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 7, NUMBER 18, MAY 6, 2007

AN ANSWER TO A FALSE TEACHER

PART 6

                This week we continue to answer the questions set forth by David Martin, a preacher at the Solid Rock Baptist Church in Barlett, Tennessee, in his short tract, “Common Sense Question a ‘Church of Christ’ Preacher Cannot Clearly Answer.”  By the way I am still waiting for his phone call.  I even told him to call collect.

“9. Why does the ‘ Church of Christ’ insist that their name is scriptural when it cannot be found anywhere in the Bible?  The church is referred to as the “ church of God” eight (8) times in the Bible, but never is it called the ‘church of Christ.’  The verse they use is Romans 16:16, but it doesn’t say ‘church of Christ.’  Where does the Bible call the church the ‘church of Christ?”

            I find this question amazing and I would like to make a few comments before I get to specifically answering his question.  First of all, I know of no faithful preacher of the gospel who would insist that church of Christ is the only scriptural name for the Lord’s church.   Mr. Martin’s use of the phrase indicates a denominational concept of the church and that is a whole other problem in itself.  Secondly, I know of no one, preacher, doctor, sanitation worker, or grade school student who has ever been able to find anywhere in the Bible the church being referred to as a Baptist church – any kind of Baptist church. 

            Now, the last sentence of Romans 16:16 says, “The churches of Christ salute you.”  Paul is not writing here of different churches in the denominational sense, which seems to be the only sense in which Mr. Martin is capable of viewing the church.  Paul is referring to different local congregations of the Lord’s church.  What is the singular of churches?  It is church.  Consequently it is entirely appropriate to refer a local congregation as a “church of Christ ” because Christ is the head and the Savior of that church and the name so honors Him.  It is appropriate to refer to the universal church as the Church of Christ because it belongs to Him and He is the Savior of the entire body.  The name honors the Lord.  No one believes that that is the only scriptural name.  I would ask, however, where does the bible mention the Solid Rock Baptist Church and who is honored by that name?

“10.  If the ‘Church of Christ’ claims to worship God as ‘authorized’ by scripture because they sing only (and do not use instrumental music), then where do they get the ‘authority’ to use hymnals, pitchpipes, pews and indoor baptisteries in their worship services?  If the answer is that they are ‘aids to worship,’ where does the Bible allow for that?  Where is your required authorization?  If a pitchpipe can be an ‘aid to worship’ for the song service in the ‘ Church of Christ,’ then why can’t a piano be an ‘aid to worship’ for Baptists who may need more help in singing?”

            This is yet again another one of those questions that I hardly know where to begin to respond to.  Yet again, Mr. Martin’s use of the phrase “Church of Christ” indicates his denominational concept of the church.  That is a major part of his problem.  Mr. Martin makes fun of the need for authority in what we do religiously, yet in so doing he is making fun of the Apostle Paul.  In Colossians 3:16-17, Paul wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”  Surely, having graduated from the Pensacola Bible Institute of Florida, Mr. Martin knows that “in the name of” means by the authority of.    Therefore, if we are going to be in compliance with the word of God, we better have authority for all that we do in His worship.  It also just so happens that Colossians 3:16 is one of the nine (9) passages in the New Testament that relate to music in worship.  The others are Matthew 26:30 (and its parallel account in Mark 14:26), Acts 16:25, Romans 15:9, 2 Corinthians 14:15 , Ephesians  5:19, Hebrews  1:12 , Hebrews 13:15, and James  5:13 .  Not one of them mentions instrumental music – all refer to singing.  I wonder if Mr. Martin knows that even Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines a cappela as “1. without instrument accompaniment 2. in the style of the church or chapel music?”  Even a secular work like Webster’s Dictionary recognizes that the early church did not use instruments of music.  It was not introduced until many centuries later, long after the divinely inspired apostles had passed from the scene and uninspired men decided to change the worship to fit their own desires.

            Now Mr. Martin wants to know where the Bible allows for aids to worship.  Aids would be that which facilitates the carrying out of commands without changing the nature of the command.  Where does the Bible allow for “aids to worship?”  In the past I have had other Baptist preachers include air conditioning, electric lights, drinking fountains and so forth in the same kind of question.  I believe that in their hearts these men, with careful consideration, must know the foolishness of such questions.  In Acts 20 there was a situation where Paul preached until midnight to a group of brethren.  It must have been extremely dark at that time.  I wonder how the brethren were able to see Paul, perhaps even take notes.  I wonder if there was anyway to facilitate their worship at that time with a aid, but not an addition – something that would help but not change the very nature of what was happening?  Look at Acts 20:7-8.  “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.  And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.”  There, Mr. Martin, is a aid to worship, lights that enabled them to see.  At the same time, note that those aids did not change the nature of the worship.

            One more point to be made.  God doesn’t care if we can sing well, only that we all sing in fulfillment of His command. So it doesn’t really matter if the Baptists of the Solid Rock Baptist Church need “more help in singing.”  Singing with grace in our hearts is enough.

                        More to follow                                     Greg Litmer