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Does Silence Always Prohibit?
It has long been a tenet of conservative theology that the silence of scripture always prohibits. Scholars on the liberal end of the spectrum believe that silence permits; that is, if scripture doesn’t expressly condemn an activity, it is allowed. This thinking crystallized among believers in the late 1800s over the role of women and instrumental music which eventually led to the establishment of the Christian Church. Result: Unfettered permissiveness has diminished Scriptural authority among that group.
But the conservative end of the spectrum has its own difficulty. Some demand specific authority in matters covered by a generic instruction or teaching. For example, some challenge: “Show me the passage where churches owned buildings” or “Show me an express command or example of the use of multiple cups in the communion.” They fail to see that scripture doesn’t cover every possible action in a specific way. It sometimes gives generic guidance – thus being silent on the specifics – and allows men to use their best judgment in carrying out the assignment.
But there is another category of silence that doesn’t prohibit because the matter under consideration is simply of no consequence to God. In a recent Bible class on Romans 14 the issue of growing a beard was discussed. One might cite numerous scriptures of faithful characters with facial hair and note the shame brought upon the envoys of David whom the Syrians disgraced by shaving off half their beards (2 Sam 10). David’s solution was to have them sojourn in Jericho until their beards regrew – quite a statement on the importance of a bearded face in that time period.
But so far as I can tell the Bible is silent on the connection between facial hair and one’s relationship with God. Does this silence prohibit shaving? Or is it simply a matter of indifference to God?
Further, I am not aware of any instruction on disposing of a dead body. Scripture mentions burial on many occasions, just as it mentions bearded faces. But scripture also mentions elaborate embalming and mourning rituals, as in the case of Joseph; wrapping Jesus’ body in strips of cloth intermixed with spices; burial in caves or cemeteries. God instructed Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering, and although he was stopped, would Abraham have sinned if he had incinerated his son’s body? Are any of these binding because scripture mentions them, or is it actually silent on the matter because the disposition of a dead body is of no consequence to God? What does scripture say about organ donation or bequeathing one’s body for scientific study? Is it acceptable to bury a sailor at sea? Can I cremate my loved one and place their ashes in my house? Can I cryogenically preserve my body? In these cases I believe silence is permissive, not restrictive. They are preferences and, as such, are in the realm of opinion.
Silence doesn’t always prohibit and may not always be connected to a generic, for as Romans 14 notes some earthly matters are of no consequence to God: “the kingdom of God is not food and drink” (Rom 14:17). The challenge we have in determining God’s will on any subject is to study His word and distinguish between such things as commands, customs, opinions, and incidental historical detail. Somethings are specific and restricted; other things are generic and flexible. It isn’t always easy to determine which is which.
