[Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Tuesday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is a question and answer that recently came my way:

QUESTION AND ANSWER

Question: -- In our congregation, and I am told it is true in
                    many others, there is great concern about the
liberal movement in the church today.  In our congregation,
we have women leading prayer in the public services, the
preacher never mentions baptism, reference is sometimes
made to our being a denomination, and some even suggest
we consider using mechanical instruments of music in our
worship.  When we object, we are told -- from the pulpit -- to
'go find another church.'  We are leaving, but what is the ans-
wer for this?

Answer: -- This is  truly a sad situation, but it is one that is
                  being repeated in many places across our brother-
hood.  To have women leading worship is clearly a violation
of the Scriptures (1 Cor. 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:12).  And how  can
one preach the gospel and not preach baptism?  The apostles and others in New 
Testament times couldn't do it!
They always preached  baptism as the only means to enter
into Christ (Rom. 6:3; Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:27; etc.).  And some
among us are determined to make "churches of Christ" a de-
nomination -- in spite of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ
has condemned all denominationalism (Jno. 17:20,21; Eph. 4:
1-6; 1 Cor. 1:10-13; etc.).  And mechanical instruments of 
music in worship is certainly not authorized in the New Testa-
ment Scriptures.  For those who are intent to do the will of
God, and content to be guided by His Word, the use of mecha-
nical instruments will never be considered for worship.

     Near the close of the 19th century, liberals were hard at
work to "change things" in the church.  The introduced the
Missionary Society and mechanical instruments of music in
worship, among other things.  And, just as is true today, the 
movement was led by "big name" preachers and professors
in "our colleges."  All of this resulted in the formation of "The
Christian Church" which then split again, with the group which left calling 
themselves "Disciples of Christ."  And what
happened in the Lord's church from 1870 unti 1906 is happen-
ing again in our day.

     What can be done?  First, we need to be preaching on the
authority of God, with His Word being the Medium by which
we can ascertain His authority.  We need to preach the unden-
ominational nature of the church whih Jesus built, and the need to stand 
aloof from all denominations (2 Cor. 6:14-17).
We need to preach the fact that God does not accept in wors-
hip that which He has not authorized, with particular emphas-
is on mechanical instruments of music.  And we need to preach, as the 
Scriptures teach, that the worship is to be led
by men of the church.  Maybe some "get tired of hearing that
all the time," but the only way the younger generation will 
understand these things is if we preach them and teach them
constantly.

     Let us remember the words God spoke to Israel: "And ye
shall teach them to your children, talking of them, when thou
sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and
when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deut. 11:19).
That is the oly way to safeguard the church in the next gener-
ation.  If we live by those principles, and so that, then we and
our children will remain faithful to the Lord in His church.
       ------------ Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 56, No. 7
Feb. 16, 2007.
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