Archives For Theology

How James 4 Illumines Today’s Music Wars and How to End Them Properly

January 3, 2015

In some spirited online discussions that I have observed between evangelicals and fundamentalists concerning their differences about music that is acceptable for worship, evangelicals have often asserted that the fundamentalists are the root cause of the problems and disunity in worship that exist among Christians today. Of course, I categorically reject that assertion.

In support of my rejection of that assertion, I recently have seen that James 4 illumines key aspects of today’s music wars. The chapter also illumines how to end the music wars properly.

James 4:1-10

James first sets forth the reality of wars and fightings among God’s people and exposes the root cause of such problems—Christians who are seeking their own lustful pleasures and thereby creating strife and division (James 4:1-3).

Application: Concerning differences about music that should be used for Christian worship, believers who strive for the acceptability of music that appeals to fleshly lusts are the ones who are responsible for creating the music wars among God’s people.

James then challenges those believers who are causing strife— through seeking to satisfy their fleshly lusts— about their adulterously seeking friendship with the world (James 4:4-5).

Application: In the debates about what music is appropriate for Christian worship, believers who promote affinity to the world by setting forth as acceptable for worship music that the world has specifically created to promote fleshly lusts are the ones who are causing the strife and division among God’s people concerning worship music.

James further rebukes believers who cause strife for their arrogant lack of submission to God and their not resisting the devil. In effect, he counsels them that their seeking to fulfill their lusts by their friendship with the world is a manifestation of their proud resistance to God and failure to resist the devil (James 4:6-7).

Application: Concerning the disputes about worship music, believers who advocate as acceptable for worship music that the world created to appeal to fleshly lusts and that has strong ties to evil supernatural influences upon its creators and performers are the ones who are the root cause of today’s music wars.

James challenges believers who are causing wars and fightings among God’s people to humbly draw near to God and deal properly with their sins (James 4:7-10).

Application: Concerning the current battles about music that is acceptable for worship, believers who promote the use of music that was created by the world to feed fleshly lusts and that has strong ties to evil supernatural influences are the ones who must change if the music wars among God’s people today are to be resolved properly.

James 4:11-12

James next warns believers not to judge one another by speaking evil of one another (James 4:11-12). It is vital to note that the flow of thought in the chapter shows that James does not have in view speech that rightly assesses and confronts believers who through their lustful and adulterous friendship with the world are proudly resistant to God and failing to resist the devil.

Application: Those who advocate for the use of contemporary worship music often charge those who do not with judging them unjustly by what they say about the use of contemporary worship music. Such a charge is invalid because it is right to assess as wrong the use of music created by the world that feeds fleshly lusts and that is sourced in evil supernatural influences upon musicians.

James 4:13-17

James concludes the chapter by rebuking believers who arrogantly boast about what they are going to do in the future (James 4:13-16). He warns them that failure to do what one knows to be right is sinful (James 4:17).

Application: Some evangelical promoters of contemporary worship arrogantly speak assuredly of the future virtually complete triumph of contemporary worship among the people of God. Many of these people also profess that music choices are strictly about personal preferences and yet speak disdainfully of those who reject contemporary worship, which puts them in violation of what they know is right to do about how believers are to handle differences about things that they believe are disputable things.

Conclusion

If today’s music wars are to be ended properly, all believers must carefully and thoroughly examine themselves in light of how James 4 illumines these wars and fightings among God’s people concerning worship music. Through such an examination and a proper response to it, we can resolve these problems and the disunity among God’s people resulting from them.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In CCM, Exposition, Music, Theology
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Does Pregnancy Resulting from Rape Justify an Abortion?

December 29, 2014

When a rapist impregnates a woman, she has to decide whether she will get an abortion to end the pregnancy. Does the fact that she was unjustly violated and impregnated justify her aborting the child that she now is carrying? Does the prospect of her suffering additionally if she were to have to carry the child, give birth to it, and possibly raise it justify an abortion?

Having recently had an animated discussion with some family members about this subject, I have been thinking a lot since then about what biblical considerations must be taken into account to answer these questions properly. Although I have come up with several truths that point to the right answer, considering God’s role in human conception seems to be a key truth that helps me further to answer these questions decisively.

God’s Role in Human Conception

Scripture records multiple instances when couples eagerly desired to have children but were not able to until God saw fit to bless them so that the women were able to conceive:

1. Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 15:3; 21:1-2)
2. Jacob and Rachel (Gen. 30:2, 22)
3. Elkanah and Hannah (1 Sam. 1:5, 19)
4. Zacharias and Elisabeth (Luke 1:7, 13; 24-25)

These accounts make clear that human conception is not something that happens automatically or even randomly when a man and a woman have intimate relations. Whenever a woman conceives, it is because of the work of God in granting her conception (cf. Gen. 20:17-18).

Pregnancy Resulting from Rape

Based on the truth that conception takes place only when God wills that it be so, a woman who becomes pregnant through her being raped needs to consider carefully that God has allowed her to conceive the child that she is now carrying in spite of the horrific way in which she was impregnated. Apart from God’s willing that it be so, she would not have become pregnant even though she was raped.

Recognizing that God has granted her conception, she should consider prayerfully why He has allowed that to happen. Even though it will mean additional suffering for her to carry the child, she can be confident that God has purposed that she do so (1 Pet. 4:19).

A Christ-like Delight to God’s Will for Her Life

When she struggles greatly to accept what God has allowed to take place in her life, she can look to Jesus as her perfect Example of One who by the grace of God suffered unjustly at the hands of many wicked people because God willed that it be so (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28; Heb. 2:9; 1 Pet. 2:21; 3:18). Through His perfect acceptance and submission to God’s working in His life, Jesus was able with delight to offer His body to God to do God’s will for His life (Heb. 10:5-10).

Similarly, by the grace of God, a woman who is impregnated by a rapist may yet delight to yield up her body and life to God to bear the child that He has allowed her to conceive. By willingly accepting and enduring the additional suffering that doing so will bring, she will come to understand and appreciate what Christ has done for her in a special way that other people will not.

What’s more, by choosing to love the innocent child that God has allowed her to conceive, she will experience the joy of choosing to yield up her life to God as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2) for the good of another whose life God has entrusted to her for His glory. Through submitting in this way to God’s will for her life, she will become more Christ-like in delighting to do God’s will for her life.

Conclusion

May God use these thoughts to spare the lives of innocent children who were conceived through their mothers being raped. May He profoundly bless women who have become pregnant in this horrible way by directing them to choose to be Christ-like in choosing life for their unborn children in spite of the awfulness of how they were conceived.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Theology
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Praise God for the Eternal Legacy of the Tribe of Benjamin!

December 27, 2014

Reading this week in the book of Romans, I was struck by a statement that points us to a glorious dimension of the eternal legacy of the tribe of Benjamin. Upon consideration of this truth, every believer should have a profound thankfulness for this specific aspect of the legacy of the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel.

On two occasions in his writings, the apostle Paul testified that he was of the tribe of Benjamin:

Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Phi 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Through the Spirit’s inspiring him to write at least 13 New Testament epistles[1] and through his leading role in many additional ways in the founding and advancement of so much of the early Church (Acts 9-28; cf. 2 Pet. 3:15-18), every Christian should have a profound lifelong thankfulness for the eternal importance of this specific dimension of the legacy of the tribe of Benjamin!

Let us praise God for the eternal legacy of the tribe of Benjamin!

[1] Paul wrote Romans; 1 &2 Corinthians; Galatians, Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians; 1 & 2 Timothy; Titus; and Philemon. Many believers think that he may have authored the Book of Hebrews as well.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exhortation, Theology
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Beware Dangerously Flawed Teaching and Practice That Robs People of Hope!

December 22, 2014

Having a proper hope in God is essential in life. An examination of Romans 15:1-4 points to a dangerously flawed teaching and practice that is robbing many believers of the hope that God wants them to have.

The apostle Paul begins Romans 15 by challenging those who are strong believers about the necessity of their bearing the infirmities of weak believers and not pleasing themselves (Rom. 15:1). He then directs every strong Christian to “please his neighbor for his good to edification” (Rom. 15:2).

He explains these directives to strong believers by pointing them to how even the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, did not please Himself (Rom. 15:3a). Rather, in keeping with what was written long ago, He accepted the reproaches of those who reproached God, His Father (Rom. 15:3b).

Paul explains further that everything that was written beforehand was “written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). Although this teaching applies to all believers, in context and in the flow of thought of Romans 15:1-4, these verses are direct apostolic instruction to strong believers that makes clear that they as strong believers need to learn from all that was written beforehand so that they would have the hope that God wants them to have!

It is a deadly trap for any strong, mature believer to think that he pretty much knows what the Bible teaches and no longer needs to immerse himself in all of it. By using the pronoun “our” in Romans 15:4, the apostle Paul, who was as strong a believer as there has ever been, instructs us that he believed that he needed to have hope through his receiving the patience and comfort that all the Scripture that was written beforehand provides!

Saying this, Paul made clear that he viewed his partaking of the entire OT as an essential aspect of his Christian living. Any Christian teaching or practice that in any way minimizes the importance of a believer’s reading and profiting from the entire OT is dangerously flawed Christian teaching and practice that will rob him of the hope that God wants him to have!

Especially if you are a strong believer, God wants you to heed what He has inspired for your profit in Romans 15:1-4. You need to feed on the entire Old Testament on a regular basis all of your life so that you will have the hope that God wants you to have!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Bible reading, Exhortation, Theology
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A Prophet, A Minstrel, and Resolving Today’s Worship Wars

December 20, 2014

To resolve today’s worship wars properly, all parties involved must profit fully from all divine revelation about music. To that end, this post examines a noteworthy passage about a prophet, a minstrel, and divine attentiveness to instrumental music.

Elisha’s Commitment to Separation from Those Who Had Compromised True Worship of the Lord

Second Kings begins by relating the miraculous end of Elijah’s prophetic ministry and the miraculous beginning of Elisha’s prophetic ministry (2 Kings 1-2). During the subsequent evil reign of king Jehoram over Israel (cf. 2 Kings 3:1-3), king Jehoram went with Jehoshaphat king of Judah and the king of Edom to inquire of the Lord through Elisha because Jehoshaphat knew that “the word of the Lord [was] with him [Elisha]” (2 Kings 3:7-12).

In this encounter with these three kings, Elisha initially rebuked Jehoram by protesting his seeking him out: “What have I to do with thee?” (2 Kings 3:13a). Elisha thereby made clear that he did not want to have contact with this evil king. He then instructed him to go instead and consult with the prophets of his parents (2 Kings 3:13b).

When Jehoram persisted (2 Kings 3:13c), Elisha testified to the all-important reality that he served in the presence of the living God (“As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand” [2 Kings 3:14a]). He then went so far as to say to Jehoram that he would not even have had anything to do with him had Jehoshaphat not been with him (2 Kings 3:14b).

These statements by Elisha attest to his commitment to separation from evil leaders who perpetuated horrifically compromised worship of the Lord (2 Kings 3:3). By divine design, we must therefore keep this reality in mind when we examine what Elisha did next in this encounter.

Elisha’s Request for a Minstrel to Play for Him and His Subsequent Prophesying

After he had rebuked Jehoram for seeking prophetic ministry from him, Elisha asked that a minstrel be brought to him (2 Kings 3:15a). When the minstrel played for him, “the hand of the Lord came upon him” (2 Kings 3:15b).

Elisha then prophesied what the Lord gave him to reveal on this occasion (2 Kings 3:16-19). The inspired writer of the book then records that what Elisha had prophesied took place the next morning (2 Kings 3:20).

Discussion

Why did Elisha request this musical ministry prior to his prophesying? Why did the Holy Spirit record this part of the encounter and what profit are we supposed to derive from it?

To understand the value of this revelation properly, we must first note that this passage does not say anything about the minstrel’s singing words to Elisha on this occasion. By divine design, this passage focuses our attention, therefore, on what resulted at this time from the playing of instrumental music.

Second, we must recognize that Elisha had no ability to bring about any divine response to the instrumental musical ministry that he requested and received. Because the Spirit has recorded that God did respond to that instrumental music, we learn that this passage is inspired revelation about divine attentiveness to and approbation of the instrumental music that Elisha received on this occasion!

Third, given Elisha’s intense commitment to separation from compromised worshipers of the Lord, the flow of thought in the passage points us to the truth of divine attention to and approbation of instrumental music ministered by a musician who is not a compromising worshiper of the Lord. By implication, we learn that both Elisha and God would have rejected instrumental music proffered by an ungodly instrumental musician (cf. Amos 5:23).

Conclusion

In a previous post, I treated a passage in Amos 5 that plainly teaches that God pays attention to the instrumental music that people use to worship Him. The account of Elisha, the minstrel’s playing, and God’s response to that playing similarly reveals divine attentiveness to instrumental music.

In discussions about issues concerning worship music, we must account properly for this vital biblical truth—God is not merely concerned with the words that are sung to Him; He also pays attention to the instrumental music that is used. In fact, through how the Spirit has chosen to inspire the revelation given to us in 2 Kings 3:15, we must accept the truth that He pays attention to and responds to instrumental music that is not accompanied by words!

Furthermore, the emphasis in the passage on Elisha’s separation from ungodly worshipers of the Lord directs us to scrutinize carefully the instrumental music that we use in divine worship and to reject instrumental music sourced in the evil activities of evil people, including people who profess to worship the Lord but compromise His worship. Attempts to resolve today’s worship wars that do not account for the truths revealed in 2 Kings 3, Amos 5, and other related passages will necessarily fail to resolve the issues involved properly.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In CCM, Exposition, Music, Theology
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God Does Pay Attention to the Instrumental Music Used to Worship Him!

December 9, 2014

Every time that I read Amos 5, I am struck by what God says at the end of the passage concerning the instrumental music that His people offer to Him in their worship. Although I am still working on understanding the full significance of this passage for the debates about worship music in our day, I am convinced that it has great relevance to those issues.

Amos 5 and Divine Attentiveness to Instrumental Music

Because of the extreme offensiveness of His people’s religious hypocrisy, God made known that He intensely detested their ungodly worship. Tellingly, He said that He would not accept the things that they would offer Him:

Amos 5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

 23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

 24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Remarkably, God rebuked His people by saying that He hated the special occasions of divine worship that He Himself had ordained for them!

It is noteworthy that God specifies here that He commanded them to take away the noise of their songs from Him and made known that He would not listen to the instrumental music that they would offer up to Him in their hypocritical worship. By direct and necessary implication, verse 23 reveals that God listens intently to the instrumental music that His people use in their worshiping Him and any music that is part of divine worship must be music that is a delight to Him.

Conclusion

Contrary to the notions that some believers seem to have, this passage makes clear that believers cannot legitimately hold that God only cares about the words that are sung to Him and doesn’t pay attention to the instrumental music that is used to worship Him. God has made known plainly in Amos 5:23 (and in other passages) that He does pay attention to the instrumental music used to worship Him!

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Zechariah 8 and the Glorious Future of National Israel!

December 5, 2014

When I recently read through the Minor Prophets, I was struck again by how much revelation they contain that plainly points to a glorious national future for Israel. Zechariah 8 is one of many chapters that have multiple statements that teach this truth.

Zechariah 8:3-6

At its beginning, Zechariah 8 speaks of a time when the Lord will dwell in Jerusalem and Jerusalem will be spoken of in a distinctive manner that has never been true of it:

Zec 8:3 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

From the time when Zechariah wrote this book until now, Jerusalem has never been called “a city of truth.” The next verses make clear that this is not some symbolic description of the eternal state and the New Jerusalem:

Zec 8:4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

The eternal state will not have people that age coexisting with a multitude of boys and girls. It is incomprehensible to me how any serious Bible interpreter could accept a symbolic interpretation of these verses.

The passage plainly sets forth the glorious national future that Israel will have in the Millennium!

Zechariah 8:18-23

The chapter concludes with revelation about a time when people from all nations will come to Jerusalem “to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and pray” before Him (Zech. 8:22). They will be convinced to seek out those who are Jews because they will have heard that God is with them (Zech. 8:23).

These statements have never been true in the history of Jerusalem since the time of Zechariah, and they certainly are not true today. They again set forth the marvelous glory that will be Israel’s in the Millennium!

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20) and “restore again the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6)!

 

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Theology
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Does God Hold People Responsible for Not Following in the Ways of Imperfect Men?

November 14, 2014

You have probably heard someone say something along the lines of the following: “I am not a follower of any man; I am a follower of Jesus.” Is this what God expects every believer to think and do?

A remarkable passage in 2 Chronicles 21 instructs us that this pious sounding sentiment is actually a seriously erroneous approach to the Christian life. This passage does so by revealing a profound truth of what God expects from people concerning their following the examples of other people.

A Profound Truth from God’s Rebuke of King Jehoram

King Jehoram was the son of godly king Jehoshaphat of Judah (2 Chron. 21:1). Jehoram was a very wicked king who sinned greatly against the Lord (2 Chron. 21:4-11).

Through a writing from the prophet Elijah to Jehoram, God declared to him,

2Ch 21:12 Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

 13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself:

 14 Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:

 15 And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.

God rebuked Jehoram for not walking in the ways of his father Jehoshaphat and in the ways of his grandfather Asa (2 Chron. 21:12). Yet both of these men were imperfect men who sinned in the sight of God (Asa [2 Chron. 16:7-10; 12]; Jehoshaphat [2 Chron. 19:2; 20:35-37]).

God thus rebuked Jehoram for not walking in the ways of two imperfect men! We might have expected God to rebuke him by having Elijah write to him about how he had sinned by not walking in the ways of the Lord, but that is not what God did!

New Testament Confirmation of This Profound Truth

From 2 Chronicles 21:12, we have seen that God required that Jehoram would walk in the righteous ways of two of his godly but imperfect predecessors. The New Testament confirms the teaching that God demands that His people follow in the righteous ways of imperfect men.

Paul repeatedly commands believers to be followers of him:

1Co 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

1Co 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Phi 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

He also commends them when they have been faithful to do so (1 Thess. 1:6; 2:14; 2 Thess. 3:7, 9). These same statements also reveal that Paul repeatedly spoke of believers following not just him but also others who were godly:

1Th 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

1Th 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

2Th 3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

The writer of Hebrews similarly commends and commands believers to be followers of other believers:

Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Heb 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

Because Paul and all the others whom these New Testament statements commend to believers as people whom we are to follow were imperfect men, it is clear that God wants us to follow in the righteous ways of imperfect men!

Conclusion

Passages in both Testaments (2 Chron. 21:12; 2 Thess. 3:7) teach us that God does expect us to walk in the righteous ways of imperfect men whom He has allowed us to have the privilege of observing, knowing, and being influenced by.[1] If we fail to do so, God will hold us responsible for not walking in their ways.

We must not say that we are followers only of Jesus. God has called us also to be followers of the righteous ways of the good but imperfect people in our lives who as followers of Christ themselves have walked in His righteous ways.  

[1] Many other verses in the Old Testament point to the same truth: 1 Sam. 8:3; 1 Ki. 8:25; 9:4; 11:33; 14:8; 2 Ki. 22:2; 2 Chr. 6:16; 7:17; 11:17; 17:3; 20:32; 34:2

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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How the Chief Function of Civil Government Should Influence Our Choices in Tomorrow’s Elections

November 3, 2014

The results of the elections tomorrow will surely go a long way in playing a major role in the future of our country. With that reality in mind, every Christian needs to remind himself of what Scripture teaches is the chief function of civil government and then let that truth guide his decisions about what he chooses to do tomorrow.

The Clear Teaching of the Premier Passage in Scripture about Civil Government

Romans 13 is the premier passage in Scripture about civil government. God plainly provides us with instruction about the chief function of civil government through the first seven verses of this chapter:

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

These verses emphasize that civil government has the vital God-ordained function of being God’s judicial agent (“no power but of God” [13:1]; “ordained of God” [13:1]; “the ordinance of God” [13:2]; “the minister of God” [13:4; 2x]; “God’s ministers” [13:6]) for the punishment of the wicked and for the praise of the righteous (13:3, 4). Other NT revelation confirms that this is the premier function of civil government (cf. 1 Pet. 2:13-14).

Romans 13:1-7 and Decision Making in Tomorrow’s Elections

Based on the divinely ordained chief role of civil authority, we as believers must reject false views about what comprises good government. Contrary to the assertions of various entities, good government is not chiefly to concern itself with providing economic prosperity, adequate healthcare, educational opportunity, etc.

Rather, good government from divine viewpoint is government that foremost promotes God’s righteousness and opposes all unrighteousness. Although properly exercising this chief function will have a profound salutary result on economic and other social concerns, governmental officials must seek to fear God and promote the fear of God and the keeping of His commandments among its citizens (Eccl. 12:13-14) above all these lesser concerns.

Given the clear teaching of Scripture about the chief role of governmental authority, we as believers must base our decisions about what we choose to do in tomorrow’s elections so that our choices will best promote righteousness in our country and oppose all unrighteousness. May God have mercy on us all in tomorrow’s elections and raise up righteous leadership in our country at every level of government and may He grant us all wisdom to know what role He wants us to play in our seeking to secure godly government throughout our land.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exhortation, Interpretation, Theology
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“Church Music That Is Worship”: Message by Pastor Mark Minnick

November 2, 2014

In his first message about music and public worship, Pastor Mark Minnick this morning addressed the key question, “What is the role of music in public worship?” He based his treatment of this crucial question on two key New Testament passages: Ephesians 5:18-20 and Colossians 3:16.

In treating these passages, he remarked,

Both passages direct us to sing psalms, which directs us back to the Old Testament. We must be careful of thinking about our subject not to make a great distinction between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

He then took us through First Chronicles 25:1-7 to establish that those who directed the worship in the Temple prophesied through the music. Based on this data, he developed six key aspects that this passage teaches us about the role of music in public worship:

1. They were prophesying instrumentally

2. They were prophesying chorally, that is, through singing with musical accompaniment

3. Those who prophesied had a high level of musicianship

4. The prophesying was done in large numbers

5. All of the prophesying was done under the direction of mature spiritual leadership

6. Giving thanks and praising the Lord comprised the content of this prophesying

I highly commend this message to you as one of the finest treatments of this subject that I have ever heard. By listening to this message here, you will avail yourself with profoundly valuable biblical truth about the role of music in public worship!

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Mount Calvary Baptist Pulpit, Music, Theology
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