What is a ‘Restoration’ Church
Part 3

A RESTORATION CHURCH

AND ITS MUSIC

n The current state of the religious world and the current state of the church in our world, necessitates that we study again the scriptures concerning the nature of the church and its worship.

n I am approaching each lesson from a “RESTORATION PERSPECTIVE

or VIEWPOINT.”

- By restoration perspective or viewpoint, I mean

that it is the ongoing obligation of every generation

to continually restore the TEACHING and

PRACTICES of the inspired, Apostle led,

First Century Church.

I WANT ALL TO UNDERSTAND

n This topic is not the central issue of what Christianity is about, this is not at the forefront of what my ministry is about, but it is about how we view the Bible and respect its teaching and authority when it comes to the New Testament Church and its music.

n Many are uninformed about what the Bible says on the subject and thus believe it really doesn’t matter what our practice is; ACAPELLA or singing with INSTRUMENTAL accompaniment.

n This subject is often controversial because so many in our congregations are so ENTERTAINMENT ORIENTED and BIBLICALLY ILLITERATE.

n Some in our restoration churches have caved in to the “success syndrome” with a desire to please men rather than God.

n Our approach must be;

WHAT PLEASES GOD?

nMany want to cloud the discussion with questions that trigger emotional response, such as;

IS IT A SALVATION ISSUE?

--- The question for every person who

loves the Lord, should and must be;

DOES IT PLEASE HIM?

n Another question;

Don’t you believe God’s grace will cover such misunderstanding on the part of sincere believers?

n Again; wrong question;

When has our Heavenly Father taught us that we are free to do anything his grace MIGHT cover?

n The whole concept of RESTORATION is to so respect God's word on every subject, that we faithfully look at the truth revealed and believe his will and SUBMIT to it.

n This issue cannot be settled on the basis of what we LIKE or DISLIKE. What feels good or any family situations. Our likes, dislikes, emotions and family situation do not affect DIVINELY REVEALED TRUTH.

I. Nothing speaks more loudly on the use

of instrumental music in Christian

worship, than the deafening silence of

the New Testament documents on its

use.

n Understand this; instrumental music as a worship form was in use in the first century as the church began, by other religions. Both Jewish and Gentile converts were accustomed to its use before they came to Christ.

n Based upon what the Bible says; apparently questions never arose about the appropriateness of its use during the apostolic era of the early church.

-- History tells us that instrumental music

was not used for over 500 years.

n Whenever the FORMS of our DEVOTIONS and WORSHIP take precedence over the

SPIRIT,HEART, and ATTTIUDE;

Legalism always results.

n The ‘Objectivity’ of forms carries with them the sense of security, satisfaction, and control

…. Both Legalistic Conservatism,

and Legalistic Liberalism; are

guilty of emphasizing the

EXTERNAL over the INTERNAL.

n Both over emphasize the FORM, believing that if we can get the form just right, it will somehow produce that illusive quality that we call THE SPIRIT OF WORSHIP

n Those of the liberal mindset tend to ‘complicate’ our worship by more and more INNOVATIONS – anything that complicates our devotions, our assembly; distracts us from our purpose for coming together, and they tend toward legalism, because as the forms take more and more time and take on more and more importance; the SPIRIT and INTENT of worship gets proportionally DIMINISHED.

n Perhaps nothing fits that description more than INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

n It of necessity takes time, planning and practice and adds a performance element to our DEVOTIONS.

n WORSHIP IS TO BE IN ‘SPIRIT’-from the heart

John 4:24

“God is spirit, and his worshipers

must worship in spirit and in truth."

n Jesus criticized the Pharisees of his day in

Matthew 15:8,9

(8) " `These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

(9) They worship me in vain;

their teachings are but rules taught by

men.' “

n Jesus does not say that they do not worship.

n He says their worship is in vain.

n Vain worship is worship that is

UNACCEPTABLE TO GOD!

n No matter how PLEASING, UPLIFTING, or GRATIFING it might be to the worshipper, if it is unacceptable to God, it is VAIN WORSHIP.

n It is vain because it fails to accomplish one of its major purposes – TO GLORIFY GOD!

n Why would worship be unacceptable to God?

n Jesus says worship is vain when it incorporates rules taught by man. (Matthew 15:8)

Virtually every recording of vain worship

contains some form of IDOLATRY

n We’re not talking about worshipping an image, but spiritual idolatry.

n The basis of all idolatry is SELF WORSHIP!

n The foundation of idolatry is self worship, we are the creators – so we create a god we Like.

n We create a god that does what we want him to do and we offer to him The Things That Would Please Us.

n If I like it, he MUST like it; for I created this god.

nThe nature of Christian worship is;

* Spiritual & Internal (Attitudinal)

* Worship takes place in the Human mind/Emotions/Spirit … or it does not take

place at all.

§Simply having the spiritual forms correct does

not create worship.

§All worship to God must express itself in some outward

way. The Old Testament goes into great detail about

instructions for worship under the law of Moses.

n The New Testament instructs us that worship must be in ‘SPIRIT’ and TRUTH”; but does not go into as much detail about RITUAL and FORM as the Old Testament.

n Since God created us; he alone knows what brings harmony between the SPIRIT and FLESH and what best makes us able to give him acceptable WORSHIP and SERVICE.

n Now, we look at the New Testament scriptures to see what instructions he has clearly set forth.

God is ‘SPIRIT’, and created us to be spiritual beings;

and therefore capable of worshipping him from our inner

being (Spiritual). That worship from our inner being is also

carried out in a life of faithful service to God.

Romans 12:1

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.”

n The only music commanded or exemplified in the

New Testament was ‘vocal’

1. The example:

A. Jesus and his apostles

Matthew 26:30

“When they had sung a hymn, they went

out to the Mount of Olives.”

B. Paul and Silas

Acts 16:25

“ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing

hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to

them.

2. Other References

a. Romans 15:9 “…. Sing to your name”

b. I Corinthians 14: 15 “…. I will sing with the spirit… and

understanding”

c. Ephesians 5:19 “…. singing and making

melody in your heart”

d. Colossians 3:16 “…. Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”

e. Hebrews 2:12 “…. will sing praise to you”

f. James 5:13 “…. Let him song songs of praise”

n There can be no restoration of the New Testament Christianity without understanding and respecting authority

Matthew 28:18

“Then Jesus came to them and said, "All

authority in heaven and on earth has been

given to me.”

HOW AUTHORITY IS ESTABLISHED…

n Authority can be established in one of three ways…

1. DIRECT COMMAND or precept – a direct statement of

something that can or cannot be done.

a. E.g.., “…repent and be baptized” (Act 2:38)

b. E.g., “…love one another” (John 13:34)

2. Approved example- an illustration that shows a

practice was done with the approval of the

Lord’s apostles.

When we have an example that meets with

apostolic approval, we know there is authority

for the practice. (Acts 20:7)

3. Necessary inference, or “forced conclusion” – something neither expressly stated not specifically exemplified, yet it is necessarily implied by the clear import and meaning of the language used so that one can only draw a particular conclusion.

a. Therefore, if the evidence of the Scriptures warrant it, we may draw certain conclusions because of the necessary implications.

n Example of Necessary Inference

The issue of baptizing infants….

a. The prerequisites for baptism include faith

and repentance ( Mark 16:16), ( Acts 2:38;

8:37)

b. Infants are incapable of faith and repentance –

Therefore the necessary implication (or forced

conclusion) is that baptism is not required of

infants.

n The Music in the NT emphasized the “spiritual”

May God help us to always make our worship so!

* Ephesians 5:19– “.. Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”

* Colossians 3:16 “…singing with grace in your hearts

to the Lord”