Periods of Silence for Christianity

[manichunter]

Has the Body of Christ every experienced a period of silence of any sort?



I myself do not know for sure, but I suspect that it is possible that certain segments or groups of Christianity can experience silence out of judgment for sin.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

From a quick and casual scan of information, books, and web information there are gaps in our history when there were periods of time when there was a lack inspiration and revelation that we know of. This might be due to a lack of written documentation existing and recorded as creditable. The information could have been controlled and destroyed. I will investigate.

Would God close His mouth and shut His ears off from His people who abide and persist in sin, and moreover corrupt His people and Scripture? I have no tangible proof, just speculation at this time. It could have happened. I will post after my research is complete.

 

[cyberjosh]

After reading the OP I now realize that you are talking of something else than what I was thinking, but the first thing that came to mind from the title (in terms of physical silence on the part of believers):

Ezekiel 16
60 "Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.
61 "Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; and I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant.
62 "Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD,
63 so that you may remember and be ashamed and never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done," the Lord GOD declares.

Will this be observed in part by the half an hour silence in heaven? Anyway, that's what came to mind: the theme of silence in the Bible.

 

[mondar]

3 Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.

Obviously there is differences of opinion with regard to the authority of the scriptures. Of course as many of you have recognized I lean more toward a reformed position and we believe that the scriptures are the only infallible source of doctrine and practice for today. This doctrine was called "sola scriptura" by the reformers. Roman Catholics of course disagree with sola scriptura and believe that the Roman Catholic Church is the guardian of sacred tradition. This position has been called "sola ecclesia" by some. Finally, there are those outside the reformed position who believe in continued revelation through their own prophets and apostles. Mormons have the Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith, others who remain doctrinally orthodox believe that there are modern day apostles and prophets who can add special revelation. For lack of a better word, let me coin my own term as those that believe in "polyscriptura." (To my Roman Catholic friends and to channel moderators---No I dont wish to debate Sola Scriptura here but to merely outline different positions. If I crossed over any lines of forbidden discussion, I apologize ahead of time.)

When I look at the phrase in the verse above "once for all delivered unto the saints I know how reformed interpreters see that verse. The deposit that was delivered to the people of faith is the New Testament. I know that some Roman Catholics agree with that but would modify it to say that the deposit was made, but that the Roman Catholic Church claims to be the divinely appointed guardian of sacred scripture. My question to those who are not reformed and not Catholic is simply how do you view the phrase in the verse I pointed to? If there is further apostolic revelation, and this further apostolic revelation adds to the deposit of infallible revelation, one what basis do you claim that the "faith was once for all delivered unto the saints?"

 

[manichunter]

I believe God is still in the inspiring business. He inspires songs, messages, and prophetic words as indicated to His messges to othe seven churches. I believe he has always inspired certain people throughout history.

I as a preacher believes God sure enough inspires me..............

 

[DavidLee]

Has the Body of Christ every experienced a period of silence of any sort?



I myself do not know for sure, but I suspect that it is possible that certain segments or groups of Christianity can experience silence out of judgment for sin.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

Throughout the Psalms we see where silence from God was regarded as punishment in some cases and a thing to be dreaded in every case.

God has spoken to us in His Son now, so I don't think He would be silent to an individual as a result of corporate sin (or unbelief) provided that individual is keeping the faith. I'm not familiar with any scripture that indicates otherwise, but that's not to say that none exist.

I know that growing up, my parents did not give me the silent treatment. :o

“Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS.â€Â
(Hebrews 3:7-9 NASB)

When I was misbehaving I would hear them loud and clear.

 

[mondar]

I believe God is still in the inspiring business. He inspires songs, messages, and prophetic words as indicated to His messges to othe seven churches. I believe he has always inspired certain people throughout history.

Is this somehow an answer to my question on Jude 3? Did you even bother with what I asked at all?

What is the basis for your claims? Emotions? It feels good? You like it? Its fun?
What if it does not stir my emotions, or feel good, and I dont like it or think it is fun?

When you say that God always inspires people through out history you seem to be claiming continued special revelation. On what basis do you make those claims?

I as a preacher believes God sure enough inspires me..............

Manichunter,

And if I claim that as a preacher am also inspired by God would you believe everything I say?

Can you define your terms. What do you even mean by the term inspired or inspiration. And please prove a scriptural basis for you claims.

 

[manichunter]

God made some promises to the seven churches in Rev.

 

[mondar]

God made some promises to the seven churches in Rev.

And the price of beans just went up in China.

 

[Laudate Dominum]

3 Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.

...Roman Catholics of course disagree with sola scriptura and believe that the Roman Catholic Church is the guardian of sacred tradition. This position has been called "sola ecclesia" by some...

(To my Roman Catholic friends and to channel moderators---No I dont wish to debate Sola Scriptura here but to merely outline different positions. If I crossed over any lines of forbidden discussion, I apologize ahead of time.)...

...I know that some Roman Catholics agree with that but would modify it to say that the deposit was made, but that the Roman Catholic Church claims to be the divinely appointed guardian of sacred scripture.

Well, I personally don't think you quite have the Catholic position pinned down, but that isn't quite what you're looking for, is it?

In response to the OP, in the Old Testament, it seemed that God was silent when the people fell into sin. Even so, I think it was not that God was silent, but that the people stopped listening.

 

[KenEOTE]

Mondar I am trying to get your point. Are you saying God said all he is going to say in teh scriptures and then left and is sitting in heaven not talking? Isn't the point of the relationship with Christ to have fellowship? Fellowship is communicating with the Father that means a two way street.

You say you are from a reformed point of view. Well who inspired the reformers? Or is that man made? If God stopped his revelations and stopped speaking who was speaking to Luther and Calvin?

The Bible clearly states that all have roles in the body. Paul writes about prophets and teachers, apostles and healers and speaking in tongues. Why would he need to inform us of these roles if God was going to stop using them?

Jesus himself said greater things then what he had done would be done by those that followed him. That means more of God revealing himself to the world through his Church.

God is a personal God. He wants relationships. He wants to walk and talk with us as he did in the Garden. Why would he send us the Holy Spirit if he did not want an intimate relationship with us? If the Bible is the be all end all and he stopped speaking that goes against his nature. Why would he speak for 6000 years and then say I'm done now I don't want to fellowship with you any longer.

In the book of revelations it even says there will be prophets in the last days. How could that be possible if he no longer had anything he wanted revealed?

 

[mondar]

Mondar I am trying to get your point. Are you saying God said all he is going to say in teh scriptures and then left and is sitting in heaven not talking? Isn't the point of the relationship with Christ to have fellowship? Fellowship is communicating with the Father that means a two way street.

I am not sure that I would put it the way you are here. God is still talking, but his talkings (his word) is the bible alone.

You say you are from a reformed point of view. Well who inspired the reformers? Or is that man made? If God stopped his revelations and stopped speaking who was speaking to Luther and Calvin?

The reformers did not claim to be inspired. They claimed to be correctly reading that which was inspired (the scriptures). If you read some of the Catholic threads look for the word "Sola Scriptura." I hope I am not over simplifying when I say that this means that the scriptures are "God speaking."

The Bible clearly states that all have roles in the body. Paul writes about prophets and teachers, apostles and healers and speaking in tongues. Why would he need to inform us of these roles if God was going to stop using them?

Yes, all have roles in the body, and there are gifted people who are excellent teachers. There are no infallible teachers. So then, we have fallible teachers who teach an infallible scripture. Teachers might be highly accurate, and great students of the scriptures. But they fall short of infallibility. The scriptures do not fall short.

Jesus himself said greater things then what he had done would be done by those that followed him. That means more of God revealing himself to the world through his Church.

I take it you are Roman Catholic. I am not sure I should get into a discussion here, the moderators might not like any Roman Catholic / Protestant dialog. I would like to suggest you read the sola scriptura threads in the Roman Catholic section. Specifically those threads in which I discuss 2Tim 3:16-17. Of course my understanding remains that the scriptures are sufficient to equipt the man of God.

God is a personal God. He wants relationships. He wants to walk and talk with us as he did in the Garden. Why would he send us the Holy Spirit if he did not want an intimate relationship with us? If the Bible is the be all end all and he stopped speaking that goes against his nature. Why would he speak for 6000 years and then say I'm done now I don't want to fellowship with you any longer.

In the book of revelations it even says there will be prophets in the last days. How could that be possible if he no longer had anything he wanted revealed?

Yes, God is a personal God. But God does not just talk to talk. God is not a chatty Cathy. He is not looking to have a fun chat and then feel good.

The reason for the scriptures is Gods self revelation. The scriptures is so that we might get just a small glimpse of the great and powerful Glory of God. We can now see God dimly, we have a vague idea of just how great God is, but the time will come when we will see him face to face. When he speaks with us face to face, we will fall before him as dead men and proclaim our sinfulness. We will know how really far apart we really were in this life, and how sinful we were and how holy he is.

Yes, God is our friend, and he knows the number of hairs on our head (not a big count for some older guys). God is intimately interested in us. By there is simply so much to his glory and so much to his great attributes, that it will take all eternity to even begin to know this eternal being. When we have been face to face with God ten thousand years, we will only have just begun to marvel at his glory.

Back to special revelation... Let us be as those in Berea. Even when they heard the great apostle Paul teach, it was not sufficient until they looked into the scriptures to see if these things were so.

 

[KenEOTE]

First off I am not a Roman Catholic. When I say Church that is the whole body of Christ even the man made denominations.

Secondly I do think God wants to chat with us and wants us to chat with him. He walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve. He died on teh cross to restore that kind of relationship. I feel he wants to wlak with us and talk with us.

If I wrote a letter to someone and that was it and made no more communications with them I would not be much of a friend. Yet God says he wants us to be his bride. It's just odd to me. And sad.

 

[mondar]

He is talking.... in the scriptures.

 

[KenEOTE]

So do you feel God can't or that he wont speak to His people outside of the written word?

 

[mondar]

So do you feel God can't or that he wont speak to His people outside of the written word?

Since the written word is completely sufficient, he has no need to speak outside his word. Do you deny the sufficiency of the scriptures as the written word of God?

 

[KenEOTE]

I am saying that the scriptures tell a story of a God who wants to be known intimately and wants to know us intimately. You don't get to know someone on that level by just reading about them. You need to speak with them. I know about George Washington, I can know about Jesus. But until I communicate with him I do not know him.
We can speak with God, and he can speak with us. He has specific things he wants done. If you think you hear form God, you test it against the scriptures. If it is not outside them then you are following God. If however you are hearing go marry your neighbors wife you are not hearing from God.
I just feel that there is a relationship God wants to build with us. He wants us to listen. Spending time in prayer. Praying is not just us speaking it is listening.
I just think to say that the Scriptures were the last time God revealed himself to the world is a sad world. It is what Islam teaches about the Koran. God has things he wants to reveal to each of us specifically, that is what it means to be in a relationship it is seeking his will for each of us. It is going where he wants you to go. Where he is leading.

 

[Catholic Crusader]

So do you feel God can't or that he wont speak to His people outside of the written word?

Since the written word is completely sufficient, he has no need to speak outside his word. Do you deny the sufficiency of the scriptures as the written word of God?

The Bible is "materially" sufficient, but not "formally" sufficient. By that is meant that all the "stuff" (material) that you need to know the Christian faith is in the Bible, but it is not laid out in a "form" that can be decisively understood. It requires an authoratative interpretor.

That is why Jesus chose mean to teach as leaders of His Church, and why they appointed bishops to succeed them. The Church is the final arbitor when a dissention arises over doctrine, and the Council of Jerusalem (in Acts) is the Biblical template for that process. What happened when dissention arose over circumcision? The Council met, they made a BINDING decision, and the matter was closed. Period.

In the 4th century, when the arch-heretic Arius denied the divinity of Christ, what happened? A Council met again, this time with the apostles successors (the bishops), they made a binding decision (that Jesus is fully God and fully man) and the matter was closed.

It has been that way for two thousand years, all the way through to the last coucil, Vatican II. That is how doctrine is decided, and how God continues to speak to us: Through His Church..