AboutHoyt Roberson Expertise I can answer just about any doctrinal, relational, or Scriptural question from a "traditional" church of Christ perspective, and from perspectives of somewhat more progressive congregations. If you want an answer from a particular perspective, let me know that up front, and I'll respond in that vein. If you want to peg me on the liberal-conservative spectrum, I would suggest a bit left of center. Depending on the question though, I might be far left, or perhaps rather toward the right.
Experience I am currently a shepherd of a congregation (which means, for those of you who aren't Church of Christ folk, I'm one of a handful of people responsible for the spiritual direction and maturity of the congregation, and who hire and fire the ministers). I have served in many capacities including adult class teacher (also current), deacon, administrator, and lay leader at two military bases. I am a life-long member of churches of Christ, mostly mainline congregations, but am quite familiar with more conservative and more liberal congregations and views as well. I read and subscribe to various books and periodicals for churches of Christ, and have discussed a variety of topics with representatives of our various groups both in person, and via mail.
Organizations Christian Association for Psychological Studies, American Association of Christian Counselors, and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Publications www.robersonblog.blogspot.com
Education/Credentials I hold a Masters of Ministry degree from Pepperdine University, as well as a Masters of Counseling degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Phoenix.
I appreciate your considered answers to so many questions by others. I a not from a churches of Christ background.Quite likely what I am asking has already been answered, but I haven't the time to put into a search of past answers at the moment... Sorry.
I have been a Christian for many years but have a "love-hate" relationship with the denomination that God has seemed to place me in. I don't believe denominations are the ideal way forward, but neither do I see any perfect independent church for me to join. I do see the need for checks and balances within the Body of Christ, and the need to be teachable on the basis of what people from other traditions have learned and experienced in their walk with Christ. Although I am part of a denomination, I primarily regard myself as a member of the Body of Christ and count believers in other churches and denominations as my precious brothers and sisters.
I'm intrigued by the srciptural reasons given by some churches of Christ folk for the non use of instruments in worship. Personally I understand the reasoning being based on an argument from silence.
Just because there is no instruction to use instruments or even if it can be shown that early Christians didn't use instruments (I suspect they didn't have electric guitars!!!) does it follow that the silence of scripture should be taken to mean there is an instruction not to use instruments?
I am asking this question not to be argumentative, but because I am trying to respond to someone who attends a church of Christ who is implying that I am sinning when I choose to play an instrument whilst also singing in worship.
The argument seems to be that the use of instruments was only an Old Testament practice because the Psalms encouraged worshippers to use them along with the voice (singing, shouting) and the body (dancing, raising hands,clapping).
Using the reasoning of my friend, it would seem to me that there are other practices we shouldn't follow on the basis of no Scriptural instructions in the New Testament. eg. Having Sunday Schools, youth groups, printed hymn books or songsheets, electric heaters, ... even church buildings.
I am interested in your response. Thanks for takijng the time to read my verbose comments.
Luke
Answer Luke,
The standard Church of Christ reasoning for a capella singing is based on both a mis-apprehension of some central texts, and then a growth in secondary explanations from other parts of Scripture. By itself, the argument from silence can be valid. For instance, God told Noah to build an ark, not a raft. God didn't have to say "now, Noah, don't build a raft."
It is clear though, upon some slight reflection, that in this case there is an explicit directive that by itself eliminates alternatives. Therefore, there really isn't a need for an argument from silence in this case - or most cases similar to it.
The texts used to argue only for singing are found primarily in Ephesians and Colossians. These passages do in fact include the directive "to sing," and it might appear at first glance that we are in a Noah's ark situation - there is a command and it seems specific, therefore eliminating other things.
However, while there may be a directive to sing, it is given in a context that indicates that this directive isn't the primary point under discussion. The context is the Christian life - a life controlled by the Spirit rather than carnal desires. We are first told to be filled with the Spirit, and in discussion of what that might look like, Paul tells us to "sing and make melody in your hearts to the Lord...songs, hymns and spiritual songs."
The import here is not "sing" even if it is an imperative verb. Rather, it is the kinds of songs we are to sing that are the focus of the discussion. Let me try a parallel....
In the directive, "Go to the store and get some ice cream," what is important? Does the speaker care if a go to the store, or is going to the store only a method of getting the ice cream? I think we can agree that the important aspect of this directive is the getting of ice cream, not going to the store.
The same in true in Ephesians. It is important that we sing songs appropriate to Christian living, but the use of an imperative "sing" is not intended to establish singing as THE command. Rather, in keeping with the context, Paul's concern is with the types of songs we sing - whether a capella or accompanied.
There has grown up other arguments in support of this main theme. The observation that the synagogue apparently didn't use instruments, and therefore the early church didn't either. These are likely true enough, but are they proscriptive in setting boundaries for Christian behavior? I think not especially when God allowed IM in the Temple, and the visions of Heaven provided John include IM in the very presence of God.
The standard Church of Christ view on this topic is that "we are now in the church age, and there are different rules for the church than for the Temple or Heaven." This quite frankly, is a dodge as a little reflection should illustrate. Revelation clearly has God describing Heaven as having instruments. What we must accept if we believe the standard line, is that John and his readers would have understood the difference between "the church age" and Heaven. We would have then, John providing a vision that stood 180 degrees different that what we want the First Century church to have understood. Is that likely? I think not.
You are correct that the Law of Silence (that's what we like to call it even if that title isn't found in Scripture) would seem to proscribe other things that churches of Christ take for granted. I don't have space here to go into details, but the Law of Silence is actually a corollary to something called CENI (Command, (approved) Example, and Necessary Inference). This is accompanied by something called the Law of Expediency. Taken together, CENI and the Law of Expediency allow us to "authorize" those things not specifically mentioned in Scripture but which we find useful. An example.....
A songbook is clearly not mentioned in Scripture, but because songbooks facilitate our singing, they become a necessary inference and/or an expediency. Once we have made that determination, songbooks are "God-approved."
You have probably noticed that the a capella argument is held rather strongly (after all, you are sinning for doing otherwise), and counter-arguments are largely brushed off - sometimes with considerable emotion.
Does that address your question? If not, let me know and I'll provide more info.
