 3:10-18), can someone actually show from Scripture that what is typically called “proof-texting” is always bad? Don’t get me wrong. I believe in context. I don’t believe in randomly pulling…
Read MoreLogic in the Bible
by Terry W. Benton While some modern brethren have declared that the logic of “necessary inference” has been made up in recent years by “church of Christ preachers”, the Bible shows that this kind of logic goes back to communication from God and man from the beginning. If anyone should be credited with the origin…
Read MoreMan’s Positional Relationship to God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/MansPositionalRelationshipToGod.mp3 by Clint Crosier
Read MoreGoing to the Source (The Anointing of the Spirit)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GoingToTheSource.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I John 2:18-29 I. The other day, one of my boys needed help with a math problem, so I asked him to show me the problem. He brought in his paper on which he was working. A. “No,” I said, “I need to see the original problem in the book.”…
Read MoreShould We be Picky?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/ShouldWeBePicky.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 50:7-23 I. Jesus’ condemnation of the Jews, especially the Pharisees and the Sadducees, is well-known A. Many Christians are rightly concerned that they not fall into the same trap that snared the Pharisees. 1. Often when it is pointed out that we should do things one way and not another,…
Read MoreWhat Did Jesus Really Say?
by Jacob Wooten I saw this picture below posted on Facebook and I’ve seen similar statements before, so I feel like this kind of thinking might be widespread both in the world and perhaps among those who would say they are of faith. Let’s examine this reasoning and see what Jesus really says according to the Bible. …
Read MoreThe Wondrous Book of God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/WondrousBookOfGod.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 119:17-24 I. Eulogy of the Bible Many years ago, I entered the wonderful temple of God’s revelation. I entered the portico of Genesis and walked down through the Old Testament Art Gallery where the pictures of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, and Daniel hung…
Read MoreAre things like youth groups, camps, interns, fellowship halls, etc. inherently bad?
Question: Well, I have been reading through your site and it has made me question some things about my church. Right now I’m beginning college and I attend a church of Christ as I did when I was back home. I now have a much more solid understanding of why I attend a church of…
Read MoreBrethren with Too Many Relatives
by Edward O Bragwell, Sr. via Guardian of Truth, April 18, 1985 No, I am not talking about a population explosion. I am not even talking about long-lost cousins that surface when someone starts a rumor that we have come into some money. I am talking about relatives as opposed to absolutes. It is near…
Read MoreYou don’t interpret I Timothy 4:1-4 correctly
Question: I happened upon your site and didn’t have time for the whole thing but I thought I may help you with a correct interpretation of a passage you quote from St. Paul at the top: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving…
Read MoreWhat authority do you have to teach on the Internet?
Question: If every example of preaching in the first century was done in person by mouth to those that could hear, and the direct command was to go and preach, where is your Bible authority to preach on the Internet? Answer: Here is an example of artificially restricting a command. Communicating by writing is a form of…
Read MoreOur Sole Standard
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/OurSoleStandard.mp3 Text: Ephesians 3:1-13 I. In a discussion with a Roman Catholic, he objected to the idea of staying only with the Bible as our source of authority. A. In particular, he believes that the Spirit uses sources other than the Bible to reveal God’s will B. He argued that the apostles only had a partial revelation…
Read MoreNecessary Inference in the Old Testament
by Terry W. Benton It has been said that the Old Testament was always direct in communicating the will of God and that the idea of having to “infer” the will of God has never been necessary and therefore is not necessary now, but is that argument a necessary conclusion? Consider just a few things that show…
Read MoreNoah, You Have Got to be Kidding!
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/NoahYouHaveToBeKidding.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Most are familiar with the story of Noah, the great flood, and the ark Noah had to build A. However, Noah was also a preacher of righteousness – II Peter 2:5 B. The world Noah lived in was a moral cesspool. 1. Some scholars estimate that the world’s population at that time equal…
Read MoreDoes the Church Produce the Bible or Does the Bible Produce the Church?
by Ryan Thomas Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions regarding the Bible is that it is a product of the church. Many reject the Bible as our sole source of religious authority and instruction and belittle us for believing in the “Bible alone theory.” Thus, there is a great need to discuss the relationship between…
Read MoreWho’s in Charge?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/WhosInCharge.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 21:23-27 I. Common sense ought to tell you that someone has to be in charge A. Imagine a society where there were no laws and no government. 1. What would we have? Chaos! 2. We even have a term for it – anarchy 3. The book of Judges documents the decay of…
Read MoreMust It Be Spelled Out?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/MustItBeSpelledOut.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 8:16-20 I. We know people want to live life as they please; yet, there’s this Bible that says the things they want to do are wrong. What’s a person to do to avoid guilt? A. For some it is finding shelter behind saying that their particular sin isn’t specifically…
Read MoreGiven to Change
by Terry Wane Benton “My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those given to change; For their calamity will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin those two can bring?” (Proverbs 24:21-22) To be “given to change” is to be reckless. This is not a person who is careful to…
Read MoreOur congregation would be very liberal if they had the money
Question: Hi, I came across your website as I was doing research on the “One Nation Under God” effort by the church of Christ in Tennessee. I want to say I enjoyed reading your article on Institutionalism. I intend on reading more of your articles. We are attending a congregation where we moved about a year…
Read MoreQuoting Men
by James P. Needham via Truth Magazine, October 1958 A great deal of confusion prevails among us today on the subject of quoting men. Some brethren quote outstanding preachers and scholars, both dead and alive, for various reasons. Others condemn quoting men in such a broad, sweeping way that the impression is left that quoting men…
Read MoreOn Principle and Inference
by Doy Moyer If you believe in principle, then you accept implication and inference. A principle is a fundamental truth from which other laws or behaviors are derived. Upon understanding a principle, we recognize a variety of applications that derive from it. Yet the applications themselves might be unstated and we must figure out the…
Read MoreJust a note to let you know how much I enjoy your articles
Question: Jeffrey, Just a note to let you know how much I enjoy your articles. I am a deacon in the church of Christ and have stumbled across several of your articles while researching topics on the web. I really enjoy your approach to discussing various subjects and find that you have a gift for…
Read MoreStandards
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Standards.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Kings 17:7-23 I. How do determine what is right or wrong? A. How does your neighbor decide? Or your co-workers? B. We all base our behavior on standards that we have accepted as authoritative, but those standards vary. C. What makes a good standard? 1. It needs to be fixed a. A standard…
Read MoreReasoning from Scripture
by Doy Moyer No reasoning takes place without drawing conclusions from implications. Just try it. Statements and examples often come with the expectation that we draw further conclusions. The point of reasoning and discerning is that we are capable of taking what is explicitly given, then reasoning to conclusions that are, in fact, necessary. For…
Read MoreHow can I tell what God wants from the Bible?
Question: Hello, I am very confused regarding the church. I read articles and studies from different areas around the brotherhood and just can’t wrap my mind around the division that we have. I know you have discussed the process of growing as a Christian and finding out if things we did were right or wrong.…
Read MoreCan a church buy and sell properties?
Question: I’ve been thinking a lot about authority and what ways the church is authorized to receive money into the treasury. Freewill offerings are the only means, correct? The church does not have the authority to open a business to support its funds, correct? If those are true, a question struck me: Does the church…
Read MoreSheep in the Pit — What Do You Do?
by Eric M. Hamilton via A Whisper After the Fire Is it possible to come across a situation where the right thing to do would be to let something evil happen? Or the wrong thing to do would be to let a good thing happen? It may seem ridiculous that questions like that should even be…
Read MoreBy What Authority Do You Do These Things?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ByWhatAuthorityDoYouDoTheseThings.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 21:23-27 I. The Book of Judges discusses the ups and downs of the children of Israel in following God. A. It quickly becomes apparent that there are more downs than ups. B. Most telling though is how the book ends – Judges 21:25 C. Here was a society that didn’t follow…
Read MoreOn the Silence of an Author
by Doy Moyer Silence is silence. It neither approves nor disapproves in itself. It is nothing. However, we cannot honestly quote an author on something he never said. If we cite an author as promoting and approving something, we better be able to show where and how he promotes or approves it. Otherwise, we have…
Read MoreWhat happened to Nathan when he said the Lord accepted David’s idea to build a temple?
Question: I have heard a preacher use II Samuel 7:1-17 to try and establish the fact that if God did not ask for something, then He didn’t want it. I’ve even followed their example and used it in one of my own sermons on Bible authority. But I’m having some issues with it now. We…
Read MoreYour article on Christian liberty was very good
Question: Dear Brother Hamilton, Thank you for your article on “Finding Liberty in Silence.” It was very good. I have been searching for articles and lessons on the topic of Christian liberty because recently I have encountered a few brethren who have commented to me that “we have Christian liberty that allows us to dismiss…
Read More