How to Establish Religious Authority #12

A. Last week, in this series, we learned that in the Bible there are different kinds of commands
that fall under the Law of God. #1, There are Moral commands that are Religious in nature.
They govern your conduct toward your fellow man. They regulate activity between human
beings. #2, There are Religious laws that have to do with your relationship with God. These
laws regulate how people are to worship Him. Some laws are generic and some are specific
and knowing the difference between the two is very important.
(2) Let’s see an immediate, and present day, application of that. Today many people do not understand why we do not use mechanical instruments of music in our worship. Their first question is, “Where’s your piano, organ? Every body else uses one. Can’t you afford to buy one?” They ask that because they do not understand the difference between generic and specific commandments in the Bible.
a. If we had a command in the New Testament that said, “Make music to the Lord when you
worship Him.” That would be a religious command of a generic nature. Music is a
generic word. You can make music by whistling, singing, or playing an instrument. You
can make music in many ways because music is a generic term.
(1) But, the New Testament gives us a specific command how we are to express our selves to God. Eph. 5:18?19, says, “...be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord.” The NIV says, “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.” In the original language the phrase make music, or make melody is a specific verb.
(1) Singing is a specific verb. Verbs of a specific action are expressed in only one
way. When you SING you are not Whistling, and when you are Whistling your
are not Singing. Walking is a specific verb. When you are walking you are not
running. Do you understand the difference?
(a) Our language is specific, thus it enables us to communicate in a precise
manner so we do not misunderstand each other. God made us that way so
He could speak to us in a way we could understand. In the garden of Eden
God spoke with Adam and Eve and in doing so they understood what God
expected of them.
God was specific, and precise in communicating that there were some things they could do and some thing they could not do. He told them exactly what would happen to them if they did not obey His commands. God communicated to them the terms of their relationship. And they understood the consequences of not following His instructions. In His communication with man God often uses Verbs that express a specific type of action.
What’s the point of all this? If we have a law from God, a command from God to make music it would not make any difference how we did it. You could have a piano, band, juke-box. We could do anything we wanted, because the command would be generic.
But when God said sing that is the kind of music we must offer. We must understand that He gave the command because that’s specifically what He wanted us to do. I cannot second-guess God and assume that I can offer Him anything I want. When God speaks He means what He says and says what He means. I cannot change or ignore anything God says. When God speaks, no man has the right to an opinion. Thus there is a difference between the generic and the specific. We need to understand that and honor God by complying with that.
In the New Testament we are commanded to sing praises to God. Rom. 15:9, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name." Vs. 15, says, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you
peoples."

1 Cor. 14:15, “I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.” No body would try to pray to God with an instrument since God said to do that with your mind and your spirit. That
would not only be an addition to what God commanded, but it would also be a
total distraction to what you were trying to do.
The command is to sing. That eliminates everything else. Now listen to Col. 3:16?17, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish (teach and encourage) one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Jas. 5:13?14, “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” That is very plain, explicit. He does not say, “Sing and Play.” Sing is a specific verb of action. Play is also a specific verb of action, But they are not the same. Each specifies an action that is different from the other.
(1) One last scripture that brings it all together. Eph. 5:18?19, “Be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make melody (music) in your heart to the Lord.” That phrase, “Sing and make Melody in your heart.” uses two different verbs of specific action.
#1, It says, “Speak to your selves in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” With the mouth you speak psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. The action is designated and thus eliminates the addition of playing an instrument.
#2, The next command in the original language specifically forbids the addition of a mechanical instrument of music. It says, “Adontes, kia psallontes en te kardia homoon too Kurioo.” The direct command is, “Sing and make melody in your heart unto the Lord.” The verb of action is psallontes. It designates the instrument to be used. Psallontes means to pick, pluck or twang and it designates the instrument as the heart or emotions as what is to accompany your praise to the Lord.
(3) Jno. 4:23?24, Jesus said, “A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
Do you worship God that way?
(1) God has given us specific commands when we worship Him and we must honor His requests. There is one all important truth that we must always remember. “When God speaks, no man has the right to an opinion.” Have you honored God in that way?
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 04/27/03 am