Centuries ago the bible warned us about individuals who would promise Christians "freedom" and "liberty", when in reality they would only bring bondage (2 Peter 2:19). Something similar is happening in our own times. We are being told that: (a) We can't all understand the bible alike, therefore doctrinal deviation doesn't separate us from God (2 John 9; 1 John 2:24). In fact some have said, 'Does it really make a difference if a person is amillennial or premillennial?' (Behold The Pattern p. 624). (b) The bible is a love letter, and not a constitutional document, i.e. the bible isn't a book of case law. But the bible isn't a book of mere suggestions. It is a law (Jeremiah 31:33 'put my LAW within them'; James 1:25). It contains a body of teaching that must be obeyed (Acts 6:7 'obedient to the faith'; 2 Cor. 13:5 'to see if you are in the faith'; Colossians 1:23 'continue in the faith'; 1 Timothy 4:1,5:8). Before we jump on the above bandwagon, we need to realize that the men who have embraced the above false concepts, end up being uncertain about the millennium, instrumental music, the role of women in the church, capital punishment, the authority for a building, and the reason to be baptized. They end up just as confused as those in denominational theology. Surely a better way to interpret and understand the bible exists than their methodology.

I. 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 unspecific 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, etc..all those unspecified options are in the general command to 'go'. On the other hand, the 'who' is specific, i.e. those who are Christians (Acts 8:4). And the what is also specific, i.e. convert people and then teach them further (28:20). But then again, 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, etc..

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 (Heb. 9:27); Hell has not changed and Heaven has not changed (Matthew 25:46). People really fail to appreciate the concept of generic and specific authority. POINTS TO NOTE: (1) With man's technology changing (new methods of constructing buildings, new methods which could be used in reaching the lost with the gospel (i.e. radio, T.V., computers, tape duplicators, high speed copy machines), etc..The church must be able to use some of this technology, even though it isn't specifically mentioned in the bible, without being guilty of adding to the Word of God. (2) But there must be a reliable method of interpretation for determining what is an option and what is an addition. (3) People have failed to appreciate the fact that generic and specific authority are the only method that enables us to make that distinction. It answers the question, 'How can the church remain current and yet still be the church of the first century?' (4) 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 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?

II. Generic And Specific In The O.T.:

A. 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 need to 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: (a) 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. (b) 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, but based on the same ratio between height, width and length. (c) 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. (d) The word 'make' (6:14) is general, and includes all the tools, scaffolding, etc..that is needed to complete the task.

Carefully note: When God specifies something, that excludes everything else in the same realm (i.e. gopher wood excludes "fir"). 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 doesn't say that I can't 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 doesn't 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 that what God commands.' (Understanding Bible Authority p. 24)

B. 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.

C. UZZAH AND THE ARK: 2 SAMUEL 6:3-6

Later David will point out that in placing the ark on a new cart, they hadn't followed God's specific instructions concerning how the ark was to be moved (1 Chron. 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 Chron. 15:15). Notice: God didn't 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", i.e. 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 'cultural' forms weren't. GOD SAW SOMETHING ELSE!

D. NADAB AND ABIHU: LEVITICUS 10:1-3

Maurice notes, 'It was not that God had specifically forbidden them the fire they used, but rather he had specified what fire they must use. They used fire from other another source. Leviticus 16:12 specifies that God wanted them to use fire for the incense from the altar of burnt offering. God didn't have to go down a list of other sources of fire, specifically forbidding each source, for them to know what fire to use..' (p. 16)

III. In The New Testament:

A. MARK 7:1-8:

'What scripture did the Jews violate when they insisted on the washing of hands before eating..? Could they argue that the Law didn't say not to? The Law didn't specifically forbid the practice, but the Law didn't authorize it either, and that's the point.' (Barnett p. 27)

B. 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 N.T. The specific category to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is found. Points to Note: (a) And yet the verse has a number of options concerning singing-number of songs, order of songs, chromatic scale, chant, four-part harmony, volume-tempo, song leader, song books, etc..(b) We just don't 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) (c) People need to realize that the same looseness with scripture that would bring in instrumental music, is the same looseness that can deprive you of your 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 can't be fulfilled when singing all by yourself.

C. 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, i.e. a rented hall, purchased building, leased office space, etc..It also authorizes the things needed when people assemble to worship, i.e. rest rooms, pews, etc..

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 general in this realm and what are our options. And finally, is what someone has proposed an option or it is excluded?

Mark Dunagan/ Beaverton Church of Christ/ 644-9017