|
Why
We Sing Without Instruments
|
By Al Diestelkamp
More
than a century has come and gone since the issue of instrumen-tal music
in worship began to wreak havoc among the churches of our Lord. After
the resulting division that took place, churches that rejected
instruments in worship enjoyed a season of peace and growth before
other innovations were introduced.
Even
during that period of peace, Christians continued to be reminded of the
principles that precluded the use of instruments in our worship of God.
However, eventually brethren grew weary of hearing sermons on an issue
that seemed “settled once and for all,” and the issue was put on the
shelf by many preachers and elders.
As
a result, a generation has arisen that is not fully prepared, or even
inclined, to militantly oppose instrumental music in worship. And while
we don’t yet see a strong push for the introduction of instrumental
music, we are fooling ourselves if we think it is not on the horizon.
Already, among churches that have a more liberal approach to the
authority of the scriptures, an increasing number are gradually
trending toward acceptance of instrumental accompaniment of songs,
hymns and spiritual songs.
Because
our practice is so noticeably different from other religious groups,
it’s understandable that people will inquire as to why we don’t sing
with instruments. Some have wondered if we’re “old fashioned” and think
it’s too modern. If that were the case we would have a hard time
explaining a number of things we use that are much more modern than
instruments of music. No, that’s not a good reason for us to refuse
instrumental music.
Nor is the reason we shun instruments because we prefer
a capella singing. If that were the case we would simply take a vote on
the issue. Our personal preferences should not even be under
consideration when it comes to worship. Our aim should be to please the
Lord!
Some
brethren, it seems, are embarrassed about our refusal to worship with
instruments. When questioned, they apologetically explain that a
capella music is a long-standing part of “our religious tradition.”
That’s not a good reason either! The traditions of men (religious
“hand-me-downs”) are not reliable in justifying a practice (Col. 2:8),
nor should they be used as an excuse to object to one.
We
have an obligation to prepare future generations to be able to choose
between what is right and what is wrong, not only in their personal
lives, but also as members of the body of Christ. Fathers, especially,
are commanded to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the
Lord” (Eph. 6:4). This cannot be done by asking them to simply rely on
“our traditions.”
However,
not all long-standing practices are traditions of men. The apostle
Paul urged the saints in Thessalonica to “stand fast and hold the
traditions you were taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2 Thess.
2:15). In contrast to the traditions of men, theses are handed down by
the word of God.
Such,
I believe, is the case with the rejection of instrumental music in
worship. Our only objection to this practice must be due to the absence
of authority from God. We sometimes are challenged to prove that
instrumental music in worship is wrong. The problem with that approach
is the Bible doesn’t identify everything that is wrong. Instead, it
identifies some things which are wrong, and authorizes everything that is right. Therefore, if it can’t be shown that it is right from what is written in the New Testament, then it must be wrong.
There
is nothing wrong with defending instrumental music in worship, if in
doing so you have your finger on the New Testament passage that
authorizes it.
Answering popular attempts to justify instrumental music in worship:
“The Bible doesn’t say not to sing with instruments” —
Neither does it say that we should not have butter or jam with the
bread at the Lord’s supper. What proves too much, proves nothing!
“David praised God with instruments”— Yes, he did (Psa. 150), and also David had more than one wife. Does that authorize polygamy today? If not, why not?
“There will be harps in Heaven”
— In fact, there will be 24 harps and golden bowls full of
incense (Rev. 5:8). There are a lot of things about Heaven that will be
quite different from the way things are in the church here on earth.
“The Greek word Psallo (translated making melody) means to pluck a stringed instrument”
— Far be it from me to try to make an argument based on the original
language, but you don’t have to be a Greek scholar to see that those
who translated the Bible didn’t include that in their translations.
What I read from those who have studied the language is that it meant
simply to “pluck or twang.” Besides, the heart is the only instrument
mentioned in the text.
“When one is asked to sing, we do not necessarily expect singing without accompaniment”
— Though words have precise meanings we take many liberties with our
English language which we dare not take with the words that are
inspired of God.
____
P.O.Box 891, Cortland, Illinois 60112
e-mail: aldiestel@gmail.com
| Thinking About Our Prosperity |
By Ray Ferris
There
would be few who profess to be Christians who would not be famil-iar
with the text in 1 Corinthians 16:2 that mentions prosperity: “Upon the
first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God
hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” Other
versions will have some variation in the wording of the text, including
the expression “as he may prosper.” What all of them seem to assert is
the idea that what is to be done is to avoid the need for “gathering”
when Paul comes, with others, in order to obtain the collected funds
that were to be delivered to saints in Jerusalem. None of them
translate the thought well, but I will not discuss that problem here. What
I want all who read these lines to concentrate on are the various ways
the scriptures indicate the concept of “prosperity.” The Greek term
that is involved in this text is found in two other contexts (Rom.
1:10; 3 Jn. 2). In his explanation of the word prosper, W.E. Vine has the following:
PROSPER
EUODOO (ełodów), to help on one’s way (eu, well, hodos, a way or
journey), is used in the passive voice signifying to
have a prosperous journey, Rom. 1:10; metaphorically,
to prosper, be prospered, 1 Cor. 16:2, R.V., “(as) he
may prosper,” A.V., “(as God) hath prospered (him),”
lit., “in whatever he may be prospered,” i.e., in material things; the
continuous tense suggests the successive circumstances of varying
prosperity as week follows week; in 3 John 2, of the prosperity of
physical and spiritual health.¶
An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. 3, p.225
|
From
this we should readily see there are four areas of prosperity mentioned
in the New Testament. I believe the only one I have ever heard
discussed is the one regarding our prosperity in material things. I
have personally preached two sermons in which I have discussed the
others. We will note the usual one very briefly later in this article,
but first let’s think about the other three and the marvelous
prosperity we have in these areas.
Prosperity in Travel
How
long has it been since you, or some of your family members, has
traveled on an airplane? We all make numerous long and short trips in
our luxurious automobiles. We have buses, trains and taxis at our
disposal in a moment’s notice. If we do not know how to get to some
location we get on Mapquest
or turn on the GPS and know exactly how to go. In Romans 1:10 Paul is
praying God will help him “have a prosperous journey by the will of God
to come unto you” that he might visit his brethren in Rome, “that I
might impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye might be
established.” As you recall the details we have of Paul’s “missionary
journeys,” imagine if he could have had the “prosperity” of travel we
take for granted with no thought. And I presume you will remember from
the record of when he finally made that trip to Rome (Ac. 27:1-28:16),
that God truly prospered him even in that hazardous journey, and that
he thanked God for it (Ac. 28:15). Truly our travel is by a prosperity
that is amazing! We ought to thank God regularly for it.
Prosperity in Health
In
3 John 2 we read, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest
prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” It may well be
true that John’s desire for Gaius to have prosperity, would include
material things, especially when we realize he is being commended for
his “charity” as he brought “forward on their journey after a godly
sort” both brethren and strangers (vv.5-6). However, there seems to me
(and to W.E. Vine), little question that John is wishing for Gaius
prosperity in health.
How
long has it been since you marveled at some of the incredulous things
the medical profession has accomplished for someone in the field of
physical health? The artificial limbs we see used with amazing
dexterity are astonishing. Physicians transplant body organs from one
person to another constantly, and if they can’t find a transplant they
may well make one that works quite well. It is routine for us to visit
the doctor for any lack of prosperity in our health situation. Do you
thank God regularly for the prosperity of your health, and perhaps what
is even more significant in some ways, for the amazing help you can get
if there is any problem that is of real concern? I never dreamed when I
was young that I would live to my current age. Not even when I was
“three score and ten.” But now it astonishes me what they have done to
“fix” my problems: stints in my heart about eight years ago, help with
my mini-stroke in January of this year, and a pacemaker one month later
in February! Thank God for prosperity in the area of health.
Spiritual Prosperity
There
can be absolutely no question that John regards Gaius to be blessed
with great spiritual prosperity. Gaius had received the blessing of
remission of his sins when he had “obeyed from the heart that form of
doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin,” he
had become a servant of righteousness (Rom. 6:17-18). All who obey from
the heart the simple gospel plan for salvation have a soul that
prospers at that point of obedience. They are then free from sin, but
John expresses confidence that the soul of Gaius was continuing to
prosper, and hoped he would do as well physically. Now ask yourself: Am
I prospering as well spiritually as I am in health? If there is a
problem, it is easier to get help, and more certain the problem can be
“fixed,” than going to your medical doctor. The Great Physician is
never far from any one of us (Ac. 17:27-28; Phil. 4:4-5), and His
remedy is more certain than that of any of those in the medical
profession. There is a spiritual examination each of us needs to make
regularly: “Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your
own selves” (2 Cor. 13:5a).
Conclusion
My
first sermon that stressed the concepts of prosperity, was preached in
Normal Illinois. I had asked brethren there to consider the subject of
their prosperity in preparation for a sermon I planned to preach to
challenge them to think about what Paul had said to the brethren in
Corinth (1 Cor. 16:1-2) as he “ordered” them to give regularly for a
special cause (saints in Jerusalem were in physical need) because God
had prospered them in Corinth. In a later article I will plan to
challenge all of you to think about your real prosperity
in the material realm. Thanks for your consideration of these other
matters of prosperity, and think very seriously about your material
prosperity in the meantime. I think that next article will cause most
of you to do some special thinking about that subject; thinking that
you have not considered seriously before.
____
7000 Brook Bend Way, Louisville, Kentucky 40229
e-mail: rferris123@gmail.com
Back to top
Developing A Positive Mindset
By Nathan Combs
Are
you a depressed person? Several years ago, the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention announced in a study that approximately 1 in 10
Americans suffer from some degree of depression. While there are many
legitimately depressed people who suffer from chemical imbalances, I
believe that an inadequate (or nonexistent) spiritual life is the root
cause of most depression. As we learn from scripture, the only way to
have a truly joyful life is in properly understanding God and seeing
our lives through His eyes. Although
many passages can be used to illustrate joyful living, the letter to
the Philippians best describes the mechanics of how a person can be
joyful despite adverse conditions. As Paul dictated his letter to the
Philippians, he was being held as a Roman prisoner. Since Paul was not
a stationary preacher (he went on at least three missionary journeys
around the Mediterranean), from a reader’s perspective, he was in a
frustrating situation. He was not at liberty to go to and fro teaching
people; he had to wait for them to come to him. He was compelled to
write four letters during this imprisonment (Ephesians, Philippians,
Colossians, and Philemon) instead of visiting his brethren personally.
Yet, despite his seemingly forlorn circumstances, Paul maintained his
godly attitude, and gave us many hints throughout the letter on how to
develop our own positive mindset. Carefully
notice how Paul began Philip-pians. In the introductory verses of
greetings and thanksgiving, he didn’t even mention his imprisonment
until verse 7. When he finally did allude to his personal discomfort,
it is only to further accentuate shared spiritual blessings. Instead of
griping and complaining about his current situation, he choose to
highlight the “good work” that was currently alive in the congregation,
the “partnership in the gospel” that he enjoyed with them, and the fact
that the Philippians were “partakers with me of grace” (ESV). Nothing
was mentioned about the food, the room service (or lack thereof), the
abuse he might have suffered from those imprisoning him, or the
inconvenience of being shackled to one locality. Wouldn’t it have been
excusable to seek commiseration and pity while going through the trials
he faced? Evidently not. He deftly side stepped his woes and rejoiced.
In
1:12-18, Paul shed even more light on why he didn’t give in to
despondency. He concentrated on the unstoppable aspects of his life,
namely, the things which had to do with God’s overall plan for the
world. Instead of complaining about his guards, he told the brethren
about how the “whole imperial guard” knew about Christ. The
apostle also pointed out that although the brethren in Rome had
apparently struggled with fear before, they were encouraged to speak
more boldly because of Paul. Of those who taught, some did it because
they evidently envied Paul’s success and fame, but others preached
Christ because they genuinely loved the Lord. In either case, however,
the message of good news was marching on. The progress of the gospel
could not be stopped, as history continued to demonstrate.
For
example, in A.D. 303, the Roman emperor Diocletian issued an edict
throughout his empire ordering the destruction of every Christian
document within Rome’s dominion. Yet, today, the New Testament is still
preserved as part of the Bible (ironically the best-selling book of all
time). In Acts 5, the apostles were arrested by the Jewish leadership
and ordered to never again preach in the name of Christ. Yet, today,
approximately one third of the world’s population (2.2 billion people)
claims to believe in Jesus and His teachings. Over and over again,
history has proven the accuracy of Paul’s indomitable attitude,
that the progress of the gospel cannot be halted. Yet
how does this knowledge help us with bouts of cancer, the loss of a
loved one, worldly families, or (in Paul’s case) imprisonment for the
faith? Even in the most extreme circumstances, how can we maintain the
proper positive attitude God wants every Christian to have? Paul
reveals that we can accomplish that by looking at God’s big picture. In
God’s plan, the tool that He is using to change this world of sin and
physical hurting is the power of the good news of Jesus. While Christ
was on the earth, He did heal certain individuals of physical diseases,
but His primary mission was to save men’s souls. He would not settle
for temporarily patching us up; He died so that eternally we can be
made complete with God. Often, when we become discouraged and
depressed, it is because of personal problems in our individual lives.
God’s solution for personal depression is for us to look above our
personal problems at the unstoppable plan God is bringing to fruition! Only
by viewing our lives through the lens of God can we achieve a positive
attitude in the face of personal discomfort or pain. Paul’s absorption
of the mind of God is clearly seen in his oft-quoted lines, “to live is
Christ, and to die is gain.” Paul said that because it was precisely
how God thought of Paul’s life—he would be a useful Christian in life
and united with his Lord in death. Wherever Paul was and in whatever
circumstances he was in, God viewed him as an effective servant in the
kingdom! Taking
on the mind of Christ and thinking as God would is an integral step of
spiritual maturity. For example, in 1 Tim. 1:8-9, Paul writes that “the
law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and
disobedient...” What did Paul mean? Are righteous people above the law?
Certainly not! Paul’s point is that righteous people don’t have to be
explicitly told not to “strike their fathers and mothers” because such
a dishonorable thing does not even occur to them. When God strongly
rebuked the Israelites for burning their children for Molech, he told
them in Jeremiah 32:35 that such things did not “enter into My mind.”
Law is for people who don’t have the mind of God. Likewise,
in Philippians 2:2-5, we get a sense of Paul’s positive vision.
Contained in these verses are several behavioral do’s and don’ts. For
example, Paul commands them to “do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but
in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” The climax
of the section, however, is found in verse 5 when Paul says “have this
mind among yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Why does God
give us commands and instruction? To help us take on the mind of Jesus. So
how is a positive mindset truly attained? Is it through practicing
yoga, sipping cups of special herbal tea, or inspirational pop culture
books? On the contrary, a positive mindset is gained by taking on the
mind of Jesus Christ and thinking like our Creator. If we view the
world and our own personal lives through the lens of God’s plan and His
character, we will be emboldened to live our lives with a mindset that
will give glory to our God and peace to ourselves.
____
270 N. Tanzanite Trail #.2, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
e-mail: njcombo@gmail.com
Back to top
| Does your wife ever get in your way? |
By Steve Fontenot
You
know…like when you both want to brush your teeth...or use the mirror?
Well, mine does. And I sure am glad! I don't know what it would be like
to do everything alone, never see anyone but self in the mirror...that
sounds lonely, and I’m not into lonely. “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is
not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for
him.’…And the Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had
taken from the man, and brought her to the man” (Gen. 2:18-24). “In
everything give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:17). Thank you, Lord, for a loving
companion to be “in the way”!
____
18542 Crestline Road, Humble, TX 77396
e-mail: sp63@mac.com
Back to top
By Andy Diestelkamp
One
of the things in math that students tend to balk at is the requirement
to “show their work.” Sometimes the work that is to be shown seems so
menial that they just don’t understand why they can’t skip that step.
As one who has struggled mightily in math, I can certainly sympathize
with the desire to get it over with as quickly as possible.
Nevertheless, from a more mature perspective, I can now see the value
of not just having the right answer but knowing how one arrives at that
answer.
Similarly, many of us have felt our eyes glaze over
during some sales presentation, legal fine print, or some other
prolonged and detailed explanation. As we tire of the details, we are
wont to say, “Just give me the bottom-line!” No doubt, this phrase
derives from itemized estimates, receipts, or other accountings. The
“bottom line” is the answer after all the numbers have been crunched
through whatever formulas. Many people do not want to sift through all
the data to arrive at an answer. They just want the answer.
I am
convinced that it is this way for many when it comes to the study,
teaching, and application of God’s word. We like to have ready answers
(nothing wrong with that - 1 Pet. 3:15), but sometimes we are not as
concerned with how we arrive at those answers. Some people just want
bottom-line answers to spiritual questions instead of answers that show
their work.
It is one thing if after adequate study we come to
answers that we will use as beginning points in future studies.
However, when we are preaching to groups of people from all walks of
life and at various ages and stages of spiritual growth, we have to
take care to “show our work” so they know how we come to our
conclusions.
For example, some children are raised believing
that dancing is wrong. After 50 years of teaching simply that dancing
is wrong without “showing our work,” it is inevitable that there will
be all kinds of misunderstandings. The failure to show how
we came to the conclusion that dancing is wrong may seem unimportant to
some as long as we are “toeing the line” on dancing (whatever that is).
A steady diet of bottom-line preaching may involve the next generation
in condemning the guiltless (Matt. 12:7).
However, bottom-line
preaching is not unique to those who bind where they should not. It
also inhibits the growth and development of those who imagine for
themselves liberties that are actually occasions for the flesh (Gal.
5:13). Most children are raised believing that dancing is alright. It
is encouraged socially from grade school age up. After 50 years of
simply affirming that dancing is a liberty (and that those who oppose
it are legalistic prudes) without “showing their work,” it is
inevitable that there will be gross misapplications. The failure to
show how they came to that
conclusion may seem unimportant to some as long as their imagined
liberty remains intact. In this case, a steady diet of
bottom-line preaching often sees the next generation involved in
lasciviousness and unable to discern both good and evil (Heb. 5:14).
This
article is not about dancing! It is about the need to “show our work,”
or, as Paul put it, “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain
from every form of evil” (1 Thes. 5:21,22). Too often we assume what
needs to be proven. If we are concerned about our children and their
children standing fast in the truth and making proper application of it
in their daily lives, it is imperative that we not only supply them
with the right answers, but the know-how to test all things and arrive
at those answers.
____
323 E. Indiana Avenue, Pontiac, Illinois 61764
e-mail: adiestel@frontier.com
Editor's note about emails ~Al Diestelkamp
I
have had reports that some who have tried to send email messages to me
have received a message that my mailbox is full. Actually, my mailbox
has not been full, but I haven't been able to solve the problem of
senders receiving the error message. Therefore, if you wish to contact
me by email, I suggest using a new address: aldiestel@gmail.com
|
Back to top
About Think's Editor -
Al Diestelkamp
CONTACT US
Copyright 2009 Think on
These Things
The content of this site is copyrighted but may be freely used as long
as you give credit to this website as your source.
|
