THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER
"Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. " (John 5:39)

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 4, FEBRUARY 25, 2001

WINNING THE BATTLE , BUT LOSING THE WAR  

            Did you ever meet someone who just loved to be involved in discussions and debates, the hotter the better?  It can be about any subject, the thrill is in the exchange itself; to counter arguments, to anticipate your opponent’s line of reasoning, to have all your faculties focused and working in harmony to win that discussion.  As an old high school debater and an arguer from way back I can say that that is fun.  But when it comes to discussing the scriptures and trying to lead someone to Christ, we can win the battle and lose the war.  

            When we talk to someone about religion, what is our objective to be?  Is our objective to show how much we know about the bible?   Is it to show the person just how “ridiculous” their beliefs are?  Is it to “eat them alive” and have them reduced to silence in the face of our verbal assault with THE TRUTH?  Is it to win the argument at all cost no matter how loud I might have to get?  We all realize that the answer to each one of those questions is “NO”!  When we talk to someone about religion, it must be out of love for their soul and with the earnest desire that they might faithfully serve the Lord all the remaining days of their lives and go to heaven when they die.  As I look back on my years as a Christian and a preacher, and there are only nine months difference in the two, I don’t ever remember being defeated in an argument, especially in the early years.  I would  just  keep  going until I wore the other guy out.  I won all the battles and because of my approach, I have lost a lot of wars.  Everybody has to answer for what they do, but how many people did I turn away from the Lord by “winning the argument”?  

            In Prov. 15:1, Solomon wrote, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  In 25:15, we find, “By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, and a gentle tongue breaks a bone.”   I have a responsibility as a Christian to control my temper and my voice when discussing God’s word with anyone.  Such a discussion, when truly understood, is never about me.  It is always about the one that I am trying to teach.  If I am trying to win the argument, or if I let such a discussion degenerate into an argument, than it is about me, and that is just about as selfish as I can get.   

            I am reminded of Paul’s exhortation found in Col. 4:6, where he wrote, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”  Our job is to reflect the will of God in our speech.  We must say those things that will provide spiritual and moral benefit to those who are listening to us.  Never is that more important than when we are trying to teach someone the gospel.  What I say may be the truth.  It may very well be just the right answer.  But brethren, the way I say it can make all the difference in the world.   

            Once again from chapter 15 of the book of Proverbs, this time verse 23, we find, “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!”   And again, from chapter 25:11, we read, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”    

            If we just think of the tremendous patience Jesus showed in His discussions with people, even those who were sent specifically to ensnare Him in His words, there really is no excuse for losing our temper or trying to win the argument when discussing salvation with anyone. 

DENOMINATIONALISTS ON INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC  

            “Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting up of lamps, and the restoration of the other shadows of the law.  The papists, therefore, have foolishly borrowed this, as well as many other things, from the Jews.  Men who are fond of outward pomp may delight in that noise; but the simplicity which God recommends to us by the apostle is far more pleasing to Him.”     (Calvin, Commentary on Ps. 33 & 1 Sam. 18:1-9)

             “Praise the Lord with harp.  Israel was at school, and used childish things to help her to learn; but in these days when Jesus gives us spiritual food, one can make melody without strings and pipes…We do not need them.  That would hinder rather than help our praise.  Sing unto Him.  This is the sweetest and best music.  No instrument is like the human voice.”            (Charles Spurgeon, Baptist, Commentary Ps. 42)

             “I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen.”            John Wesley, Methodist founder            (Cited by Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 684)  

            “I am an old man, and an old minister; and I here declare that I never knew them productive of any good in the worship of God; and have had reason to believe that they were productive of much evil.  Music, as a science, I esteem and admire: but instruments of music in the house of God I abominate and abhor.”  Adam Clarke, Methodist            (Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 684)

             “Although Josephus tells of the wonderful effects produced in the Temple use of instruments, the first Christians were of too spiritual a fibre to substitute lifeless instruments for or to use them to accompany the human voice.  Clement of Alexandria severely condemns the use of instruments even at Christian banquets.  St. Chrysostum sharply contrasts the customs of the Christians when they had full freedom with those of the Jews of the Old Testament.”            (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10, p. 652)  

            “Question 6:  Is there any authority for instrumental music in the worship of God under the present dispensation?  Answer:  Not the least; only the singing of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs was appointed by the apostles; not a syllable is said in the New Testament in favor of instrumental music nor was it ever introduced into the Church until after the eighth century, after the Catholics had corrupted the simplicity of the gospel by their carnal inventions.  It was not allowed in the Synagogues, the parish churches of the Jews; but was confined to the Temple service and was abolished with the rites of that dispensation.”

            (Questions on the Confession of Faith and Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, published by the Presbyterian Board of Publications, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1842, p. 55)  

            “The Greek word psallo is applied among the Greeks of modern times exclusively to sacred music, which in the Eastern Church has never been any other than vocal, instrumental music being unknown in that church, as it was in the primitive church.  Sir John Hawkins, following the Romish writers in his erudite work on the ‘History of Music’, makes Pope Vitalian, in A.D. 660, the first who introduced organs into churches.  But students of ecclesiastical archaeology are generally agreed that instrumental music was not used in churches till a much later date; for Thomas Aquinas, A.D. 1250, has these remarkable words: ‘Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psalteries to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize.’  From this passage we are surely warranted in concluding that there was no ecclesiastical use of organs in the time of Aquinas.”            (McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia, Vol. 8, p. 739)  

            With the exception of the Greek Orthodox Church, all of the churches that these scholars were part of, and indeed, many founded, now use instrumental music in worship.                g.l.