Sunday Sermons
The Current Bible
The Current Bible
The Bible For A Changing World
When we talk about "generic" and "specific" authority, we are saying that commands in the Bible contain both general and specific statements. Generic authority is simply the realm of unspecified options that a command may or may not give us, depending on the language of the command. In a command, God may be specific about the who, what, and how, but leave the where and when general, for example in Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations”, the method of going is generic. Therefore we can walk, ride, take a plane, ship, and so on, all these unspecified options are in the general command to “go”. On the other hand, the “who” is specific, it is to those who are Christians (Acts 8:4). The “what” is also specific, convert people and then teach them further (28:20). The “method” of teaching is general. The generic options of “make disciples” and “teaching them”(28:20) would include sermons, lecture, filmstrips, radio, overheads, lesson books, handouts, and all other methods of teaching.
Goebel Music noted: Man has not changed (Romans 3:23); Sin has not changed (1 John 3:4); Satan has not changed (1 Peter 5:8); Christ has not changed (Hebrews 13:8); Death and judgment have not changed (Hebrews 9:27); Hell has not changed and Heaven has not changed (Matthew 25:46). People sometimes fail to appreciate the concept of generic and specific authority.
With man's technology changing (new methods of constructing buildings) new methods which could be used in reaching the lost with the gospel (such as radio, T.V., computers, tape duplicators, high-speed copy machines, and so on), the church is be able to use some of this technology, even though it is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, without being guilty of adding to the Word of God. But there must be a reliable method of interpretation for determining what is an option and what is an addition. People have failed to appreciate the fact that generic and specific authority is the only method that enables us to make that distinction. This is very important because adding to the Word of God will bring us under God’s condemnation(Revelation 22:18-19).
This lesson answers the question, “How can the church remain current and yet still be the church of the first century?”
The Compact and Usable Bible
In addition, generic and specific authority also addresses the question, “How could God write the Bible in such a way as to give us everything we need (2 Peter 1:3; 2 Timothy 3:16-17), without being so cumbersome and massive that it would be impractical.” “How could God let us know what are our options, without having to detail every possible option?” “And how could God let us know that our options have been greatly limited or excluded to one choice, without having to specifically forbid every possible option that someone might select?” For example, in Galatians 5:21 in mentioning the works of the flesh, Paul further notes, “and things like these”. That generic statement covers every sinful activity that fits in the same categories just specified. In doing that, God is keeping the Bible from becoming an overwhelming books of rules. Imagine the space it would take to list every possible sinful thought and activity and every name or title that man would give those who practices. By using general and specific statements within Biblical instructions God is handing us a Bible that is practical, useful, and compact.
Generic and Specific In The Old Testament
· The Command to Noah: Genesis 6:14-16
We need to remember that virtually every command in the Bible has both general and specific elements. The more specific the statement or instruction, the fewer options we are being given. The more general, the more options. We could view commands as a hallway in which some doors are opened and some are closed. Some things are bound and some are loosed (Matthew 18:18). In reference to the Ark: 1. The type of wood was specific. “Gopher wood” excluded all other types of wood, and yet the location from which the wood was be to gathered is unspecified. 2. The precise dimensions of the ark exclude any other size or ratio. Noah would have been disobeying God, if he had built the ark with different dimensions. By the way, building the ark according to God’s specifications probably saved his life and the life of his family and enabled all succeeding generations to be born, including us! 3. It had to have a door, but the placement of the door in the side still gave Noah the option of choosing the exact location on the side. 4. The word “make” (6:14) is general, and includes all the tools, scaffolding, and everything needed to complete the task.
Carefully note: When God specifies something, that excludes everything else in the same realm (that is, gopher wood excludes "fir" or any other kind of wood). Therefore, a thing does not have to be specifically forbidden in the Scriptures to be wrong. We can never accept the argument, “Well the Bible does not say that I cannot do it”, as the final factor in determining if something is lawful. We must always first ask, “What did the command say?” “Are we dealing with a realm of specific or
generic authority?” In addition, something does not have to be specifically stated, in order for it to be lawful. Noah could have used whatever tools he needed to build the ark, even though tools are not specifically mentioned in the command, they are authorized by the general command ”make”.
Maurice Barnett noted, “Let's keep these facts clearly in mind: choosing something that is an option of generic authority is not adding to nor going beyond God's word, nor is it rejecting one option in favor of another doing less than what God commands” (Understanding Bible Authority p. 24).
· The Passover Lamb: Exodus 12:5
“Unblemished” excluded diseased animals, and yet left some human judgment for choosing between a number of prime specimens. “A male” naturally excludes a female.
· Uzzah and the Ark: 2 Samuel 6:3-6
Later David will point out that in placing the Ark of the Covenant on a new cart, they had failed to follow God's specific instructions concerning how the ark was to be moved (1 Chronicles 15:2 “No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites”). Even though no command said, “The tribe of Judah shall not carry the ark”. When God specified Levi as the proper tribe, that specific statement excluded all other tribes (Deut. 10:8; Num. 4:15). David now understood this truth, because this is what God had written (1 Chronicles 15:15). God does not buy the argument that we can keep the "spirit" of the law, without following the details in the law. In 2 Samuel 6:3-6, David could have argued that they were keeping the law "in principle", that is the important thing is the ark was coming to Jerusalem, that a worshipful attitude was present, and that good men were trying to accomplish this task. In other words, that the “gist” or “spirit” of the law was being observed, even though the precise instructions were being neglected. Yet God expects people to obey the methods and practices that He specifies.
In The New Testament
· Ephesians 5:19
The only realm of music authorized by this or other passages in the New Testament is "singing". If God had simply said, “praise God with music”, then any form of music would have been authorized, but the category to “make music” is not found in the New Testament. The specific category mentioned is to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Points to Note: 1. This verse has a number of options concerning singing: number of songs, order of songs, chromatic scale, chant, four-part harmony, volume-tempo, song leader, and songbooks. 2. At times we fail to realize the "freedom" that is found in generic and specific authority. Nothing in the command says that we have to have a different number of songs each time we sing, and yet, these are the type of arguments made by those who want to dispense with this method, “The last thing I want is the same order of worship every Sunday. I don't want that ever again. Not ever. Not two weeks the same” (Behold The Pattern p. 624). 3. We need to realize that the same looseness with Scripture that would bring in instrumental music, is the same looseness that can deprive us of our right to sing. The same verse that excludes instrumental music, soloists, choirs, and praise teams, also gives every Christian the right to participate in the singing of every song. Maurice notes, “The verbs speaking and teaching and admonishing, are active voice. This requires action for all those addressed. The tense of the verbs is present participle, showing action in progress. The word translated one another is reciprocal action taken by two or more with one another” (p. 28). He points out that this is a verse that cannot be fulfilled when singing all by oneself.
· Hebrews 10:25:
The command to not forsake the assembly, infers that Christians are commanded to assemble, which in turn authorizes a place to assemble. The place is generic, which would give us the options or choices of a rented hall, purchased building, leased office space, and so on. It also authorizes the things needed when people assemble for worship, such as a place to sit, restrooms, lighting, and so on. In closing: Thus the first thing that we must do in any discussion concerning whether or not we have divine permission to do something, is to look at the specific statements or commands in Scripture that touch upon that area or subject, then ask ourselves, what is specific and what is generic in this realm and what are our options? Finally, is what someone has proposed an option, or it is excluded?
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net/mdunagan@easystreet.com
