The Sin of Silence!

Is There a Time when Silence is a Sin?

I have been ask as to why I would write about religion the way I do...why not just leave it alone...you are not going to influence people in religion for change...what are you accomplishing by your writings about religion,  after all, they are doing some good, aren’t they?

To say nothing I believe I would be guilty of committing the sin of remaining silent and contributing to the old adage that “silence gives consent”.

Remaining silent fails to let people know that there is freedom from the bondage of religion and its befuddlement of the gospel of Grace, for me, that would be a withdrawal from the freedom that Christ has given me to express my concern regarding the deception that the people within religion are under. My critiquing is of the system and not of the people in the system who are influenced by the deception!

It seems that spiritual “discernment” within religion is lacking where there is little discerning truth from error when it  comes to the practices, rituals, ceremonies, and the rules and regulations imposed by the befuddling hierarchal denominational structure.

The good news of the Gospel is the Grace message of Jesus Christ and that His sacrifice for the redemption of mankind was fully sufficient and without lack.

The sin of remaining silent aids the bondage of religion in its hindering of the work of God’s Grace in the lives of people.

Would I be pleasing to God if say nothing against the present evils, though they be among the religious environment that proclaims His name in trying to win at the game they play?

Should I remain silent because I should fear the reaction and condemnation from religious people that such actions as mine often draws.

There is an axiom that "silence gives consent." This is true in the case of believers who refuse to openly and audibly denounce sin within religion. In the Bible, we read that at the stoning of Stephen, Paul, as a young man, "was consenting unto his death" (Acts 8:1). But how did he consent to that cruel injustice? We are told that those who stoned Stephen "laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul [whom we know as Paul]." As far as we know, young Paul never said a word at Stephen's execution; still, he was as guilty of that crime against Christ as any who threw a stone.

Fellow Believer, can't you see the danger in making no utterance against such wrong? If I did not speak out, would someone who may be burdened under the bondage of religion remain in bondage all because I committed the sin of silence?

God does not communicate truth for it to be muffled by silence, but to be passed on to others. Can you imagine  Paul not sharing the gospel of Grace because of fear of the religion gurus of his day? Think what it would have meant, had the disciples kept quiet about the resurrection of Christ. But when Peter and John were commanded by the rulers of the Jews not to speak any more about Jesus, they said, "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). I cannot help but speak of the freedom that is available in Christ for those that are bound by religion.

There were many who silently lined the streets of Jerusalem, watching Jesus struggle under the burden of the cross. Though the blood was streaming down His face, though strips of skin was torn from His back by the whip, Though a great injustice was being done yet they did not speak out against it. Think how few rose up in protest, and ask yourself this question, "What would I have done, had I been there?" We can only answer that question by answering this one: "What am I doing about it now?" I have determined not to let Christ’s all-sufficient sacrifice to be Grace plus religious rule-keeping, of which there are many, rather than Grace alone, because of an habitual disinclination to speak out against wrong and take a stand for that which is right and just.

People, we have the priceless privilege of sharing about Jesus and His Grace let us not allow the religious system to befuddle the Grace by which Jesus has made us free.
I will reiterate again...please do not take my thoughts on the religious system as applying to the people within the system, they are definitely not. There are many people in the system that love God and if you are able to be free to be yourself and free to the degree wherewith Christ makes us free then rejoice in that freedom. On the other hand, if you are feeling bound, frustrated, burdened and controlled by the system, there is a freedom that Christ offers that sets you free from such bondage!