I'M SIMPLY AMAZED

February 1, 1987 Issue
Gary Barrett

 Not too long ago Preachers of the St. Albans area who disagree on the use of instrumental music to accompany the singing in the worship of the Church met in camera to discuss their differences. Since they are still divided I must conclude nothing was settled. Can you imagine two groups meeting to discuss instrumental music and is it a violation of Gods word when both parties are practicing other man made innovations? I'm Simply Amazed! The anti-instrumental music brethren feel their pro music brethren have transgressed the Lords will in their use of music in the Church. On the other hand the pro music brethren feel, law is being made where God has made no law. I recently had a study with a young couple on the worship of the Church. We both agreed that there is no authority of instrumental music in the worship of the Church. I then asked for Bible authority for Sunday School and the brother replied, "I've really never read anything about Sunday School in the Bible." We also noticed the difference between the congregation at St. Albans which uses one cup in communion and the Church where he was going.

He asked concerning Luke 22:17 "how was the cup divided?" I explained that all drank of the one cup and thus it was divided Mark 14:23. There is certainly nothing abstruse in this passage of scripture. I then proceeded to point out how I was Simply Amazed at how folks interpret the Bible. Brethren using individual cups and Sunday School feel the pro music brethren have transgressed the Lords will. In my estimation it is simply a case of "the pot calling the kettle black."

I wonder if this proliferation of innovations will ever cease as many are moving farther and farther from the truth? If one may use communion cups and Sunday School with no Bible authority then why not instrumental music with no Bible authority? I wonder which of the two disputants is being fanatical, blind, and narrow minded? Isn't that what they usually say about the anti cups, Sunday School, and instrumental music brethren?

I met an older brother who worships with the cups and Sunday School brethren and spoke with him concerning the study between the preachers on the music question. He said, "We are going to continue to fight the instrumental music brethren on their error." His tenacity was quite obvious. I told him, "the instrumental music is catching on fast and a number of Churches are adopting the practice." He replied, "that's alright, there are still many who will fight it." I believe what has actually happened is that those inconsistencies are really catching up. It cant be long till folks reason, "I don't have scripture for cups and Sunday School, neither instrumental music so why fight against music and accept the other two innovations. I might as well take all three on equal ground."

I can say that is at least logical and reasonable. It is sad to say but the Church is divided and God is not pleased. Where does the responsibility for the division rest? We are sometimes charged with the division because we will not unite with brethren using cups and Sunday School. If that reasoning is correct then the brethren opposing the music in worship should start using it so there would be unity. We might go a bit farther and say that the brethren that argue, "unity at the price of truth," might someday end up with the Faith Only Doctrine people in their desire for fellowship and unity at any cost. No my friends, taking up error is not the answer to the problem. Then there are the folks who take the, "Its A Little Thing" approach. Sure, individual cups, Sunday School, and instrumental music aren't mentioned in connection with the worship of the Church but they are just "Little Things" and shouldn't affect our fellowship. I wonder when adding to Gods word can be considered a "Little Thing"? The eating of the forbidden fruit in the Garden was a little thing, Naaman dipping was a little thing, and the plagues of God are added because of violating these so called Little Things (Rev 22:18). There is only one solution. Brethren must unite on Gods plan of worship, his arrangement, and do things Gods way if we are to have unity.

David Lipscomb writes, "members who worship God according to his will show their loyalty and devotion to God, and maintain in the community a church loyal to God." He went on to quote, "Where two or three are gathered in my name there am I in the midst of them (Mt 18:20)."

Brother Lipscomb could see you cant enjoy Gods favor and worship in error at the same time. It appears to me he was saying, "It would be better to worship with two or three in truth than a whole congregation who is worshiping in error. Brethren, as the church let us allow God to have his way always. Let us continue to worship God in spirit and in truth and in this way show our saviour we love him.

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