“The Silence Of God” Matthew 15:23a

“The Silence Of God” “But he answered her not a word ” Matthew 15:23a

The old saying that immediately enters or invades my mind is, “Silence is Golden!”

I read a statement about noise in a field of grain. “Men make more noise in the harvest field than God’s rain, sunshine, heat and cold have made in producing the crops that they harvest.”

An old preacher friend of mine was a great silent listener. The brethren would be batting around the “Badminton birdie” of some theological question, and often it turned into a full-blown argument. Other times some dear brother or sister had strayed some distance from the path of providential care and left their spiritual concerns for a fleeting moment of fleshly impropriety, and this old man of God would just sit there in silence, with a wry smile or far-off look in his eyes and say nothing. He never threw his “hat-in-the-ring” in these great moments of debate or gossip—both of which are anathema for real Christians (see Rom. 1:29 & I Pet. 4:15). There was, at least for me, a great sense of dignity in his silence. He was a godly man!

Sometimes, when God is silent, it is a little frustrating. Maybe God wants us to just work some things out for ourselves. Perhaps He wants us to search our Manual, for all the answers are in there. It could be He just desires for us to trust Him, even though His silence is not really appreciated. Hey, could it be He is speaking softly and we have too much noise going on we just can’t hear Him? What are you waiting for, the thunderclap or the sonic boom? The still small voice is better… -T.G.

Prepared by Roger Fulk, from excerpts from the “Baptist Bread” August 3rd, 2021 devotional by author Dr. Tim Green, Revival In Our Time, Day Heights, OH. With permission from Tim Green, editor of Baptist Bread. The Baptist Bread

Romans 1:29 (KJV) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

1 Peter 4:15 (KJV) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or [as] a thief, or [as] an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

KJV SEARCH FOR DEBATE

Proverbs 25:9 (KJV) Debate thy cause with thy neighbour [himself]; and discover not a secret to another:

Isaiah 27:8 (KJV) In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.

Isaiah 58:4 (KJV) Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

Romans 1:29 (KJV) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Way of Life Encyclopedia
DEBATE

Discuss; contend; quarrel (Is. 58:4). The term is used in Scripture in a positive sense (Pr 25:9) as well as a negative (Ro 1:29; 2Co 12:20). The difference has to do with one’s attitude and motive and goal in the debate. The Bible instructs us to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3), and the Apostles did this (Ac 15:1-2). The preaching of the Gospel in this wicked world always involves a certain amount of contention for truth’s sake (1Th 2:2). On the other hand, contentions for selfish, carnal motives are forbidden by the Word of God (1Co 1:11; Tit 3:9). 
[See Contend, Controversy.]

Understanding the Bible (Sorenson)
Romans 1:29

1:29-32 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

As a result, these, whose minds have become reprobate, rejecting God and anything godly, have been filled (the tense is perfect and the voice passive) with all manner of putrid human behavior.

Paul proceeds to list about two dozen categories of unrighteousness: fornication (πορνειαpoirneia)—immorality in general, pre-marital sexual activity more particularly; wickedness (πονηρια poneria)—it could also be translated as ‘depravity;’ covetousness (πλεονεξια pleonexia)—greed, the craving for more; maliciousness (κακια kakia)—malice, ill will, the desire to injure; full of envy (φθονος pthonos)— envious of others; murder; debate (ερις eris)—strife or contention; malignity (κακοητεια kakoethia) malicious deviousness; whisperers (θιθυριστης psithuristes)— slanderers, malicious gossip; backbiters (καταλαλος katalalos)—to defame or denigrate another’s character; haters of God (θεοστυγης theostuges)—one who hates God; despiteful (υβριστης hubristes)—to retaliate either in word or deed; proud(υπερηφανοςhuperephanos)—arrogant, haughty; boasters (αλαζων alazon) empty pretenders; inventors of evil things—the idea is of contriving evil or injurious ideas; disobedient to parents (απειθης apeithes)—rebellious against parents; without understanding (ασυνετος asun-etos)— stupid or willfully ignorant; covenantbreakers (ασυνθετος asunthetos)—those who break their word; with-out natural affection (αστοργος astorgos)—merciless, cruel; implacable (ασπονδοςaspondos)—incorrigible, stubborn, uncontrollable; unmerciful. These, aware of the righteousness of God, knowing such living is worthy of death, nevertheless continue in their sin and take pleasure as others do the same.

[Commentary continues on chapter 2]