Comment RSS FeedJay Guin New Wineskins Promoting Instruments Conclusions
And So, in Conclusion …11/08/2010
5.02.11 See Danny Dodd and Royce Ogle on Legalism
John T. Willis 2. "Sing" is vocal; "make melody" is instrumental. Psalms 33:2-3; 144:9; 149:1, 3 make this crystal clear. Amos 5:23 further verifies this reality. People forget that God turned Israel over to worship the starry host because of musical idolatry at Mount Sinai. The Levites were under the KING and the COMMANDERS of the army: they made war and not worship. We will examine these passages in context.
2.20.11
Jay Guin is a good lawyer: he has come up with a new foundational authority for instrumental music. However, his premise that God commanded the king, kingdom, temple, animal sacrifices and the associated instrumental noise is wrong: there is no historic scholarship among the church fathers that God commanded that which was the result of "firing" God and demanding a human king.
by Jay Guin
September - December, 2010
Jay is pretending that the great Armageddon--war of the words and not war of the worlds-has been fought. The planned program to RESTRUCTURE ll churches of Christ into defacto Christian churches has flown the UNITY banner for several decades knowing that the full court press with the NACC white paper would be presentedwith the "traditionals" not knowing what hist them.
After the most massive and deliberate sowing of discord--counting numbers--in recorded history, and ll focused on Y2K Catholic Jubilee (for your redemption) believing that Jesus was going to return and that THEY had to unit the churches to make it POSSIBLE for Jesus to return.
This was the folly the Disciples fell into as they joined the vision of William Miller who declared that Jesus would return in 1844. The Disciples formed a society and rushed to Jerusalem to SAVE all of the Jews so that Jesus could return. Honest Disciple scholars understand that this was the breaking point between leven cordial relations with the Church of Christ. Alexander Campbell's Millenniel Harbinger was named to do an expose of ALL of the millenniel views and rejected all. That does not prevent part of the RESTORATION to the Stoneite view claim that Churches of Christ flopped when it did not adopt any of the millenniel views.
In fact, the Disciples/Christian churches were alll Stoneite at the time: Stone was interested only in a superstitious UNITY without discussing "doctrine." Stone rejected Baptism, held to an organized and ordained clergy, the mourner's bench, the Shouting Methodists and DENIED the Atonement.
Among the "scholars" this is the view being promoted and why people work so hard denying the need for baptism.
We must carefully distinguish between three issues:
The serpent was realy a "musical enchanter(ess) in the garden of Eden. Christ identifies the King of Tyre with Lucifer in the garden of Eden. Lucifer, in turn, is derived from David's "praise" word which meant to make yuourself vile.
- Is the instrument a salvation or fellowship issue?
h5172Nachash The Jews at the temple worshipped the Astrial Deites (Stars) as well as serpents.
Nachash (h5172) naw-khash'; a prim. root; prop. to hiss, i. e. whisper a (magic) spell; gen. to prognosticate: - * certainly, divine, enchanter, (use) * enchantment, learn by experience, * indeed, diligently observe.
H5173 nachash nakh'-ash From H5172 ; an incantation or augury:—enchantment.
Nachash "snake, serpent" with nshk "bite" provides a link between two verses in Amos speaking of the impossibility of escape Amos 5:19 and 9:3 - nachash often either carries overtones of the serpent in Eden (Gen 3) or of the mythology of Canaanite cultures (Is 27:1).
As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Amos 5:19
Nashak (h5391) naw-shak'; a prim. root; to strike with a sting (as a serpent); fig., to oppress with interest on a loan: - bite, lend upon usury.
"The spirits were thought to speak in murmurings or piping sounds (Isa 8:19), which could be imitated by the medium (witch or ventriloquist)...Most spiritual and popular was the interpretation of dreams.
It also was the case that mediums intentionally would convert themselves into a semi-waking trance. In this way the suitable mediums attained to a certain kind of clarvoyance, found among various peoples.
This approaches the condition of an ecstatically aroused pseudo-prophet.. In Greece, too, oracles were pronounced by the Phythian prophetess who by vapors and the like was aroused to a practice of the mantic art. (Int Std Bible Ency, p. 2466)
Miriam as a "prophetess" was an Egyptian prophetess: when she claimed real powers God slapped herewith a doseof leprosy. Prophesying meant soothsaying.
When David's old baby buring Levites "prophesied with instruments" they were SOOTHSAYING.
The End time Babylon mother of harlots (Revelation 17) uses lusted after "fruits" (same as in Amos) as speakers, singers and instrument players. John called them sorcerers. The "millstone" is the mark of the grinder or prostitutes and the brides or NYMPHS performed the Hireo Gamos. I belive that is what happens when the gender confused singers manage to get the ENERGY LEVEL up so that they are in "symphony" with his movements. Of course, you can attract the WORLD and the WISE or sophists meaning rhetoricians, singers and instrument players.
All pagans believed that their instrument was a "god" or the "house of the god." David wanted to awaken his lyre so that he could awaken the DAWN. Of course: the worship of the starry host.
- Is the instrument sin?
The issue is, is "sowing of massive discord sin?"
Prov. 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:No, the instrument is not sin. Playing an instrument and singing is not a sin. It is a sin when Jesus asks for a short time out of your important life to assemble with other disciples to listen to HIS songs and sermons. That is repudiated unless the elders as the pastor/teachers "teach that which has been taught." Christ made that absolutely a "pattern" for the Church of Christ in the wilderness. It was practiced parallel to the worship of the starry host at the Temple. It was exampled by Jesus in the synagogue, commanded with the word "ekklesia," defined and commanded by Paul and practiced by the historic Church of Christ since. In some early churches the ACT of singing was imposed in the year 373. That is defacto proof that no Bible student could imagine making music when the Body of Christ assembles with Him still as the Head and Teacher.
Prov. 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Prov. 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Prov. 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
History is absolute: any intrusion of "musical forms" into the School of Christ has sowed massive, deliberate discord. The imposing of instruments into an existing congregation amounts to "stealing the church house of widows." Jesus just said that the Pharisees just stole the "homes' or "living" of widows. They added their own doctrine specificially so that they would not have to teach the Word of God. They offered long prayers (hymns) to convince the people that they had some mediating connection with God. This was not redeemable. Jesus called the Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites: in the Ezekiel 33 version Christ named slick speakers, singers and instrument players
- Is the instrument wise?
If you can be a hypocrite and divert the monies and building to another religious group then maybe you don't burn. At the same time John called the slick speakers, singers and instrument players sorcerers in John 18 and said that sorcerers will be cast into the lake of fire. Christ in Isaiah 30 says that hell was PREPARED for His enemies: the marks in sight and sound of the present-perfect transporting is the sound of wind, string and percussion instruments.
It is my view, for the reasons stated in this series and in the earlier series on Patternism, that the answer, quite clearly, is that the instrument is neither sin nor a fellowship or salvation issue.
The Bible and most recorded history disagrees. Therefore, if anyone defines NOT using their own imagination to denounce as PATTERNISM those who have never used instruments, he is surely UNIQUE for these latter days.
Sadly, this is not the view of many of our institutions. Most of our publications and many of our colleges and universities continue to teach that the instrument is not only sinful, but damns. And this teaching, I believe, violates the gospel, running afoul of the teachings of Galatians in particular and, more generally, misunderstands the nature of the gospel and the character of God.
Rick Atchley boasted that none of the once-Christian colleges had taught against instruments for the last decade or so. That was HIS proof that no one objected. Indeed, I have been aroung and I remember a fella with a "still bleeding sheep skin" from LU boasting that he had convinced another preacher to NEVER preach against instruments again. that hs been more than 20 years. Places like ACU and Oklahoma Christian have taught JUST THE OPPOSITE: that is where Jay got his misinformation
Therefore, whether a congregation uses the instrument or not, it’s imperative that the leadership teach the true gospel of grace. Legalism separates us from Jesus and the joy of our salvation. Legalism leads to division — which really is a great sin.
The GRACES were three Greek goddess and like the MUSES were important in all pagan cults. On the other hand, God REASSIGNES words to fool the foolish.
When some insisted that Paul’s disciple, Titus, be circumcised, so that he might preach to the legalists, Paul declared that he “did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved“ (Galatians 2:5 ESV).
The Jewish Apostles validated that Paul was preaching the same gospel. Paul said that until one had OBEYED the form of the gospel by being baptized he would not be FREE FROM SIN. There is no grace to people who violate direct commands and teach others to do so.
Those disciples who have NEVER used machines to do their legalistic work understand that whether one is circumcised or not has NOTHING to do with what one does in the ekklesia or synagogue which is a SCHOOL of the WORD. Jesus commanded that WE "Teach what HE commanded to be taught." He ddid not teach but inmany cases treated the musical performers with contempt. After school, you can go out and emasculate yourself and become a priest of Cybele as a musical and sexual performer.
But then, Paul did allow Timothy to be circumcised. You see, it’s all about freedom. And sometimes we give up our freedom to be more effective evangelists — as in the case of Timothy — but we never, ever give up our freedom in order to affirm the views of the legalists among us.
Therefore, it might be entirely appropriate and wise to surrender the instrument in a culture and place where the instrument interferes with teaching the gospel. But it’s never appropriate to surrender the instrument to appease those who argue for a diminished, weakened gospel within the church. No, within the church we are called to work for a strong, robust gospel that brings freedom to our congregations —
Any time an instrument is being PLAYING then "teaching the gospel OF THE KINGDOM" is being interfered with.
If most Christian churches tossed their instruments and instrumentalist out in the parking lot there is very little in common with the historiic Church of Christ.
No church of Christ has ever cared much what the Christian churches Jay is defending does or does not do. Nor, does it have time enough to worry about what other churches of Christ are doing across town. Each church--like the historic synagogue--worked in small assemblies scattered around the city. They all spoke the same things because they obeyed Romans 15 and spoke "that which is written for our learning." The synagoue had a scheduled reading program and did not permit sermons or praise service. Those who add instruments automatically EXCLUDE everyone who knows the Biblical teaching.
(Galatians 5:1 ESV) 1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
See How Paul repudiates Jay Guin
Humneo in Prose, celebrate in a hymn, commemorate, 2 .descant upon, in song or speech, II. tell over and over again, harp upon, repeat, recite, Proverbs 1:20, sing, recite the form of the law, Id.Lg.871a: chant X.Ages.11.2John 3:32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.Since none of the Bible is by measure or metric, I suspect that He left "music" as a MARK.
John 3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent
speaketh the words of God:
for God giveth not the Spirit by measure (metron) unto him.
Metron II.metre, Ar.Nu.638, 641, etc.; opp. melos (music) and rhuthmos (time), Pl.Grg.502c, etc.; logouspsilouseismetratithentes putting into verse, Id.Lg.669d; taenmetrôipepoiêmenaepêX.Mem. 1.2.21 .
CHRIST DIED TO REMOVE THE LADED BURDEN AND THE BURDEN LADERS.
The burden Jesus removed was:
Of course, we must also honor our obligations to our brothers as instructed by Paul in Romans 14.
- Phortizo (g5412) for-tid'-zo; from 5414; to load up (prop. as a vessel or animal), i.e. (fig.) to overburden with ceremony (or spiritual anxiety):- lade, be heavy laden.
- Epôidos , on, epaidô A. singing to or over, using songs or charms to heal wounds, epôidoi muthoi Pl.Lg.903b . b. Subst., enchanter, e. kai goês E.Hipp. 1038 (but goês e. Ba.234): c. gen., a charm for or against, c. c. dat., assisting, profitable, 2. Pass., sung to music, phônai Plu.2.622d ; fit for singing, poiêtikên e. parechein S.E.M.6.16 . 2. epôidos, ho, verse or passage returning at intervals, in Alcaics and Sapphics, D.H.Comp.19 ; chorus, BURDEN,
(Romans 14:21 ESV) 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.We must not push anyone to sin against his or her conscience. If a congregation adds an instrument and they have members who cannot worship in good conscience with an instrument, they might obey Paul’s instructions by adding a new service.
Paul always OUTLAWS the hypocritic roles which Christ consigned to the marketplace BEFORE he defines what he often calls synagogue. The synagogue of Christ OUTLAWS music from the wilderness onward.
No, those who want to IMPOSE are defined as the SECTARIANS and minimal honesty demands that THEY join an instrumental group or purchase their own. Everyone knows that the DIVIDED FELLOWSHIP is one of the steps to going fully instrumental.
But just so, those members who consider the instrument sin must obey Paul’s commands, too —
(Romans 14:4 ESV) 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.Wow! in Romans 14 Paul excluded "doubtful disputations" which means any private diversity which does not EDIFY. In Romans 15 Paul outlawed all of the "performing" arts which create mental excitement and make school of the
- (Romans 14:10 ESV) 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God … .
Word impossible. Then he commanded "thatwhich is written for our learning" to be spoken with ONE MIND and ONE MOUTH. The "glossa" is the HUMAN voice which is exclusive of the flute glossas.
Then, since nothing which arises out of HUMAN IMAGINATION well articulated in the marketplace where all of the Roman sects took their meals on gather day, is able to ENHANCE the songs and sermons of God in Christ, in Romanms 15 Paul ABSOLUTELY outlawed all of the hypocritic arts which created "mental excitement" or added by the decision of the body and commanded that they use THAT WHICH IS WRITTEN.But Jesus, aware of their reasonings (dialogismos), answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning (dialogizomai = verb form) in your hearts? (Luke 5:22) (Comment: In the majority of occurrences of the verb dialogizomai is used for the deliberations of Jesus’ opponents, Mk 2:6, 8, or the interpersonal deliberations of the disciples, Mk 8:16ff)
But He (Jesus) knew what they (his opponents) were thinking (dialogismos), and He said to the man with the withered hand, "Rise and come forward!" And he rose and came forward. (Luke 6:8)
And an argument (dialogismos) arose among them (the disciples) as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking (dialogismos) in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side (Luke 9:46-47)
And He said to them, "Why are you (disciples at His post-resurrection appearance) troubled, and why do doubts (dialogismos) arise in your hearts? (Luke 24:38) (Here dialogismos denotes unspoken thoughts concerning the truth of what they see, hence ‘questionings’, ‘doubts’)
Vine notes that dialogismos is...
chiefly in the N.T. in an evil sense, of reasonings that are the outcome of self-will, reasonings of the natural mind in independence of God. So in the LXX (e.g., Lam. 3:60), “imaginations.”...Dialogismos sometimes means inward questioning, sometimes dispute... the inward reasonings which find expression in controversy and contention. (Vine, W. Collected Writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson )
As alluded to above, in the NT, dialogismos is used mainly in an evil sense describing reasoning that is the outcome of self-will. Here it describes reasoning of the natural mind in independence of God. In (see note Romans 1:21) it denotes the false notions about God, entertained in opposition to the facts revealed concerning Him in nature. We see this in Matthew's use...
Rom. 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak,The "discord" would only happen in the marketplace. Any student of the Bible and history knows that there were three SECTDS in Rome which had different diets and would show up at the "bean" shop or the pagan temples which supplied the meant. ALL of these sects were INSTRUMENTAL and that is where "doubtful disputations" are simply SILENCED so that everyone can attend synagogue where NO ONE gets a voice but Christ.
and not to please ourselves.
Christ defined the Qahal, synagogue or Church of Christ in the wilderness.
It was INCLUSIVE of Rest, reading and rehearsing the Word: what a dicciple does in SCHOOL while quarantined from the Levi tribe--cursed by Jacob--carried out the worship of the starry host and PROFANED the sabbath or REST day because they had been ABANDONED.
It was EXCLUSIVE of "vocal or instrumental rejoicing" because reverent do not play childish musical games when the Word (Dabar-Logos) teaches HIS words.
That never changed and any Bible student (Disciple) would grasp that Paul in Romans 14 EXCLUDED private opinion which among the three sects were INSTRUMENTAL. No: you canot do that because it does not edify meaning educate.
Rom. 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom. 14:18 For he that in these things
serveth Christ is acceptable to God,
and approved of men
Doul-euō , (doulos) A. to be a slave of ChristRom. 14:19 Let us therefore follow after
OPPOSED TO Hdt. 2.56
Hedone give way to pleasure, one feels pleasure at the thought that, speak so as to please another, pleasant lust, Khrao
Khrao I. in Act. of the gods and their oracles, proclaim, abs., “khreiōn muthēsato Phoibos” 8.79:Plat. Phaedrus 238e upon that definition, and tell what advantage or harm will naturally come from the lover or the non-lover to him who grants them his favors. He who is ruled by desire and is a slave to pleasure will inevitably desire to make his beloved as pleasing to himself as possible.
b. khrēsthai tini (without philō) to be intimate with a man, X.Hier.5.2, Mem.4.8.11;
Hom. Od. 8.46 Then the herald drew near, leading the good minstrel, whom the Muse loved above all other men, and gave him both good and evil; of his sight she deprived him, but gave him the gift of sweet song. [65] For him Pontonous, the herald, set a silver-studded chair in the midst of the banqueters, leaning it against a tall pillar, and he hung the clear-toned lyre from a peg close above his head, and showed him how to reach it with his hands. And beside him he placed a basket and a beautiful table, [70] and a cup of wine, to drink when his heart should bid him. So they put forth their hands to the good cheer lying ready before them. But when they had put from them the desire of food and drink, the Muse moved the minstrel to sing of the glorious deeds of warriors, from that lay the fame whereof had then reached broad heaven, [75] even the quarrel of Odysseus and Achilles, son of Peleus, how once they strove with furious words at a rich feast of the gods, and Agamemnon, king of men, was glad at heart that the best of the Achaeans were quarrelling; for thus Phoebus Apollo, in giving his response, had told him that it should be [80] in sacred Pytho, when he passed over the threshold of stone to enquire of the oracle. For then the beginning of woe was rolling upon Trojans and Danaans through the will of great Zeus.
Now to one who is of unsound mind
everything is pleasant which does not oppose him,
but everything that is better or equal is hateful.
[239a] So the lover will not, if he can help it, endure a beloved who is better than himself or his equal, but always makes him weaker and inferior; but the ignorant is inferior to the wise, the coward to the brave, the poor speaker to the eloquent, the slow of wit to the clever. Such mental defects, and still greater than these, in the beloved will necessarily please the lover, if they are implanted by Nature, and if they are not, he must implant them or be deprived of his immediate enjoyment.
the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
In Romans 15 Paul defined "synagogue" exactly as Christ ordained it in the wilderness as a Word of Christ only ACADEMY (Latin in Numbers 10).
Areskos (Greek) or Placeo (Latin) OUTLAWS all spectator-focused rituals so that THE WORD of God as written lcould be taught: you cannot AID God without being a heretic. And the Areskos word specificially points to HERESY which includes the parasites making noise to make the lambs dumb before the slaughter so that the slaughter-priest or HERETIC could lift them up to CUT THEIR THROATS. That is the MARK of using music to GET THE ENERGY LEVEL UP.
All of the performing arts (lying wonders) by people strongly deluded because they have no respect for the Word. Imposing instruments IS HERESY which is used of one who TAKES a city or TAKES a church. This paper goes beyond Romans 15 which EXCLUDES everything that does not enhance edification which means EDUCATION: you cannot EDUCATE with machines but you CAN shut down the rational (spiritual) hemisphere as you open the right or FEMININE hemisphere.
http://www.piney.com/Heresy.Music.html
We can not be SHAKEN becaue the END-TIME The-O-Lites are the only ones FORCED into justifying their sectarianism. The Disciples first used PSALLO in 1878 still trying to get the Churches of Christ to join their Disciples/Christian church denomination.
John still calls them SORCERERS in Revelation 18 and the MARK of God driving His enemies into hell (Isaiah 30) is the sight and sounds of wind, string and percussion instrumentes Lucifer brought into the garden of Eden. Christ identifies Tyre as Lucifer "the singing and harp playing prostitute" in the garden of Eden. Of course the Assyrians were the TALLEST TREES in the mist of the garden.
Rom. 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Rom. 15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
Rom. 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom. 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom. 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, this brings us to the question of wisdom and expedience. How does a congregation decide whether to worship with an instrument? The usual approach is political: how will the members respond? A better approach is missional: how will the lost respond?
The elders must wrestle with their congregation’s reaction, but this is a matter of teaching and pastoring toward serving God’s mission. But there can be no question of whether the church will serve God’s mission. It must! The question is, rather, how best to do so, and the answer will vary from place to place.
But it’s very easy to assume that what’s convenient is also what’s right. It’s more convenient and less scary not to change, and so we look for reasons not to change. What we should do instead is look at the data — what does experience teach us about the impact of instrumental music on a church’s effectiveness?
Here’s what I know —
The evidence is that instrumental music helps a church reach the lost. That’s not to say that a cappella churches can’t. Some do. Nor is that to say that all instrumental churches are evangelistically effective. Many are not. Rather, the point is simply that the instrumental service helps.
- The independent Christian Churches, which are doctrinally very similar to the a cappella Churches of Christ other than the instrument, are growing rapidly. The a cappella Churches of Christ are in numeric decline.
- The a cappella Churches of Christ have very few congregations over more than 1,000 members. The independent Christian Churches have far more.
- The largest a cappella Churches of Christ that have added an instrument, such as The Hills (formerly Richland Hills) Church of Christ and Farmers Branch Church of Christ, when they expand to a new campus, offer only instrumental services at their new campuses, because they find their growth coming largely in the instrumental services.
- The fastest growing congregations outside of the Restoration Movement offer contemporary instrumental services. They may also offer traditional organ music or traditional hymns with piano, but they’ve all added contemporary instrumental services, because this is where their growth occurs.
- I recently interviewed a leader in church planting among Restoration Movement churches. His organization supports both a cappella and instrumental church plants. I asked whether the choice whether to use the instrument impacts the success of the plant. He listed the most effective, most evangelistic church plants he knew, and they were instrumental.
The pagan temples thought that music helped to seduce the "worshipers" so they could be fleeced before they left town. Know it: there is no "law of giving." That would be LEGALISM. Therefore NO PERSON gets to decide what THEY will do with YOUR money and property. The masses who flee their property KNOW the persona even if they cannot put it into words; the music "symphonia" also speaks of the "bodies moving together" in a virtual sexual encounter. History marks them.
Sound Doxology: The Effeminate Worship Leader. No known exception including the Levites.
John Calvin quipped: "Why should the ploughing oxen suffer and the lazy ass rest."
That's what Jesus thought when H issued the absolute command
Matt. 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.For the MANY demanding a wage in Corinth Paul MARKED a mann of God.
Matt. 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Matt. 28:19
Go ye therefore,
and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matt. 28:20
2Cor. 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:You cheat when you try to attract the butterflies looking for the best musical venue. NO! DON'T JOIN THEM.
2Cor. 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,
in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
2Cor. 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
2Cor. 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
2Cor. 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
2Cor. 6:8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
2Cor. 6:9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
2Cor. 6:10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
2Cor. 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:And instrumental music only helps if the worship is in a contemporary style. The music has to speak to the “heart language” of the worshipers. A church that worships to Bach cantatas — as beautiful as they are — will not do well, because the surrounding community won’t find their hearts moved toward God by Bach.
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness?
2Cor. 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial?
or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
2Cor. 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said,
I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Cor. 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Cor. 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul called the PLAY or musical idolatry the WORSHIP OF DEMONS.
Worship is in the PLACE of the human spirit and NOT in the lust of the eyes and ears. Paul said that the believers worshipped IN THE SPIRIT as opposed to IN THE FLESH. That was because the DOGS or Cynic Catamites would be howling to try to get in.
It’s interesting to ponder why the choice between instrumental and a cappella matters. I think it’s for these reasons —
While it’s possible to defend the choice of a cappella music as a matter of tradition, it’s impossible to defend our frequent insistence on a cappella music, where we even bind our congregation’s tradition on other churches. When we insist that the churches we plant or the missionaries we support worship a cappella, we make a law where God didn’t make a law and we do so at the cost of missional effectiveness. When we do this, we prove ourselves to still be trapped in legalism — and this legalism harms our ability to seek and save the lost. Indeed, we’re often willing to handicap our missionaries and church planters just to avoid having to keep two families in our home congregation happy — no matter how many souls that decision costs God. We are often far more about avoiding conflict than saving souls. And avoiding conflict means avoiding an opportunity to teach.
- A cappella music is very much outside the mainstream of American music. You’d struggle to find CDs of a cappella music in the record store. Few people outside the Churches of Christ could name an a cappella singer or composer. Therefore, when a church insists on exclusively a cappella music, it has to defend its unusual taste in music.
- In the minds of many in the Churches of Christ, a cappella music is a salvation issue. And that attitude is closely tied to the idea that only members of the Churches of Christ will go to heaven. Thus, a cappella music reminds many of the sectarian attitude that we are trying to escape.
You see, it’s all about the mission — whether we are willing to do whatever it takes to be effective in seeking and saving the lost. And until we have that attitude, we’ll not be effective. If we’re not willing to lay our worship preferences at the foot of the cross as a sacrifice to Jesus, our hearts won’t be right and our ministry won’t be effective.
Now, this surely sounds as though I’m insisting that we give up a cappella music — but I’m not. I’m just saying that we have to be willing to give it up for the sake of Christ if it would help. And once we have that attitude, we’ll no longer ask: “Are you saying we have to give up a cappella music?” Rather, we’ll ask, “Will adding an instrumental service help us be more effective servants of Jesus?”
And once we are willing to ask that question, it becomes essential that we figure out a way for our congregations to share experiences about how to make the transition, how not to make the transition, whether the transition to an instrumental service actually helped serve God’s mission, where instruments have helped and where they haven’t, and how we can do it all better.
You see, once we understand that mission matters more than the choice of worship style, those become critical questions — and they are best answered in community. Questions of expedience and wisdom are answered, in large part, based on shared wisdom and experience. No congregation should have to struggle with these issues alone.
We are at a crossroads: will we pursue tradition even if it costs souls? Or will we turn the internal conflict over the instrument into an opportunity to teach a better, truer gospel — so that our churches will have the freedom to serve as effectively as God’s will allows? And are we willing to openly discuss and share our experiences, good and bad, about whether to make to add instrumental services and how best to do it? Will we make our decision based on what is easy or what best serves God’s mission to redeem the world?
THAT'S TRUE AND RIGHT ON TIME
2 Thess 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:2 Thess 2:1 NOW we beseech you, brethren,
by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and by our gathering together unto him,2 Thess 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind,
or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us,
as that the day of Christ is at hand.2 Thess 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means:
for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,
and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Judas was the Judas Goat and the Judas Bag was for carrying the mouth pieces of wind instruments. His task was to SHAKE Jesus into failing by forcing Him as those who are going ECUMENICAL teach that they are MAKING IT POSSIBLE for Jesus to return by forcing everyone to join the same movement. Does that ring a bell?
Glôsso-komeion , to, ( [komeô] ) case to keep the reeds or tongues of musical instruments, Lysipp.5: generally, casket,: more freq. in form glôsso-komon , to, case, casket; compartment in a water-organ,2 Thess 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God,
or that is worshipped;
so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,
shewing himself that he is God.
2Th.2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with the SPIRIT of his MOUTH,
and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2 Thess 2:9 Even him, whose coming is
Opĕrātĭo A. A religious performance, service, or solemnity, a bringing of offerings: operationes denicales, offerings,
after the working of Satan with all power
and signs and lying wonders,
Error a wandering (star), straying or strolling about, a departing from the truth, an error, mistake, delusion of other kinds of mental perturbation, as fear, Mentior also, to invent, feign, of a poetical fiction: ORATORS
Teras thaumaston, an incredible statement. to have in admiration.
Organon , to, ( [ergon, erdô] ) I. an implement, instrument, engine of any kind
A. instrument, implement, tool, for making or doing a thing musical instrument, of the pipe
2.organ of sense or apprehension, theaomai, gaze at, behold, mostly with a sense of wonder,
3.view as spectators, esp. in the theatre a sense of wonder, view as spectaror
“met' ōdēs kai tinōn organōn”
Aoida war-note, of the trumpet, B.17.4 Aoid-ê 5. = eppsdê, spell, incantation
Aeidô To sing. Cantio: An incantation or charm.
Ergon mostly of deeds of WAR, polemêïa erga, 3.a hard piece of WORK, a hard task,
Il.: also, a SHOCKING deed or act, Polemeios: warlike, Myths, speaking, OCCUPATION
Aoida war-note, of the trumpet, B.17.4 Aoid-ê 5. = eppsdê, spell, incantation
Aeidô To sing. Cantio: An incantation or charm.
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth,
that they might be saved. (The Abaddon, Apollyon god) 2 Thess 2:10
Plane (g4106) plan'-ay; fem. of 4108 (as abstr.); obj. fraudulence; subj. a straying from orthodoxy or piety: - deceit, to deceive, delusion, error.
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 1Jn.4:6
Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. Ju.1:11
These are spots in your feasts of charity,
when they feast with you,
feeding themselves without fear:
clouds they are without water, carried about of winds;
trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead,
plucked up by the roots; Jude 1:12Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame;
wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. Jude 1:1314 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having mens persons in admiration because of advantage.
Planetes (g4107) plan-ay'-tace; from 4108; a rover ("planet"), i.e. (fig.) an erratic teacher: - wandering.
Planos (g4108) plan'-os; of uncert. affin.; roving (as a tramp), i.e. (by impl.) an impostor or misleader: - deceiver, seducing.
NOW the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 1Ti.4:1
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 2Jn.1:7
2 Thess 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Jay Guin grew up in northwest Alabama where he learned both the joys and tribulations of the Churches of Christ first hand. He attended David Lipscomb College (now University) in Nashville, majoring in mathematics. At Lipscomb he met, wooed, and married his wife Denise. Jay and Denise have four sons, two of whom graduated from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. Jay’s oldest son, Chris, works in Boston, where he’s part of a church plant. Jonathan is a tax attorney with Ernst & Young in Boston. Another son, Tyler, is attending Auburn University, studying chemical engineering, and the youngest, Philip, is studying computer science at the University of Alabama. After clerking for a federal judge for a year, Jay returned to Tuscaloosa (and the University Church of Christ) to practice law, founding his own firm, Tanner & Guin, LLC, in 1984. Jay has been very active in church, and now serves there as an elder and in leading the effort to merge his congregation with the Alberta Church of Christ, the relocation of the congregation, and two major building programs. Jay has recently spoken at the Pepperdine Lectureship, ACU Lectureship, the Harding University Lectureship, the Lipscomb lectureship (called Summer Celebration), and at ElderLink programs in Atlanta. You can read his bio on his site at [http://oneinjesus.info/about-the-author/] and contact him through the information there.
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