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Diane Avenue Church of Christ. Opening Verse “But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” 2 Corinthians 10:17-18 NIV. God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures.
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Diane Avenue Church of Christ Opening Verse “But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” 2 Corinthians 10:17-18NIV
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Deuteronomy 4:2 (NIV) 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Revelation 22:18 (NIV) 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Good Morning, Last time we met we were having a discussion regarding the scriptures and how they impact our lives. We did a bit of self examination in our understanding of the scriptures.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Some of the points we discussed were: What does the Bible mean to us? Self Examination – 2 Cor. 13:5 Listening to the Word – James 1:22-26 Scriptures are God-Breathed – 2 Tim. 3: 16-17 Studying the Scriptures – 2 Tim. 2:15
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Re-cap SelfExamination
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV) 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you —unless, of course, you fail the test?
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures How many of us who are followers of Jesus Christ can actually prove our own practices and beliefs by the scriptures? In far too many cases we are simply doing what has been done before (traditions) and we believe what our favorite preacher(s) tells us. We need to understand that each individual must search the scriptures to determine the truth.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Strongly implied in these words is the thought that we must study the scriptures, else how could we know "where the scriptures speak is silence prohibited or permissive?" The entire Bible is filled with admonitions to study God's word.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NIV) 1. Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NIV) 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Spiritual Growth
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures There are seven, in my opinion, essential elements for helping spiritual development, pleasing God and proving yourself useful to him. The wisest decision you can make is to set your heart, mind, and will on doing whatever is necessary to grow up in Christ.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Elements for Growth
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 1.Salvation. The first and most obvious requirement is a relationship with the Lord. Since we all arrive in this world spiritually dead, the only way to be brought to life is to be born again. If you have truly experienced this new birth, the fruit of abiding fellowship with Christ will appear over the course of your life (John 15:4-5).
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures John 15:4-5 (NIV) 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 2. Scripture. You cannot expect to grow in the Lord if you open your Bible only on Sunday mornings. No one can thrive for extended periods of time on one meal a week, and the same is true for your spiritual life. You need a daily supply of the Word, and I'm not talking about a quick snack. This is nourishment that needs time to sink in, transform your thoughts, shape your character, and motivate you to obey.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures God wants you to search the Scriptures for yourself. If you experience challenges with understanding the Bible, my advice is to keep right on reading it. You have a teacher the Holy Spirit-living inside you, who will guide you into all truth if you'll just give Him a chance (John 16:13).
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Q. Why do you suppose when people are challenged with understanding scriptures or the message they tend to give up? What do you think others can do to help solve this problem?
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures John 16:13 (NIV) 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. But by giving up too soon, you deny Him the opportunity to open your mind to understand.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 3. Sharing. The third essential element for growth is sharing your life first with the Lord, then with others. Although salvation unlocks the door for a relationship with God, the depth of fellowship depends upon your willingness to be open and honest with Him. He wants you to think of Him, not as a distant Savior but as your intimate friend.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures The apostle Peter admonishes us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). However, you'll never learn to know Him unless you engage in intimate conversation with Him. Tell Him what's on your mind and how you feel. Cultivate a life of continuous honesty, confession, and repentance.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 2 Peter 3:18 (NIV) 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 4. Suffering. Although no one likes suffering, it's one of the choice tools God uses to mature us (James 1:2-4). If you doubt this, look back at your own life. Have you grown more when everything was running smoothly or when you were in the grip of affliction? Most of us would have to admit it was the latter.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures James 1:2-4 (NIV) 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures For instance, how would we ever learn patience if we never had to endure difficult circumstances? We are not above our Savior. His was the path of suffering, and as His disciples, we are called to walk the same road. The key to growth is submission to the Lord
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 5.Stretching. Whenever you feel as if God is asking something beyond your abilities and strength, you're being stretched. Though the experience is difficult, without this process, you'd never grow. How will your faith in Him increase unless it is tested? When a trial is so painful that it seems God doesn't care, you have to decide whether to believe your emotions or Scripture, which proclaims His unfailing love.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 6. Solitude. Your spiritual life needs rest and rejuvenation, just as your body does. That's why solitude is essential for spiritual growth. Some of your greatest leaps forward will come when you've learned to spend quiet time alone with the Lord. From all outward appearances, nothing is happening, but God's work is often invisible. When you shut out the clamor of the world and quiet your soul, you'll experience His presence. During those times of solitude, He gives glimpses of the intimate relationship available to those who delight in Him.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures 7. Service. An essential part of spiritual growth is engaging in the good works God has prepared for us to do (Eph. 2:10). We are left here on earth, not to live for ourselves but to serve the Lord by helping one another. As Christians, we are called to emulate Jesus, and He came as a servant (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45). If you are preoccupied with your own agenda and have no time for others, you're too busy to grow up in Christ.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Matthew 20:28 (NIV) 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy The Fruits of Spiritual Maturity Spirit-controlled character (Gal. 5:22-25) Stability of sound doctrine (l Tim. 4:6) Passion for Christ and His calling (Phi). 3:7-14) Increasing love for one another (1 Thess. 3:12-13)
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy The Fruits of Spiritual Maturity Ability to gently exhort others (2 Tim. 2:24-26) Discernment (Heb. 5:14) Godly wisdom (James 3:13-18) Increasing holiness in behavior (1 Peter 1:13-16)
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures His Word
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Let’s pause for a minute, Think about your life – about every moment from the time you were born until today. Think of all the living you have done, the challenges you have faced and the future still before you. Our time on earth is full and demanding but the truth is that’s only a brief period in our existence. Some day it will come to a close.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures On the horizon is the larger segment of our life – eternity with God, as we step beyond the threshold of this world and into the fullness of His kingdom. But how often do we think the glorious future that waits those who trust in him? Q. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 meaning never and 10 meaning all the time how often do you think about our Glorious future with God?
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures The Bible tells us that one day the earth and all it’s works will be burned up (2 Peter 3:10). In other words everything is gone and we will dwell in one of two places heaven or hell. In 1 Tim. 2:3-4 The Lord desires all men to be saved from sin and death His offer excludes no one.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures How should we interpret the silence of God’s Scriptures? The answer first depends on how you define the word, silence. Therefore, let us start building on a neutral platform. According to Webster’s, silence is defined as: forbearance from speech or noise absence of sound or noise absence of mention
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures "I don't understand the concept of the silence of the scriptures." This is an increasingly voiced sentiment. However, we do understand the prohibitive nature of the silence of the scriptures to some degree. For example, take the Lord's Supper. Jesus said, "This do in remembrance of me.“ (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24-25). This is a positive command. Jesus didn't have to explain who NOT to remember
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Jesus didn't say, "Don't remember Abraham. Don't remember Moses. Don't remember Joshua. Don't remember David. Don't remember Hezekiah. Don't remember John the Baptist." I don't know of any religious group observing the Lord's Supper in remembrance of anyone but Jesus. Would it be sinful during the Lord's Supper to remember someone other than Jesus? The answer is yes. That shows a basic understanding of the silence of the scriptures
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures The silence of Scripture becomes significant only when it is coupled or observed in conjunction with God’s revealed plan or pattern. For example, when the Lord told us to“ sing, making melody in your hearts” (Ephesians 5:19-20; Colossians 3:16-17), He did not have to specifically forbid all alternatives, such as the varied musical instruments. The absence of further approval in conjunction with command “to sing” prohibits the use of instrumental music in worship. It is this duo, this pair that communicates meaning, drawing the distinctive line between authorized and unauthorized. .
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Oversimplifications, Misnomers, and Semantics
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Regrettably, some in defense of a respect for God’s silence may have oversimplified the answer to merely equating silence to prohibition. They might demand a specific approving reference before they will accept anything as authorized. “Where is the verse that mentions or forbids instrumental music?, they ask. This is a good and valid question, All formalization of this oversimplification can create great opportunity for misunderstanding and hasty dismissal, as evidenced by this opposing comment:
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures “Is God ever really, truly, and totally silent
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures When you really think about it, ask your self this does the Bible contain EVERYTHING, we need to know as Christian to live our lives as God intended us to live from Genesis to Revelation , the beginning to the end. True False
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures If true then, this discussion also raises the question, “Is God ever really, truly, and totally silent on any subject?”. This question exposes the label of silence as really a misnomer, a poorly named, misleading title. As already mentioned, silence alone does not define authority, so why use it as the primary point of objection? Furthermore, God has not been totally silent on the points of controversy. Whether He has specified His preferred option, or whether He has generically authorized an entire category of options, either way, He has indeed spoken! He has not been silent!
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Perhaps it’s our lack of understanding, or lack of studying is the real issue. Some may call this a difference of semantics, a mere variation in wording or abstract concept; however, it seems that often the essential issue is miscommunicated, misunderstood, or both. Too frequently, critical discussions are hastened down a divisive path, because terms were not properly defined. Let us take diligent care to first define all terms, patiently outline the true underlying points of difference, and chart questions that will lead to unity when answered, before arguing the answers.
God’s World; His Word; Our Joy – The silence of the Scriptures Perhaps it’s our lack of understanding, or lack of studying is the real issue. Some may call this a difference of semantics, a mere variation in wording or abstract concept; however, it seems that often the essential issue is miscommunicated, misunderstood, or both. Too frequently, critical discussions are hastened down a divisive path, because terms were not properly defined. Let us take diligent care to first define all terms, patiently outline the true underlying points of difference, and chart questions that will lead to unity when answered, before arguing the answers.