Subject: need for a bible-anyone |
Bible Note: Tim, my original post is too long so I'll divide it to part 1 and 2. 1. Correct Structure: You wrote: There are verses which mention certain elements of structure, but none that prescribe a certain structure as being the 'only' way. Read John 14:6. We have established that Jesus is the head of all things, Eph 1:22-23 2 offices and respective work were created by God. Definite qualifications for those offices exist. (Titus 1; 1 Tim 3) They, elders and deacons, had definite roles in the church. Deacons, as their title indicates, are servants. Servants under and assisting the eldership. The elders are to shepherd the flock of God among themselves. 1 Peter 5:2-4. Doesn’t seem optional to me, when there are qualified men to serve. 2. Acapella Singing: You wrote: No matter how one interprets Eph. 5:19, there isn't a single verse anywhere in the Bible which forbids the use of musical instruments. Last time I checked, we were still under the New Covenant Heb 8:13. Eph 5:19 “…speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;…” Acts 16:25 “ But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;…” Rom 15:9 “and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, ‘THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME’." 1 Cor 14:15 “What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” Col 3:16 “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Matt 26:30 “After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Heb 2:12 “saying, ‘I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE’." Heb 13:15 “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” Jas 5:13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.” Lastly, remember there are 2 kinds of commands issued: generic and specific. For example, when Noah was given instructions for building the ark (Gen 6:14), God said specifically gopher wood. That automatically excludes all other types of wood, does it not? IF God had said, “make an ark of wood, ” that would have be generic authority. Noah would have been free to select whatever type of wood he saw fit to use. IF the NT had said, “Make music” we would be free to use whatever we saw fit to use, vocal, instrumental, or both. He specifically said, “Sing.” There is no mention of instrumental music anywhere in the NT. Christ left it out, which settles it for me. You wrote: The only church which can truly claim to be non-denomination is a single local church with no other connections to any other church. What connections? Connected how? Mouse2 |