Archives For Theology

What Did Paul Testify When He Evangelized Both Jews and Gentiles?

October 16, 2023

What did Paul testify when he evangelized both Jews and Gentiles? A careful examination of two passages instructs us plainly what Paul spoke when he ministered evangelistically to both groups.

Acts 13

Luke reveals to us what Paul testified as “the word of this salvation” in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia:

Acts 13:26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. 27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. 28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. 29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. 30 But God raised him from the dead: 31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

Paul did not just testify (to the Jews and the Gentiles who were in the synagogue) of the death and resurrection of Christ—he also told them that Christ was buried and was seen many days by His witnesses.

1 Corinthians 15

Paul himself testifies to the gospel that he preached evangelistically to the Corinthians (who were Gentiles [cf. 1 Cor. 12:2]) so that they were saved:

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

As he did to the Jews and Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul spoke evangelistically to the Gentiles in Corinth of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and appearances—he did not just testify to the death and resurrection of Christ.

Conclusion

The Spirit has inspired for our profit that Paul ministered evangelistically to both Jews and Gentiles by testifying to them of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and appearances. Whenever it is at all possible, we should follow Paul in evangelism by doing the same.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Interpretation, Theology
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“Lack of Mention is Not Proof of Absence!”

October 12, 2023

For many years, I have tried to teach people from Scripture the key truth that in interpreting evangelistic accounts in Scripture, “lack of mention is not proof of absence!” (I am quoting myself here—this is my own statement that I originated).

By carefully considering the biblical records of Paul’s initial discipleship experience, his initial evangelistic activity, and his later evangelistic testimony about his initial evangelistic activity, we plainly understand the importance of this truth.

Paul’s Initial Discipleship Experience

Right after Paul had been saved, he was discipled by Ananias to understand what had happened to him and what he had been commissioned to do for Christ:

Acts 22:12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, 13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. 14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. 15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

Ananias revealed to Paul that he was commissioned to be Christ’s witness to all men to testify to them that he had seen and heard the risen Christ. For Paul, faithfulness in evangelism thus meant witnessing to everybody that he had seen and heard the risen Christ.

Given any opportunity, Paul would have always told people about Christ’s resurrection appearance to him.

Paul’s Initial Evangelistic Activity

After having further contact with disciples in Damascus, Paul engaged in Damascus in his initial evangelistic activity:

Acts 9:19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. 20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

According to some, the lack of mention in this account of Paul’s testifying to his seeing and hearing the risen Christ in His resurrection appearance to Paul proves that Paul did not testify to his being an eyewitness of the risen Christ when he preached Christ in these synagogues. If that approach were correct, we would have to believe that Paul began his evangelistic ministry by disobeying and disregarding what he had been plainly and very recently informed he was commissioned to do as Christ’s witness “unto all men” (see the treatment of Acts 22:14-15 above).

This is a seriously faulty claim that no one should accept as true. The very brief record of his initial evangelistic activity provides zero biblical basis to hold that Paul did not witness for Christ in these synagogues in obedience to what he had just been instructed was his commission to do as Christ’s witness “unto all men.”

Rather, we have full biblical warrant from Acts 22:14-15 to hold that Paul certainly testified in his preaching in these synagogues that he himself had seen and heard the risen Christ. We also have full biblical warrant for holding this position by what Scripture reveals to us in a later account of Pauline evangelism.

Paul’s Later Evangelistic Testimony to His Initial Evangelistic Activity

Many years after he had been saved, Paul defended himself before king Agrippa by testifying to him about his evangelistic activities throughout his life as a Christian because of the experience that he had in seeing and hearing the risen Christ:

Acts 26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

In this evangelistic testimony about his lifetime of his evangelistic activities, Paul testified that he showed first to those at Damascus that they had to repent, turn to God, and do works fitting for repentance (Acts 26:20). Acts 9:20, however, does not say anything about Paul’s telling the people in those synagogues to repent, turn to God, and do works fitting for repentance.

When, therefore, we compare this direct testimony from Paul himself about his initial evangelistic activity in Damascus with the earlier record of that initial Pauline evangelistic activity, we learn that Paul preached in those synagogues much more than what is briefly recorded in Acts 9:20 (that Christ was the Son of God). Comparing Acts 26:19-20 with Acts 9:19-20 proves that we are not to take the lack of mention of testimony to a particular truth in the biblical record of an evangelistic encounter as proof of absence to any testimony to that truth in that encounter.

Conclusion

We must not hold that the lack of mention of testimony to a given truth in the biblical record of an apostolic evangelistic encounter proves that there was no testimony given to that truth in that encounter. “Lack of mention is not proof of absence!”

Note: In much of this post, I have adapted and used my own material that I have posted elsewhere in an online discussion concerning the teaching of Scripture about apostolic evangelism.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Interpretation, Theology
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Commissioned to Be Witnesses of His Resurrection*

October 10, 2023

Acts is the premier book for us to learn what the apostles were commissioned to do in evangelism. Luke begins Acts by telling us that they were commissioned to be witnesses unto Christ:

Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

As witnesses unto Christ, they were commissioned to tell people what they themselves had seen and had heard concerning Christ. Luke plainly tells us that Christ Himself showed Himself alive to them repeatedly over a 40-day period in many appearances to them. Acts 1:1-8, therefore, indisputably teaches us that Christ commissioned the apostles to witness to people that they had seen Him alive in those appearances and heard Him speak to them.

Later in Acts 1, Luke informs us that the apostolic company fully understood that what was central in their evangelism was that they were to be witnesses of His resurrection:

Acts 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

No human being was an eyewitness of the actual Resurrection of Christ (the exact moment when Christ rose from the dead).

For the apostles, therefore, to be witnesses (people who tell others what they themselves have seen and heard), they had to tell people not just that Christ rose (something that none of them actually saw or heard in person), but also and especially, that they themselves in person saw and heard Him alive in the Resurrection appearances in which He repeatedly showed Himself to them in the 40-day period between the Resurrection and the Ascension.

The actual Resurrection was not what changed the apostles from their meeting in private to bold, continual witnesses of Christ. What transformed them was that they themselves saw and heard the risen Christ in His appearances to them. Acts 1:1-8 and 1:21-22 thus plainly teach us that testifying to the Resurrection appearances of Christ was central and essential for the apostles to be faithful witnesses to what Christ had commissioned them to do in their evangelism.

Furthermore, Luke provides further confirmation to us about what the apostles held that they had to do in fulfilling the commission that they had been given:

Acts 4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

This passage shows that the apostles had as their premier goal to speak what they themselves had seen and heard. We can be certain that their testifying to their eyewitness encounters with the risen Christ was the very center of their apostolic evangelism.

Whenever they possibly could, the apostolic company never just stated that Christ rose–they unendingly testified in addition that they had seen and heard Him in His resurrection appearances to them. Doing so was the essence of how they were commissioned to be witnesses of His Resurrection.

*This post uses extensively and is based on a series of comments that I myself posted elsewhere online concerning this subject.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Exposition, Interpretation, Theology
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12 Passages That Teach Us How to Pray for Illumination

September 14, 2023

For more than 3 decades, I have used many passages to pray fervently to God that He would illumine His Word to me. I praise Him that He has done so over and over again on numerous occasions!

Here are 12 such passages that teach us how to do so.

Exodus 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

Holy Father, as I partake of Thy Word, please show me Thy glory.

Psalm 43:3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. 4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

Gracious Father, please send out Thy light and Thy truth. Let them lead me and bring me to Thy holy hill and to Thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy. Yea, upon my stringed instrument will I praise Thee, O God my God.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

Abba, Father, please teach me Thy way, O Lord. I will walk in Thy truth. Unite my heart to fear Thy name.

1 Kings 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? . . . 12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart.

Gracious God, please give to me a wise and understanding heart that I may discern between the good and the bad.

Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Oh God, I know and believe that the answers to every important question about what you want your people to do to glorify You in all things that are acceptable to You in worship are in Thy Word. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy Law.

Proverbs 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

Father, please grant that I would not answer these people according to their folly, lest I would become like them and please grant that I would answer them according to their folly so that they would not be wise in their own conceits.

Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

O Lord, please open my understanding that I would understand Thy Word.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

Heavenly Father, please grant me specific and clear insight into Thy Word that I would be mighty through Thee to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God in all my hearers, and please bring their every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come

God of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of glory, please give unto me and to all the rest of Thy saints the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Thee: The eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of Thy calling, and what the riches of the glory of Thy inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of Thy power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of Thy mighty power, which Thou didst wrought in Christ, when Thou didst raise him from the dead, and seat him at Thy own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Lord, as I carefully consider what Thou hast said in this passage, please grant me understanding in all things that Thou hast said in Thy Word.

Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Holy Spirit, please fill me now and grant me all manner of skillfulness in every skillful aspect of answering these wrong views so that I would be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince these gainsayers.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Heavenly Father, I lack wisdom to know how to answer this wrong teaching. You have said that if any man lacks wisdom, he must ask of You Who gives liberally to all men and does not upbraid; and it will be given him. Do as You have said and grant me the wisdom that I need to answer this wrong teaching.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Prayer, Theology
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Learning from the Perfect Endings of the 39 Perfect Books of the OT

August 29, 2023

A highly skilled writer knows just how important the ending of his book is. As the perfect Writer, the Holy Spirit inspired perfect endings to each of the 39 perfect books of the OT.

Examining these endings carefully provides us with invaluable instruction that we cannot get from any other source!

Gen. 50:26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Exod. 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Lev. 27:34 These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.

Num. 36:13 These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

Deut. 34:12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.

Jos. 24:33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

Jdg. 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

1 Sam. 31:13 And they [all the valiant men of Jabesh Gilead] took their [of Saul and his sons] bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

2 Sam. 24:25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

1 Ki. 22:53 For he [Ahaziah the son of Ahab] served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

2 Ki. 25:30 And his [Jehoiachin king of Judah’s] allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.

1 Chr. 29:30 With all his [David’s] reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.

2 Chr. 36:23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

Ezr. 10:44 All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

Neh. 13:31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me [Nehemiah], O my God, for good.

Est. 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

Job 42:17 So Job died, being old and full of days.

Ps. 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Prov. 31:31 Give her [a virtuous woman] of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Eccl. 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Cant. 8:14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

Isa. 66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Jer. 52:34 And for his [Jehoiachin king of Judah’s] diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

Lam. 5:22 But thou hast utterly rejected us [Jerusalem the daughter of Zion]; thou art very wroth against us.

Ezek. 48:35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

Dan. 12:13 But go thou [Daniel] thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Hos. 14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Joel 3:21 For I will cleanse their [of the children of Judah and Jerusalem] blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

Amos 9:15 And I will plant them [God’s people of Israel] upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

Jon. 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Mic. 7:20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

Nah. 3:19 There is no healing of thy [the king of Assyria’s] bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?

Hab. 3:19 The LORD God is my [Habakkuk’s] strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Zeph. 3:20 At that time will I bring you [Jerusalem/Zion] again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.

Hag. 2:23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

Zech. 14:21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

Mal. 4:6 And he [Elijah the prophet] shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

In a future post, “Learning from the Perfect Endings of the 27 Perfect Books of the NT,” I plan to similarly compile the endings of each of the 27 perfect books of the NT.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Bible reading, Theology
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Pastor Mark Minnick on Musical Sound as An Issue to God

August 21, 2023

When it comes to music, when it comes to that kind of thing, really, all that change starts with a philosophy that says that sound is not an issue to God. Text is an issue to God, not sound. You take a Bible governor off the sound. Well, now, the sky’s the limit in terms of what can be done as long as your viewpoint is, “Sound is not an issue to God.” It just becomes then a matter of personal preference and taste.

–Pastor Mark Minnick, Sunday PM message, “Preachers and Missionaries UK 2023,” 8/20/23

I believe that these statements very insightfully express what really is at the heart of so many of the worship music issues in our day.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In CCM, Mount Calvary Baptist Pulpit, Music, Theology
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Is There One Verse or Passage That Is the Key to A Fully Biblical Approach to Acceptable Music for Corporate Worship?

August 19, 2023

I recently asked elsewhere online the following question:

Is there one verse or passage that you believe is the key to a fully biblical approach to acceptable music for corporate worship?

So far, I have received the following responses:

2 Chron 29:20-36, tells what kind of instruments.. the golden calf incident tells what methods were horrific to God.

I Corinthians 14, talks about music styles (March music styles influencing preparation for a battle) being distinctive and precise and significant.

No.

I would love to hear from the readers of my blog what their thoughts are about the answer to this question.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Music, Theology
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The Bible and Percussion: Two Discussion Threads on SharperIron.org

August 8, 2023

For many months now, the focus of my study of what the Bible reveals about music has been on what it says about percussion instruments. To that end, I have been involved in two ongoing discussions on Sharper Iron:

Did the Israelites Use Drum-Like Instruments in the Worship in the Solomonic Temple?

Shamanism, Percussion, and First Corinthians 6:12

As God directs, I invite you to consider what has been discussed in these threads.

See also:

Are All Kinds of Percussion Acceptable to God for Use in Corporate Worship?

A Biblical Response to Robert Bakks on Percussion Instruments in Psalm 150

Image credit: Image was cropped from Image from page 330 of “The pictorial Bible and commentato… | Flickr

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In CCM, Exposition, Interpretation, Music, Theology
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Are All Kinds of Percussion Acceptable to God for Use in Corporate Worship?

April 18, 2023

Are all kinds of percussion acceptable to God for use in corporate worship? I believe that the following diagram treats and applies Scripture properly to provide a clear answer to that question.


In brief, Scripture teaches that even for all things that are lawful, not all of them are expedient and not all of them edify. Because that is true, both all things that are expedient and all things that edify are subsets of the set of all things that are lawful.

Only those things that are lawful and expedient and edifying are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship. If something is lawful but it either is not expedient or it does not edify or both, it is unacceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

Concerning all kinds of percussion, some hold that all kinds of percussion are lawful because they believe that there are no prohibitions in Scripture against any kinds of percussion. Even if that were a correct basis for concluding that all kinds of percussion are lawful, it would not be sufficient for establishing that they are all also expedient and edifying because there simply is no Scripture that teaches that all kinds of percussion are lawful, expedient, and edifying.

In fact, as the diagram sets forth, 1 Corinthians 13:1 implies that there are ways to sound certain percussion instruments that are not expedient and edifying. Because that is true, there is no biblical basis to hold that all kinds of percussion are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

If one disagrees and asserts that all kinds of percussion are in fact acceptable to God for use in corporate worship, he has the burden of proving from Scripture that all kinds of percussion are lawful, expedient, and edifying.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Music, Theology
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Learning from Christ’s Confrontation of Pastors and Churches

April 6, 2023

In Revelation 2-3, the glorified Christ confronted 7 pastors of 7 literal first-century churches in Asia Minor. We learn many truths from His dealings with those leaders and their churches.

The following paragraphs treat three such truths.

What Churches are “Biblical” Churches?

Of the 7 churches, Christ did not have any rebuke, condemnation, or other negative remarks for 2 of the churches. His dealings with the other 5 varied in their intensity concerning the problems in those churches.

Even though He strongly condemned some of the things that were taking place in some of these churches, Christ still referred to them as churches in exactly the same manner that He spoke of those churches for which He did not have any negative assessments. The notion, therefore, that only certain churches are “biblical” churches because they do not have any serious sin problems among the people in the church or in the leadership of the church is not a biblically supported notion.

All 7 churches were “biblical” churches even though some of them had leaders in the churches who were either tolerating serious sins or promoting them themselves. Remarkably, this was true even for a church that had in it at least some people and some in leadership who had come to know certain so-called deep things of Satan!

It is not necessarily true, therefore, that a church is a “biblical” church only if it is without any (serious) sin problems in it.

Which Pastors Are “Biblical” Pastors?

When Christ confronted the angel (that is, the pastor) of each of these churches, He addressed all of them in the same manner. Whether He had strong condemnation for what was taking place in the church or not did not change how He addressed the top leader of each church.

From this aspect of Christ’s dealings with the pastors of all 7 churches, we learn conclusively that a pastor is not a “biblical” pastor only if everything in His life and in His church is exactly what God wants it to be. Christ still addressed the pastors of some very compromised churches as “the angel of the church” even though very serious sin was being tolerated in his church.

It is not necessarily true, therefore, that a man is a “biblical” pastor only if both he and his church are free from any (serious) sin problems.

Is Confronting Compromised Pastors by Name Always a Necessity?

Christ addressed each of the 7 letters to the 7 churches to “the angel” of that church. Remarkably, Christ did not name any of the pastors of the 5 churches that He confronted concerning problems in their churches.

This was true even when the sin problems in the church were very serious. Christ, did not, therefore, deem it necessary or appropriate to call out such pastors of such churches by their names.

It is not necessarily true, therefore, that we must always warn people about sin problems in churches by naming the names of the pastors of the churches when we speak about the sin problems in the churches.

Conclusion

Revelation 2-3 reveals to us Christ’s perfect dealings in His confronting 7 pastors of 7 literal churches late in the first century AD. From His dealings with those pastors and those churches, we learn that both churches and pastors are not “biblical” churches and pastors only if they and their churches are free from all sin.

Furthermore, it is not always a necessity that we must make known the names of pastors of churches with serious sin problems in them in order to properly warn others about those matters. In fact, based on Christ’s not naming the pastors of the churches that He confronted about their sin problems, we should learn that we should be very careful about doing what Christ Himself did not do in such matters.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exposition, Interpretation, Theology
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