![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/writing-300x235.jpg\")
Silence is silence. It neither approves nor disapproves in itself. It is nothing.\nHowever, we cannot honestly quote an author on something he never said.\nIf 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 misrepresented the author.\nTherefore, when an author has said nothing about a subject, we have no warrant to say that he promotes or approves of anything regarding that subject.\nIn other words, an author “authorizes” his views by what he says, not by his silence.\nBut if the author has not said anything about that subject, does that necessarily mean he disapproves?\nThe only way to know this would be if he breaks his silence on the matter. He might not necessarily disapprove, but how would we know? Yet once he breaks his silence, then this point is no longer at issue.\nOn the other hand, what if the author said something like this: “the only thing I’m approving of or promoting are matters that I have spoken about. I do not approve or promote anything else. Do not presume so.”\nThen, when he is silent about a matter, what should we assume his feelings to be about it? We surely cannot assume that he approves of something he has not spoken about.\nIf, however, we are concerned about what the author in question really thinks, we will not presume to say he approves of something when he has said nothing about it. We will simply let it rest in silence.\n“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you<\/em>” (Deuteronomy 4:2).<\/p>\n
“Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it<\/em>” (Deuteronomy 12:32).<\/p>\n
“Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar<\/em>” (Proverbs 30:6).<\/p>\n
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ<\/em>” (Galatians 1:6-10).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[78,912],"class_list":["post-36400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-authority","tag-silence"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":86209,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/silence-beautiful-voice-tennyson\/","url_meta":{"origin":36400,"position":0},"title":"Silence, Beautiful Voice – Tennyson","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Mark Chatfield via\u00a0Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 Several of us were having light-hearted conversations after services the other evening. As it happens too often, I said a little bit more than I should have. There was a pause. A moment when no one knew just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58211,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-silence-of-the-scriptures\/","url_meta":{"origin":36400,"position":1},"title":"The Silence of the Scriptures (Rogers)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 21, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Heath Rogers Bible authority is established through direct statements, commands, approved examples, and necessary inferences. We understand what to do with the stated commands and prohibitions of Scripture, but what are we to do with the things God does not say? We know what to do with God's\u00a0voice, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8894,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/silence-of-the-scriptures\/","url_meta":{"origin":36400,"position":2},"title":"Silence of the Scriptures","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 1, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Darrell Hamilton I was asked recently to put together a short document detailing the authority of the silence of the scriptures. I don't mind saying that this has been much harder to do than I thought it would be. It is also a LOT longer. Part of me sees\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":40944,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/whos-in-charge\/","url_meta":{"origin":36400,"position":3},"title":"Who’s in Charge?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 17, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 21:23-27 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Common sense ought to tell you that someone has to be in charge \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Imagine a society where there were no laws and no government. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What would we have? Chaos! \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We even have a term for it \u2013 anarchy \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The book of Judges\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31245,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-silence-of-the-scriptures-and-why-we-sing\/","url_meta":{"origin":36400,"position":4},"title":"The Silence of the Scriptures and Why We Sing","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Edward Pratte In the New Testament, some things are required and some things are prohibited. Everything else falls into the realm of the things which are permitted. As one focuses more closely on the things that are permitted, the silence of the Scriptures soon becomes a major concern. What\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4185,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/finding-liberty-in-silence\/","url_meta":{"origin":36400,"position":5},"title":"Finding Liberty in Silence (Article)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 2, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton It was one of those interesting coincidences. In the same week I received two correspondences dealing with separate issues, but both seeking to justify their beliefs in the same manner. The first was in an article. It contained a quote from Gary Mattingly, a preacher for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36400"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36400\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}