Do We Need Permission or Prohibition?

      Among those who accept the Bible as God‘s inerrant word, there seem to be two major camps when it comes to interpreting the Bible.

      The first camp believes anything God does not prohibit is allowed. These seek prohibition. When discussing how Christians live and congregations work, we commonly hear members of this group ask, “Where does God say this is wrong?”

      The second camp believes we are only permitted to do what God has authorized in His word. These seek permission. When discussing how Christians live and congregations work, we commonly hear members of this group ask, “Where does God authorize such action?” We might reword this to say, “Where does God say this is right?”

      Which approach is accurate?

      II Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (ESV).

      The scriptures teach us, which is self-explanatory; reprove us, which means to show us where we fall short; correct us, which means to fix what we have broken; and train us in righteousness; which means to disciplines us in habits of right living. They do all of this to make us competent, adequate or complete and equipped or thoroughly furnished for every good work.

      In other words, the scripture intends to provide us with information about what all the good works are and how we can accomplish them. No doubt, it will include prohibitions. However, that doesn’t mean God tells us every prohibited thing. Rather, He furnishes us thoroughly for every good work. If He has not thoroughly furnished us for a work, what does that mean about it? It must be bad.

      Therefore, we are not free to do everything without direct prohibition. We are only free to do those works for which God has furnished and equipped us through the scripture.

      Consider the examples of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-3. They used unauthorized fire. They used fire for which God had not furnished them and they were consumed by God’s fire.

      Consider David, Uzzah and the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant in II Samuel 6; I Chronicles 13, 15. In I Chronicles 15:13, David said God struck Uzzah, not because they transported the Ark in a way that God specifically prohibited, but because they did not do it in the way God had authorized according to His rule.

      We are free in Christ. But we are not free to do anything we want just because God hasn’t said not to. We must seek permission and equipping from His word so that we may know the good works in which we may walk.

Edwin L. Crozier