I want to say before we begin that please pardon my raspy
throat. I didn't have a voice this
morning and I'm trying to do the best I can to forge ahead and
push through it, but will hopefully not lose that again.
Let me Begin by first saying that when the Apostle Paul wrote
those things, as he was divinely inspired by the holy spirit in
both Ephesians chapter 5. And also in Colossians chapter
3, Three that in those passages of scripture, we are commanded
to sing. It's just talking about the
times when we would assemble with those of, like, Precious
faith and Worship the Great God of heaven.
But in those commands to sing, No player on any instrument, can
read in the New Testament. Any passage, which commands him
to play such an instrument. I realized today, that singing
and instrumental music in the church in the religious world is
a much debated. Issue that has been for many
years. We are talking about, though, a
religious question when we speak about something that is to be
found in the worship of the church.
So, all that being said, when we deal with religious questions,
we must understand that no question is settled, right until
it is settled according to the proper Authority and Nolan and
the proper Authority is none other than the New Testament for
all. All religious questions today.
You know, it can never be a matter of what you think can
never be a matter of what I think it can never be a matter
of what you like and certainly it can never be a matter of what
I like, we must always determine what the scriptures teach on the
subject and find out what is found in the New Testament.
When we talk about the church, we recognize that the church is
a new testament institution that institution there Raised up
Jesus Christ and no one else. It is not of Moses or any other
Old Testament Bible character. But Jesus Christ and him only
therefore, we must look to Jesus Christ in his last will and
testament and look to the laws that govern our work and worship
in the church. You remember that much confusion
arose in the early days of the church, over the effort of some
of the Jews to bind on churches, the ordinances of the law of
Moses. You know, and Wednesday night
services, we've been talking about the 14th chapter of the
book of Acts, we all were almost to the end of the fourteenth
chapter. But what we find in the 15th
chapter is there were judaizers that were entering into the body
of Christ. We're talking about people that
were Jewish by Blood and yet they were baptized into Christ,
they were members of the Lord's church and what they were trying
to do is they were trying to bind an ordinance from the Old
Law and and apply that to those Gentiles that would enter into
the flock. For example, we look back at the
history of the Jews, and the Jews had great disdain for the
Gentiles, because the Jews were God's people.
And so, when the Jews were converted to Christianity in the
back of their mind, no doubt. They still held some of those
biases and prejudices against the Gentiles.
So, this is what they said, there was a group or a sect, or
a faction of the church that were Jewish by blood that word.
Trying to bind circumcision on the Gentiles.
Another words we really don't have any other choice.
We have to accept them on the same terms concerning baptism
and salvation but we're going to add one more thing.
We're going to tell the Gentiles that they cannot be saved,
unless they are circumcised to the Apostle.
Paul had to address such issues. Somebody might say, well, what
about Timothy? Why did Paul encouraged Timothy
to be circumcised. What's the difference?
The difference was in circumcising Timothy, it would
cause him to have a greater influence for the cause of
Christ among those that are unconverted Jews, when he would
preach the gospel. Here's the point, and here's the
problem. The problem was those in Acts 15
were binding, the ordinance of circumcision on members of the
Lord's Church. Gentiles if you will and making
that a test of Fellowship, whether they would be accepted
or whether they would not be, but any part in any effort to
bind on Christians, the law of Moses or any other part of it,
results in a sect results, in a faction results in division.
Supporting instrumental music in the worship based upon Old
Testament practices is certainly no different.
Today let me make a very bold statement here that instruments
of Music are prohibited in the scriptures even though you will
not find a passage of scripture that expressly forbids the
practice of using instrumental music.
Now why do I say that? How many times has somebody said
show me the passage of scripture That expressly forbids, a
particular practice. Well, you will not find a
passage of scripture that says, Thou shalt not have instruments
of Music in the assembly. But I am saying this according
to the commands of the New Testament.
Instruments of Music are prohibited and violate God's
laws in the word of God. We have commands, we have direct
commands, but direct commands are often.
Times used with different terms. There are inclusive terms and
are there are exclusive terms, it includes the thing that is
commanded and at the very same time, it excludes all other
things that are not mentioned. For example, in just a little
while, some brothers going to come up here and he's going to
wait on the table and we are going to commune together with
our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
When Jesus gave the command and the Apostle Paul did too.
When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, he did this, he took one
loaf of unleavened bread and he said it is representative of or
it signifies the body of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Took only one cup and the cup was representative of the
New Testament or New Covenant by which we are bound and contained
therein. The cup is the fruit of the vine
and nothing else and the fruit of the Pine is symbolic of the
blood of Jesus Christ. Now what is the inclusive part
of that command? And that example the inclusive
part is one loaf one cup and contained therein the fruit of
the Vine. What is the exclusive part?
The exclusive part is everything else.
You cannot exclude anything else.
You cannot add anything else. When Jesus took one low-fat
automatically excluded two lobes.
When Jesus Took a piece of that bread and passed it around and
they all did the same. That's the inclusive part.
The exclusive part is, you can't break it down the middle and
send one down one side and the other down the other side.
When Jesus took one loaf of our one cup on that table, it
eliminated multiple cups. Individual cups of any variety.
And any number You know, there is a particular religion today.
I know a little bit about that because I lived next door to
them. When we were growing up, we
lived in Ojai And, you know, they actually believe that you
can use water on the Lord's table.
And I question that I said, but the Lord Jesus instituted, the
Lord's supper with grape juice and they said we can use 7Up if
we want to as long as we pretend, or as long as we allow
it to symbolize the blood of Christ, But when Jesus use the
fruit of the vine grape juice, it excluded, everything else and
anything else. We cannot add our favorite dish
on the ground that it was not expressly.
Forbidden, the command of baptized Believers in Mark, 16,
15 and 16. When Jesus says he that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved.
He that believeth not shall be, damned the inclusive.
Part who gets to be baptized for the remission?
Omission of their sins. They that believe?
And that that word belief, meaning more than just accepting
of facts, it means having the forced to obey.
So it includes those that are willing to abide by the
teachings, of the New Testament. Somebody hears, the gospel, they
believe it has the forced to obey.
They are candidates for baptism, that is inclusive.
What is exclusive? The unbelievers and everyone
else because to be baptized Direct prerequisite is to
believe having the forced to obey the commander saying
excludes any other kind of music even if it is not expressly
forbidden. I want to make this point.
It is a denominational position. It is a denominational position
which even some among our ranks as members of the body of Christ
have adopted. This particular Theory, this
particular practice, it is a denominational position that
whatever is not expressly. Forbidden is allowed another
words I want to add this practice, I want to do this
thing. I want to add this to our
worship service. I want to add that in my
spiritual life. I want to do things and you tell
me in the scripture where those things are expressly forbidden.
That is a denominational position and sadly even among
some they have adopted the practice of whatever is not
expressly. Forbidden is allowed, I like
what a brother said. One time though, when he said,
you know, I'm getting tired of hearing everybody say, show me
where it's wrong, show me where it's wrong, show me where it's
wrong. I'm waiting for someone.
That is, that is willing to adopt a brand new practice that
we've not seen before, or done before in the Lord's church and
tell me where it's right. Tell me where to write whatever
is not expressly forbidden. Oftentimes, it is the thinking
of today that is allowed, but in commands, we have generic and
specific terms to like, for example, in Matthew chapter 28,
and 19. And 20, Jesus says 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 Always even to the end of the world Jesus gave a direct
command and what was that that we have to go to All Nations.
And we have to make disciples of all Nations.
We have to go and baptize them into the name of the father and
the son and of the Holy Ghost and then we must teach them to
observe all things. That Jesus said, I have
commanded you, that is a direct command.
With a generic term. You know what the generic term
is there? The generic term is the word go.
Jesus didn't tell me how to go, he just said go.
So guess what? I can choose to walk.
I can ride a skateboard. I don't want to do that.
I can even do that, I can ride a bicycle, I can ride a motorcycle
in the Philippines. It's filled with motorcycles
back. If you eliminated motorcycles,
they wouldn't get around. It's so expensive to drive a car
because gas is like $4 a gallon and they're not making anything
so you can just imagine how handy a motorcycle comes and you
find preachers riding their motorcycles everywhere.
They go to get around, that is scriptural, why?
Because Jesus didn't say how to go, he just said, go, I can ride
in a car, I can get on a bus, I can get on a train, I can even
do what I just did and get on an airplane and fly some 9,000
miles away from home and preach. the gospel and never violate the
direct command and the Great Commission because Jesus simply
said, go However, what if Jesus would have said walk to All
Nations, that would have been very difficult for all of us to
do, but if he would have said walk, we might with our human
reasoning and wisdom sit back and say, well, that's just
impossible. I'll just add this or all a bat
after all, there's no other way that I can get there, but if
Jesus would have said in a specific term to walk, I would
violate his direct command. If I rode that bike.
If I rode that motorcycle, if I got on a bus train plane or
whatever, because Jesus gave a direct command though, with a
generic term, we can choose the manner in which we travel but
let's go further music. The word music is in itself.
A generic term have the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5 and
Colossians. 3 said, make sure when you come together Have
music in your worship service. That would have been a generic
term and not a specific term and because of that, we could choose
all manner of Music, we could have had country western music.
We can have rock music, we would do that.
I'm just saying, if he gave a generic term that everything's
included, you can add it all in. You can have instruments of
music with a piano only with an Again, with the band with an
orchestra, you can do all manner of things.
If Paul would have said, have music in the worship because
that is a generic term, but Singh is a specific term and the
Apostle Paul said, that's the kind of music.
That's the only kind of music that is allowed.
From God's people, we would violate the commands of the
Apostle. Paul divinely inspired by the
Holy Spirit by having any other kind of music in the service,
other than singing authority to play.
The instrument is not found in any passage that commands us to
sing. Now I want to talk about a
common argument. I know I have a common argument
over here. By the way we're going to talk
about some specific things about this argument that was between a
Baptist preacher and a Church of Christ preach.
And some of the things that they said, here's another argument
though, for those that are Advocates of instrumental music,
they say I know that Paul said to sing but really it is an
expedient to have an instrument of Music.
Folks. How many times has somebody said
that some practices, the same thing as a songbook?
Well, same thing as having songbook if you say that that's
wrong within a song book is wrong, I contend right now, that
one of these things is an expedient and one is not.
But to those that are Advocates of instrumental music, they use
the word expedient, while refusing to understand its
definition, the word expedient though.
Means by definition something fit, or suitable to the end in
view for something to be a Bible.
Expedient, it has to be something that aids Us in the
end result of what is commanded. Now, it expedites the doing of
the thing that is commanded. Instrumental music cannot be an
expedient because it in no way assist the singing because it is
a different kind of music. What about a song book, though?
You know, we have people here but men here that can stand up
and grab a songbook. And lead a song when they've
never seen it before. I've always been quite impressed
by that I cannot But you know what?
I even I understand I understand the elements are the things that
are involved in singing. What is involved in singing, I'm
not talking about any other kind of music I'm talking about
singing, the two things that are involved.
Very simple, I know, but words are one of them and the tune is
something else. A song book gives us an
expedient to do just that it tells us the words and it guides
us through the tomb. For a song book is an expedient.
The essential idea and the singing that's required by Paul
was teaching and admonishing and making melody in the Heart.
Instrumental music does not Aid Us in doing any of those.
Therefore it cannot be a Bible expedient, if one wishes to make
a noise or a particular sound than an instrument of Music
could be an expedient, but if we are going, as one man said, one
time, if we are going to follow, what the Apostle, Paul
commanded. Instrumental, music is a
hindrance. How many times has people
argued? Well as just a small Edition?
After all, we're still worshipping, we still mean.
Well, but when we look to additions to worship, the Bible
says, about the things that were written of old, or a four-time
in the Old Testament, were written for our learning.
So, let's learn and Deuteronomy chapter 12 and verse 32.
The Bible says what things soever, I command you, that
shall You? Observe and do Thou shalt not
add thereto nor diminish from it.
Simple. If we are going to worship God,
we can't add to the worship and we cannot subtract from the
worship. Perfect.
Examples of these is a very familiar example, is found in
Leviticus chapter 10 and the first seven verses there with
made a Banda by Hugh. That is a perfect example.
These men were priests. It was their business to do the
things that are commanded in the Tabernacle worship and as far as
we know, they did all of that. What's the problem?
They didn't subtract from anything?
They added something to it. Was God, pleased.
No, the Bible says that God provided fire that devoured
them, right then. And there, before God, they
mixed a worship. They added with the Lord had not
commanded. Another example with Cain and
Abel. In Genesis, chapter 4 Abel,
offered the sacrifice that God commanded.
And therefore he was approved, King substituted something of
his own choosing and because of that God refused to accept it,
God. I will accept no worship that he
has not appointed. God, commands us to sing and no
other form of music will do. I've said all of those things to
lay the groundwork before we look into the definitions and we
look into the specific wording. That's the founding the
scriptures that is used by Paul. First of all, the phrase in the
King James version that says, speaking to yourselves in
Ephesians 5:19 is better translated speaking to each
other or as its found in The New American Standard speaking to
one, another Paul gives us this instruction.
And when we realize the praise that we are directing toward
God, when we come together in the assembly and direct our
praises to God. We are also doing something with
each other. We are edifying.
One another, we are teaching one another, we are encouraging one,
another in the Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are songs,
then need to have lyrics that share truth, and that can be
understood. You know, there was a song that
used to be in that sacred selections book.
Maybe it's an others too, but it's talking about the
resurrections talking about the day of judgment and I've seen it
written. Two different ways.
I've seen it written on that bright and glorious morning when
the dead in Christ shall rise. And I've also seen it in books
on that bright and cloudless morning.
When the dead in Christ, shall rise.
I think glorious is better than cloudless, because the Bible
says, in Acts 1, Jesus is coming back with The clouds.
Now when songs in the end the song book talks about heaven, it
talks about a cloudless place that is scriptural.
But when we talk about the morning of the Resurrection,
whatever that's going to be we realize it has to be with clouds
because that's how Jesus is coming back.
So, the lyrics have to be true. They have to be true.
They have to be accurate. Also, they must be understood.
You know, there was a meeting, we all went Years ago, a big
meeting. And I'm so glad this brother did
that. I've never done that, but I'm
sure I should have because I would imagine that I've LED
songs over the years in my lifetime and maybe there was a
word or two. I didn't know what they were,
but there was a brother that got up and there was a word that we
don't commonly use. And he got up, and he said this
word, means this, before we sang the song, he said.
So now we can sing with the understanding.
Also, we need to understand what we are singing and those words
must be true and must be correct in 1st Corinthians chapter 14,
beginning in verse 15, more words of the Apostle, Paul when
he said, 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 else. When thou shalt bless with the
spirit. How shall he that occupy?
At the room of the unlearned? Say, Amen at the giving of
thanks seeing he understandeth. Not what thou sayest for thou
barely give us. Thanks well, but the other is
not edified. I thank my God.
I speak with tongues more than you all yet.
In the church, I had rather speak five words with my
understanding. That by my voice.
I might teach others also than ten thousand words.
In an unknown tongue. We have to understand.
Let me just give you a little aside here.
In the Philippines. They don't speak our English
language fluently though. They speak some, they all speak.
So but when we come together on the Lord's day when we come
together and we assemble with the large Church in the
Philippines on the Lord's day and when we commune, we need
brother do now to translate everything being said or we
cannot say Amen, we can't say, Amen, do a prayer.
We can't do that. Unless we understand when we
come together and worship, we need to sing with the
understanding. Standing.
And by the way, we do that the Philippines because the tunes of
the songs are exactly the old songs that we know, and we just
sing the English words. I got a kick out of town
Bonifay. He was sitting there trying to
sing it in Tagalog. He is no way mean.
A song. I got a kick out of that you got
to sing with the understanding also.
We need to have lyrics that we understand, and that are true.
Now, please notice that, even though speaking to one another
suggest congregational singing, and it does, now, please get
this point, we must not assume that worshipful singing is
limited to the assembly. I don't believe it.
Although I've heard it taught in my lifetime at some point in
time. I've heard it talked that we
cannot sing the songs of Praises.
Other than in the assembly, worshiping God.
I don't believe that at all. I believe in James 5, when the
Bible says, is any merry let him sing Psalms?
I think the Bible is saying if you're married, Go, sing now in
the command, in the Lord's Church, it doesn't say if you're
in a good mood, you're happier. I marry then singing The Worship
it says no it doesn't make any difference what your day is.
Like it doesn't make a difference, what your mood is,
how you feel, you come together and you will sing and you will
do it together and you will do it with the melody in your
heart, and you will do it in these Psalms hymns, and
spiritual songs, you will teach one another and admonish one,
another and encourage, and instruct one another in doing.
So that's a command James. 5 is any merry?
Let him sing. Psalms folks, we get together.
Together this afternoon. And we can gather around
somewhere and sing, we can go to my house.
We can sing, we can go to a big meeting and sit around a bonfire
and sing these songs of praise. Another thing.
There are no absolute distinctions that are drawn
between the different types of songs that Paul talks about
notice. First of all, Paul says the word
Psalm, this is a very misunderstood word of among
those that are Advocates of instrumental music.
Now, the word Psalm as described by mr.
Strong is defined like this. It is a Pious song.
It is a song of Praise. But somebody might say, no, wait
a minute. What about the original
definition? What about what faier says
about? The original definition of the
word. Psallo, what about that?
Because that word means to Twitch to twang to strike or to
pluck, but I'm going to tell you something.
If we're going to quote Fair, we better keep quoting because on
page six hundred seventy five of his greek-english.
Lexicon of the New Testament, this is what failure said this
is the same scholar. That said, it means to Twitch
twang strike or pluck in its origin.
They are gives many different nations of the of the Greek
word, psallo. From which we get the word saw
most, which is translated in the English language as Psalm.
This is what Fair says in the New Testament The word means
this in the New Testament, every time, it means to sing A Hymn,
it means to celebrate the Praises of God in song.
And then it says, Ephesians 5:19, James, 5:13 and Romans 15
and 9 Bollinger, another Greek lexicographer.
After giving the definition of the word, he said this it is
only in the in the Old Testament.
Emmett worship that musical instruments were ever.
Used, not in the New Testament nor in the early church.
Justin Martyr expressly says that instrumental music was not
found in Christian worship, JW McGarvey, one of the greatest
Scholars the world ever. Produced said this, When any man
says that by the word Saum Paul meant to authorize instrumental
music and worship is what McGarvey said?
He is a s'matter ER, in Greek who can believe anything, that
he wishes to believe because when the wish is father, to the
thought, true exegesis is like water on a duck's back.
If your hope and your desire comes before the thought of
understanding, then true exegesis or true understanding
the context of a passage is like water going off.
A duck's back, you will never understand what the word of God
teaches on the subject. When Paul said sing Psalms, the
instrument to be touched Twang and so forth is the heart.
And not a mechanical, instrument Paul said, make melody in your
heart to the Lord. How do you do that?
You do that by singing? A song of Praise.
What? About the word him?
You know, in the religious World, a lots been said about
the different words that Paul is using and saying, well, you
know, there's different words and they use this This word to
authorize instrumental music. We've proven that was never in
the New Testament. It doesn't mean that the New
Testament, so we can't do that. What about the other words?
The other words for example, the word him strong says, is a song
written in praise to God. It is a sacred song.
Matthew 26 and 30 is cited. And when they had sung A Hymn,
they went out into the Mount of Olives acts 16:25 and at
midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang, Praises unto God, and
the prisoners heard them. As a great example, they weren't
worshipping God in an assembly. Hey, weren't worshipping God in
the assembly. They were in prison.
In fact, it would have been unscriptural for them to Worship
in an unscriptural way. We're not talking about the
worship service here. We're talking about a time when
they were in prison at midnight and they were praying to God and
they were giving God the praise and they sang songs of praise
and they did so loud enough that other people that were
prisoners, heard them sing it. Singing A Hymn so you can sing
hymns, you can sing what we often times call church songs.
Anywhere you want to according to the scriptures Hebrews 2 and
12 says, I would declare thy name unto my brethren in the
midst of the church. I will sing praise unto thee.
That's the other side. You can do it away from the
church and you will do it in the Assembly of the church.
What about spiritual songs? Strong says, spiritual songs are
songs belonging to the spirit or songs that have spiritual
themes, you know, I gave you a variety of definitions and
really, there's no tremendous distinctions between the Tom's
and between the names that Paul gives there.
Throw no great distinctions between all of those.
There are no absolute distinctions that are drawn
between the different types of songs that Paul listed.
But you know if somebody was going to misunderstand or what
Paul was talking about and somebody didn't know what those
words mean, Paul clears it up by saying next the kind of music
that's to be had and that is singing.
He says Strong says the word. Singing means to sing with
voicing words in musical, tones involving Musical modulations
and inflections. You know, there are many
different unique forms of singing from different parts of
the world. I mentioned the Philippines,
just a, just a little bit ago. They do sing a little bit
differently to style, which they sing you can go to Africa.
And I've heard recordings in Africa, the Africans Terry's
been there. Where they sing.
It doesn't quite sound exactly. Like, we sing the stylist, So
forth and so on, in the manner we sing in harmony, we sing good
parts. But, you know, when we sing with
the spirit and we sing with the understanding also and we sing
words that are true and accurate and correct.
And we do so, according to the Scriptures, it doesn't make any
difference if we were in the Philippines.
If we are in Africa or were assembled here at plans Road and
sing as we sing, all those matters of singing and song is
acceptable in the eyes of God equally, so The key is this, in
our singing, it is a message and attitude and our sincerity
rather than the style that's important.
We must choose songs that are for their appropriateness and
spiritual content and the melody is made in the heart.
The heart as Thayer says, is the seat of our spiritual life.
It is the source of our thoughts, the source of our
passions and the source of our desires.
It is our Inner Man. It is our Spirit with which we
sing and the words that we sing are to originate from the
thoughts and feelings of our heart.
We sing with the spirit. And we sing with the
understanding also. You know, I never did understand
how someone thinks they can worship in spirit and in truth
and sleep. During the singing, I've seen
people do that maybe you have to sleep during the day, That's not
an item of worship that we get to decide if we're going to do
or not. We sing with the spirit, we sing
with the understanding we do. So in truth, We sing with the
melody that's in our heart and one more thing along this line
before moving on, there are many words in the New Testament that
are used symbolically or figuratively that have different
meanings in the Old Testament. For example, I have on the board
there, I have circumcision. Now, I just mentioned in Acts 15
about circumcision under the Old Law of Moses.
We are talking about literal circumcision and that was a
covenant agreement, or Covenant relationship.
That was bound upon the men, the people of God, under the law of
Moses, but we don't have literal circumcision.
But this works circumcision is found in the New Testament.
What is it? The Bible says, it is
circumcision of the heart. There for circumcision is not
used, literally in the New Testament it is used
symbolically. It is used figuratively.
Sacrifice was used, literally under the Old Law in the old Old
Testament, they had blood of bulls of calves and of goats and
so forth and so on we no longer have that because Jesus was our
great high priest and it is, and Jesus was the Supreme sacrifice
there for you and I don't make any more animal sacrifices in
worship to God. That is done away with but The
word sacrifices in the New Testament.
We make our bodies, Our Lives, a Living Sacrifice.
Used symbolically or figuratively.
What about altar? We don't actually come to a
literal Altar and offer a sacrifice in a place of honor
and worship to God at an altered literally.
But the word altar is used in the New Testament.
In fact, remember what Jesus said.
If we are going to apply what Jesus said to our life today,
then we need to understand what he's talking about or what is
used symbolically when he said when you can.
When you remember in your mind that your brother Has fought
with you, leave your gift at the altar and go be reconciled to
your brother and then come back to the Altar and make the
sacrifice and we don't have a literal altar.
We don't have a literal sacrifice but we do have worship
when we come together to worship.
Altar being used symbolically for that.
I said that to say this, it is misleading.
Then to force, the ancient literal meaning of solow on to
the New Testament text to justify.
Fi instrumental music. Even if solow were to carry the
meaning of plucking or striking a chord, then contextually, the
instrument is the heart and nothing else.
Finally, a common argument. A Baptist preacher was engaged
in a written debate with a Church of Christ preacher.
And these were the examples that were used in his final argument.
He introduces the harps in heaven that are found in the
Revelation letter, to prove, the use of instrumental music in the
worship of the church. He says, this if it's in heaven,
and we're going to worship in heaven for all eternity and it's
acceptable in heaven, than why can it not be in the church
isn't a church, the Earth. The institution of the Heavenly
Kingdom, don't we believe that the church is what will be
handed over to God in heaven and will worship God.
For all eternity. And Jesus Christ will step down
from the throne and God will reign forever and ever that God
will be all in all. This fellow leaves the
impression that these were literal Harps.
He cited Revelation. 589 Revelation 14 2 and 3 in
Revelation 15 2 & 3. However, if the harps were
literal by the same rule of interpretation, you know what
else is literal horses? There's literal horses in heaven
and they are white red, black and pale, according to
Revelation 6 and verse 8. But let's examine I'm in the
text to see whether these Harps were literal or were they
symbolic in Revelation, 5 and 8, whatever.
John saw it was defined as the prayers of saints.
In Revelation, 14 2 and 3. John doesn't say anything that
he saw, in fact, whatever it means in the text.
It was something that he heard and not something that he saw,
what he heard was the Bible says, a great voice as the voice
of Harper's harping with their Harps.
He never said I saw Harps being played in heaven.
He said, I heard sound I heard a great voice and that great voice
was as the sound of Harpers harping with their Harps used
figuratively. Their Revelation 15 2 and 3 it
speaks of something that John saw among the things that he
saw, he saw a sea of glass, mingled with fire.
Fire. I don't think we really think
that literally, there's a sea of glass mingled with fire in
heaven. I believe we can look at that
and be for a symbolic meaning. No one can actually believe that
literacies of glass and mingled with fire in heaven.
Neither can we look and find that there are literal Harps in
heaven? Also, when a trumpet is being
used in The Book of Revelation, it's a time when a woe is being
pronounced. Or an announcements being made.
Not for the melodious sound of it.
And not so that they can have a good tune.
So the angels in heaven can sink.
These are symbolic. In their context. the final
argument was this, I mentioned just a moment ago briefly, but
all this will be my final Point. His final argument was, if it's
in heaven. Then it has to be.
All right, to be in the church. Let me ask you this.
You believe that infants are going to heaven?
You believe little babies are going to go to heaven.
I think and hope we all do. Little babies don't have any
sin. We got a little guy that we
think is going to be there one day.
Among all of those that have died as children, among those
that have been killed and abortion clinics.
These are living Souls. What do you think they're going
to heaven? I believe, with all my heart,
they're going to heaven and they were not in the church.
Because to be in the church you have to first be in sin.
And if you're a baby and you don't know how to sin, you
cannot send therefore you need no.
Remission of your sins. We don't baptize babies because
they were born with the depraved soul and we believe, if they are
innocent, they are pure and they are saved.
Without becoming a member of the Lord's Church.
Because Acts 2 tells us how you become a member of the Lord's
church. It's when you repent repent of
what your sins your life, how can a baby do that?
They can't you repent, and you are baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins.
And when you do that, the Lord automatically adds you to his
church. That's a pretty weak argument
that if it's in heaven, it's got to be okay to be in the church.
Those little guys are going to heaven folks and they never ever
came forward during an invitation were baptized in
water. One more thing, what about
somebody that lives until they're 60 years old or so?
But mentally, they don't have the capabilities of an adult.
The capacity of an adult may be mentally, they are as children,
they're maybe they're six or seven years old mentally.
They're not accountable. They can go to heaven to without
being in the church because there's no way that they could
be of the mindset to make the determine choice to sin.
You know, are Tanner is getting older.
Taylor's already obeyed, the gospel.
But I've used this example, I can't use it with Taylor
anymore. She's known to church now or
Anthony. But I remember using this as an
example. They know these kids that are
that are among us, they know what's right and wrong because
what, their parents tell them is right and wrong.
Not because they made a moral choice, but there Comes A Time
in their life when they will make a moral choice.
They will. Make a choice, whether this is
wrong or that is wrong. I guarantee you every kid that's
ever grown up in any house. Doesn't do things when they're
young because they're afraid to get in trouble.
Not because it's wrong necessarily but over time they
learn and then they when they learn and know the difference
they are accountable and then when they make the choice to do
that, which is morally wrong or wrong in any other way they sin
and therefore sin is in their life and they need permission
from those sins. We car Omit.
If in heaven, it's got to be in the church.
Well, as we pointed out today, hopefully clearly the only music
in the worship that's acceptable in the eyes of God, is when we
come together congregationally and sing as we have done today.
No instruments of Music are allowed.
They are prohibiting in the worship and the only thing we
are plucking and twanging is the instrument of the heart.
We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the
Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you
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