Category Authority

Why do we need instrumental music?

The Preacher Leave a comment

……we’ve god God’s instruments?

It has been said that Mozart considered the human voice to more nearly approach perfection in music than any instrument. As a man, unable to carry a tune in a bucket, I agree.

The arguments for using instrumental music in worship go like this………

  • It enhances the worship
  • the Bible doesn’t say we can’t (note all the “not”ty words)
  • We enjoy worship better
  • We will attract more people if we have a band (the hip hop church http://bit.ly/1mjEhLp)
  • They used instruments in the Old Testament

What is the problem with these arguments? Can you see it? Non of them appeal to the New Testament for their reasoning. Without boring you in this post with the entire study of how to determine scriptural authority, I will appeal to just one.

That which God specifies, automatically negates all other options.

This is a very common explanation for all of us. We use this reasoning every day. If you say to your kid, “Bring me a cup of coffee”, and he brings you a cup of coffee AND a coke, has he obeyed you? If you use the reasoning above, then yes. You must drink both beverages.

  • The coke enhances the drinking of coffee (opinion)
  • You didn’t tell him NOT to bring you a coke
  • You enjoy coke don’t you?

Obviously we would disagree with that. Then why do we fail to see the same line of logic is flawed when looking into the scriptures? Let me prove this point using the Bible. In 2King 5, Naaman was told by Elisha to go and dip seven times in the Jordan river. Look at his response…..

2Ki 5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. KJV

What did Naaman suggest he do instead of obeying the words of the man of God?

  • I thought…..come out….stand….call on the name of the Lord…..stike his hand.
  • Are not the rivers of Damascus BETTER?
  • May I not wash in them?

We see the very same reasoning today. “I think”, “Wouldn’t this be better than that?” Would the instrument be better? Sure, if we were appealing to the authority of man, but using the instrument fails in one regard. It disobeys God.

God said………..

  • Ac 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
  • Ro 15:9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
  • 1Co 14:15 ¶ What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
  • Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
  • Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
  • Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
  • Jas 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

All would agree that when we worship, we must all sing. The basic command of “singing” is unchangeable. The disagreement and division enters in when we want to include a particular style of instrument. We divide, even within a denomination when the instrument is added. Some desire a “contemporary” worship, others desire a more “modern” worship and still others want a “hip hop” church. What about a cowboy worship singing just country songs? How about blue grass? What about Beatles music? If not, why not?

Your next question will be this, “So, Spencer, you just want worship to be dry and boring right?”

I’ll answer that question when you answer this one…..Will you become angry at the message of God when it contradicts with the way YOU think?

Isa 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.

 

spencer

Borger, Tx
806/274-5021
Ask me how to make your calling and election sure. 2Pet 1:10

   

God Wants Unity Too

The Preacher Leave a comment

The other day a man said, “All us protestants need to get together.” Yes, unity would be great. I just have 1 question, How would that look? This is no new issue, men of old have been discussing this for years. So, I turn to a gospel preacher from a number of years ago…….

by Robert F. Turner

There seems to be two general philosophies for attaining unity in religion. One school urges men to find their own middle ground — something on which all can agree — making whatever compromise is necessary on the part of each human faction. The other recognizes Gods truth as the only proper basis for unity; but they find it difficult to agree on what constitutes this truth, so they put their hopes in unity in diversity — seeking a level of understanding acceptable to all human parties, and expecting God to be satisfied with this level.

In each case men seem determined to whittle on Gods end of the stick. All agree that unity demands a common ground, and since we are thinking of unity in religion (before God) it follows that God and man are the ultimate parties to be reconciled. God must be taken into consideration; a ground found that is acceptable to God as well as man. Mans free agency gives him the power of choice, to accept or reject, but when men begin to judge the law and declare this part of Gods law essential, that part non-essential, they are whittling on Gods end of the stick. They act as though God had done nothing — made no sacrifice — to unite men among themselves, and to Himself.

Note: God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Cor. 5:19) Jesus said, sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (Jn. 17:17) And Jesus prayer for unity among men was a prayer for those who believe on me through their (Apostles, rt) word. (Jn. 17:20) Gods end of the stick includes the means (Christ) and the instructions (inspired word) for unity acceptable to God.

To contend that men can not come to a common understanding of Gods word (of reconciliation) is to argue that Gods part is imperfectly done. To require more, or less, or a substitution for Gods word, is to reject the completeness of divinity. God wants men united — apparently far more than we want to be united. Have we no faith in Gods desire and plan?

When two men understand and act upon a single step of Gods truth, they are united upon that step. It doesnt make them fellow-Christians. but it makes them fellow-learners. If one stops there, while the other continues to learn and obey, they are separated — cease to be fellow -learners.  They can become fellow -Christians by continuing to learn and obey Gods truth (remember God determines this level, not man. This discussed p. ii.) or they can be further separated by the difference in their willingness to trust in God. (Matt. 10:32-f) In all cases God furnishes the means of unity, but it is up to man to use these means.

A divided church is a monument to the shameful fact that men have been and are unwilling to use Gods means of unity. Some may be over—scrupulous (Rom. 14:) (see p. 7) and both sides may err in understanding and practice but THE FAULT lays with those who refuse to continue joint Bible study.

This was from the September 1969 issue of “Plain Talk”

 

spencer
Borger, Tx
806/274-5021
Ask me how to make your calling and election sure. 2Pet 1:10

 

IYADWYADYAGWYAG

The Preacher Leave a comment

IYADWYADYAGWYAG 

If you always do what you always did you always get what you always got

I learned this saying about 20 years ago while managing a restaurant. The basic premise is this, if you want something better then you have to do something different. Einstein said it this way, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

In business that is a fine way to go about it. If a business fails to improve, grow or update their technology, they shall eventually die.

Change in the church

As awesome as this is in business, this is a very dangerous thing for the church. Many today feel that the church needs to change. They say….

The old ways produce so little fruit.
We need to bring the church or even the Gospel into the 21st century.
We need to preach a modern Gospel.
Let’s begin programs and organizations that will bring people into the church.
Let’s build Community centers and sports facilities.

While speaking with a pastor at a particular denomination, he commented that their Wednesday study had a larger attendance than their Sunday service. Why? “We feed ’em!” He was speaking of a weekly spaghetti dinner.

You and I would agree that feeding is most certainly required; Joh 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.-KJV

The “food” that one serves is what is at issue. Is that the point of the Gospel? Feeding people physical food, providing entertainment when we get bored? You see, what we’re converted with, we’re converted to. What happens when you take those things away?

What if following Jesus only provided salvation? Would that be enough?

Joh 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
27 “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” – NKJV

The Gospel as it was written is RELEVANT TODAY –

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. – ASV

Eph 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles–
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), – NKJV

As you can see here and other places when you study your Bible, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is relevant today, tomorrow and forever.

A final thought…..

The Apostle Paul gives this warning about changing the Gospel……Ga 1:6 ¶ I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. – NKJV

If you always do what is GODS will, you always get what is GOD’S way!

Spencer
Borger, Tx