I once was studying with a Christian church preacher on this
issue [that is, the issue of instrumental music as praise to God].He had come to me to tell me that what we
taught on this subject was wrong.We met
for some ten weeks.Nothing that either
of us said made any difference in our beliefs for several weeks.Then one day this honest, sincere brother
told me how upset he was that a few Christian churches were appointing women to
the eldership of the local churches.Whereupon I asked him how he could prove that this practice was
wrong.He replied that the New Testament
says that men were appointed to the eldership and that that fact ruled out
women.I agreed but then said, “But the
New Testament does not say not to appoint women.”His face lit up; he smiled and said, “I get
the point” (pages 12-13 of the book, “The Instrumental Music Issue,” by Everett
Ferguson, Jack P. Lewis, and Earl West).
Indeed, the Bible never says, “You shall not appoint women
to the eldership.”But the fact that the
Bible says that the elder is to be the husband of one wife (Titus 1:5-6) rules
out alternatives.Likewise, the Bible
never says, “You shall not sprinkle babies.”But the fact that the Bible says to immerse believers (Mark 16:16) rules
out alternatives.Likewise, the Bible
never says, “Don’t have a Pope.”But the
fact that Bible says that Christ is the head of the church (Eph 5:23) rules out
alternatives.And likewise, the Bible
never says, “You shall not praise God with instruments.”But the fact that the Bible says to praise
Him with the fruit of our lips that give thanks to His name (Heb 13:15) rules
out alternatives.
On top of all of this is the testimony of
church history.My old teacher Edwin
Jones wrote, “There is no reference in the first 1000 years of church history
to the acceptability of instrumental music and no example of its actual
use.”Does it not seem that those early
believers understood something that many present day believers do not
understand?
Home