Allow The Spirit To Speak When The Bible Is Silent

Word-of-the-Day: ‘(18) Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (19) Do not quench the Spirit. (20) Do not treat prophecies with contempt (21) but test them all; hold on to what is good, (22) reject every kind of evil.’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18-22)

There are some who point out that the Bible’s last writings, the New Testament, were completed before the first century A.D., and so how can the Bible accurately teach ‘the rights and the wrongs’ of our society today?  After all, the Bible does not discuss space travel, satellite communications, smartphones, planes, trains, or automobiles.  (Though the King James Bible speaks in the Gospels of the Apostles being in ‘one Accord’, which would have been rather packed for all twelve – they should have gotten a minivan, instead.)

Obviously, I’m making a play on words, as there were no car dealerships in Jerusalem at the beginning of the first millennium, and there are no Scriptures that directly point out to the many wonders of technology that have advanced since John completed the Book of Revelation prior to 100 AD.  In addition, there are many cultural norms in our society that are not derived from Scriptures but from traditions and standards of society and culture developed over their repetitious use over many years, if not centuries.

Some of these traditions and societal developments we can look at and examine Biblically to determine if they are supported by Scriptures or go against the Word of God.  Yesterday I discussed abortion, or the purposeful pre-birth termination of a fetus while within the mother’s womb.  The modern techniques of abortion that started in the early 1900s, though the Bible does not make a direct ‘by name’ example of; we can, through the study of Scriptures and the discernment of the Holy Spirit along with a large number of Christians who agree, determine that abortion is a form of murder.  Society may accept or condone the practice but the Christian community, by and large, does not and should not.

While abortion is something a bit easier to determine, that it is not Biblically condoned and thus a sinful action, other items may not be so clear.  Since the invention of the electric guitar and drums, there has been debates within the church (the overarching body of believers that comprise the bride of Christ) whether or not such musical instruments are permissible to use in praise and worship services. 

If we examine the Bible, there are no references to guitars, electric or otherwise, and no drums are mentioned.  However, Scripture does mention the use of ‘tambourines’ in Exodus 15:20, played by Miriam and other Hebrew women in celebration to God and their escape from Egypt, and the playing of the harp, cymbal and lyre throughout the Old Testament, by David and for other kings.   We also can determine, as it is stated throughout the Old Testament as well the command by David and others to make joyful ‘sounds’ or ‘noise’.

The Bible indicates musical instruments that are string instruments and percussion instruments were used to make these joyful sounds, and the guitar and drums of today are simply modern adaptations to those used in David’s time, so there are no Biblical prohibitions on their use, only perhaps the tastes and traditions of some church members that dissuade their use.

Beyond these things, though, are items that may not have a direct or similar comparison toward the Biblical record.  Space travel and exploration, electronic devices and communication networks are items that we have available in our society, corporately or individually.   The Bible does not have anything regarding man walking on the moon or orbiting the Earth; none of our Biblical heroes had radios or televisions to get the latest news or weather updates for impending events, and communications were done by sending a messenger via horseback or having them run and the data they transmitted was a written on a piece of paper.

Yet these things exist, and they are not confirmed or condemned by the Bible.  We have many tools available to us that were not available to the people living in Biblical times, so are the modern conveniences good to go, or are they not?  Like the guitar and drums for worship through our music ministries, we have those, like the Amish, who are very much God-fearing people who refuse to use most modern conveniences, even electricity, in their lives, believing that to do is demonstrating reliance on items of man and not those items provided by God.  Yet, most other Christians have smartphones, computers and laptops (like the one I’m typing this WOTD out on), and have internet access (to view the WOTD when I post it on the blog).

Who is right?  When our study of the Bible is silent on such things, we have to rely on the Holy Spirit to provide us discernment, and we also have our fellowship of Believers to gain understanding of, as well.  For most things, the Bible is clear in its communications and is always in line with the Holy Spirit; the fellowship we have with other Believers, which also should be in line with the same Holy Spirit we align with, gives us what is proper or not in relationship with God.  Without Biblical reference, the Holy Spirit may either be neutral or may provide guidance based on the beneficial needs of the fellowship.

Amish communities thus can be right with God without modern amenities while we who use those amenities can also be right with Jesus, as technology is not good or evil in and of itself, but neutral.  It becomes good or evil by how an individual uses it.  We are individuals, and sometimes we can be for something while another member may be against it.  There are many things, like political issues or societal concerns and debates that fall into this category.  The questions to ask are, does this topic or concern have a bearing on proclaiming Christ as King, the Bible as perfect, and God as Creator?   Does the topic align or not with Biblical doctrine and Godly Truth?

If a topic or item has a benefit toward the study and sharing of God’s Word, and can promote His kingdom, then it can be considered good to use, though it may be neutral.  The computer can be used for Biblical work, but we realized used incorrectly it can be used for illicit actions.  Other items may simply be disagreements, like the Amish’s take on technology vice our own.  In that case, we should in love of Christ agree lovingly to disagree, and move on together to building up the Kingdom of our Lord on our common love for Jesus.