Traveling Down the Wrong Road

I remember very well the time I turned prematurely and got on the wrong road while traveling to visit loved ones in another state. The family and I were really surprised when we came to the river that separated two states and there was no bridge. It turned into a venture for us when we had to cross the river on a ferry. I can assure you that I never made that mistake again by turning on that particular highway. I suppose that most of us have gotten on the wrong road while traveling and have had to make certain corrections in order to get on the right highway to reach our desired destination.

Now suppose you are traveling down the highway and suddenly you come upon a sign that reads “WARNING BRIDGE OUT AHEAD”, What would you do? Of course common sense would demand that you seek an alternate route to travel in order to continue on your journey. It would be complete foolishness to continue driving down the highway that would lead you to the point where there was no bridge to cross over the body of water. The church of our Lord is comprised of “sojourners and Pilgrims” (I Peter 2:11) and we all are traveling down life’s road together. There are times that as a congregation of people we come together for other purposes than to engage in a corporate worship. We may decide to gather to have a picnic at which time we would play games together. At other times we may enjoy ‘dinner on the ground’; that is, an opportunity to share a common meal together as did the early disciples (2 Peter 2:13; Jude 12). However if the reason is to worship God we have biblical guidelines to follow in order for our homage to be pleasing to Him (John 4:24). This has always been the true whether we speak of worship in the Old or New Testament times. If in the worship assembly something is introduced that cannot be supported by scriptural authority what do you suppose the end result will be in most situation. Permit me to illustrate in this fashion. The road that is being travelled by some congregations, wherein innovations are being introduced, will eventually lead to the place where a sign can be seen and it will read, “WARNING DIVISION AHEAD”. What shall brethren do? It is an established fact that the body of Jesus Christ divided over one hundred years ago and is being divided presently because of the introduction of unscriptural practices in the worship assemblies. Should not our love for the Lord and His church be enough to cause brethren to stop immediately and not travel down the same road that caused so much disunity in the church in years past?, Yet, the Landmark church in Montgomery, Alabama conducted a ‘Good Friday’ service at which time their band played during the singing of praises to God. This was reported by a member of this congregation; however, this person will not attend any of their assemblies when the band plays. Further, this congregation has been using musical instruments during periods of worship on week nights at which times songs of praise were sung. Presently the elders do not plan to introduce the instruments in the worship assemblies on Sunday.

There are several observations that I would like to make concerning this unfortunate situation. First of all, the purpose for the ‘Good Friday’ service was no doubt to worship God and His Son who gave His life for us on Calvary. Such passages as Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, 17 and others authorize singing without the addition of any kind of musical instruments during our worship assemblies. Please note that nowhere in the teachings of these and like passages declare that this applies only to assemblies on the first day of the week. The importance is placed on what is being done in the worship assembly and not on the day of the week. Of course the observance of the Lord’s Supper is peculiar to the first day of the week (I Corinthians 16:1, 2; 11:18, 20, 23-34; Acts 20:7). It is faulty reasoning to assume that the use of musical instruments in a worship assembly on a Friday night has scriptural authority but would not be acceptable on the first day of the week. Would these brethren use the instrument in a gospel meeting during the week nights should they decide to conduct one? If they find it acceptable to use the instrument on one night during a worship assembly to sing praises to God, why would they not find it to be scriptural during a series of gospel meetings?

Second, usually the case is that congregations among us will not introduce the instrument beginning with the worship assembly on Sunday morning. What has occurred and will most likely be the case is that the elders/brethren will decide to use the instrument during a worship assembly on a week night. We have two examples of the Richland Hills and Quail Springs congregations in Texas and Oklahoma doing this very thing. It is a gradual process of educating the members to accept such an unscriptural practice. Please observe what brother Burton Coffman has written in his commentary on Matthew, page 226, concerning the acceptance of human traditions:

1) First appears the innovation, something new, clothed with specious plausibility, riding the crest of some unusual occasion, some exceptional circumstance, or emergency.
2) It is repeated and moves into a place of acceptance as something allowed, occasionally at first, invariably afterwards.
3) It becomes appreciated as an “aid” to the worship, something helpful.
4) Eventually, it is stressed and emphasized to the detriment of what it is supposed to “aid.”
5) It achieves, through long usage, a status of equality with God’s word.
6) It is finally performed, occasionally, but later, always, instead of God’s commandment.
7) Finally, it blooms as a presumptuous, rebellious contradiction of God’s word, and is constantly honored in place of it.

Third, when elders see no harm in using the instrument during a worship assembly on a week night; when the preacher believes it to be an acceptable practice and will not preach against it use, you can be assured that in time, perhaps during the lifetime of the next generation, the instrument will be introduced into the worship assemblies on the first day of the week. History has proven this to be the case.

Fourth, other congregations that tend to live ‘on the cutting edge’ will be encouraged to follow the same pattern regarding the use of the instrument. There are reports that even some of our Christian universities and schools have used the instrument during their chapel (religious) services. We all need to be careful concerning the road we are traveling in these matters. The direction we are traveling determines our destiny. The road that leads to becoming a digressive church is first a gradual down hill slope and then it becomes one that falls so rapidly that there is no stopping as one innovation follows another one and the church eventually loses its identity as being a congregation of Jesus Christ.

Fifth, parents who send their sons and daughters to attend the various universities/colleges in our Capitol City need to know where the various congregations stand regarding the use of instrumental music in any of their worship assemblies. During the years at a university/college our young men and women are often influenced by ministers and members of the various congregations in the surrounding area to become affiliated with their congregation and become active in the various programs of work and fellowship. If the church where they attend is using the instrument in a worship assembly they most likely will be influenced to believe that such is a scriptural practice and acceptable to God.

It is with a deep sense of Christian love that I beg brethren to heed the sign on the road that some are traveling, “WARNING DIVISION AHEAD”. Please listen to the prophet Jeremiah who wrote the following, “Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk it it; Then you will find rest for your souls…” (NKJV, Jeremiah 6:16). The “old paths” wherein is the safe way is the one to travel doctrinally and in scriptural practices. However, many were the times when the children of Israel did not heed the directives of the Lord. The rest of this verse states, “But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’" And sadly to say, this is the attitude some brethren have today.

No comments: