Do You Feel Saved?
Wayne Greeson
Are you saved? How do you know you are saved? “I know I am saved because I feel it in my heart,” many often say. But are the feelings of your heart the proper standard to determine your salvation? We do not use this standard in other matters. No one says of his bank statement, “I know it is right because I feel it in my heart,” while they ignore to properly add and subtract from their balance. No carpenter says, “I know the board is 10 feet long because I feel it in my heart” — he checks the board with the proper standard, the measuring tape! But, when it comes to a matter far more important than bank balances and board lengths — salvation — many are willing to trust their eternal welfare to their feelings.
Can you trust the feelings of your heart to tell you whether or not you are saved? The Bible says “No!” “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool” (Prov. 28:26), for “the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23). “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). Feelings are subjective, they change from person to person and even within the same person. Truth is objective, it remains fixed and does not change, regardless of the person or the year.
The way you feel about salvation does not change God’s truth concerning it, just as the way you feel about math, does not change the truth of it. Whether or not you are saved is an objective fact, not subject to the whims of how you feel from moment to moment. So how can they know they are saved? The Scripture says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Prov. 3:5).
You do not have to rely upon your own faulty and deceptive feelings concerning your salvation. The Lord has given “the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation” (2 Tim. 3:15). The knowledge and confidence of salvation can only come from the objective standard of God’s Word. God will judge you by His Word, not by how you feel. Jesus proclaimed, “the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). What is your salvation based upon? Many people feel in their heart they are saved because they have “simply believed” in Jesus. While salvation certainly requires faith in Jesus, faith alone does not and cannot save according to God’s Word. James wrote, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only“(Jas. 2:24). Other people have prayed and “asked Jesus to come into their heart” and now they feel they are saved. But nowhere does the Bible teach one must simply pray to Jesus in order to be saved. God’s Word teaches to be saved you must: hear the gospel (Rom. 10:17); believe Jesus is the Son of God (Mk. 16:16); repent of your sins (Acts 2:38); confess Jesus (Rom. 10:9; Acts 8:36-38) and be baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38; Mk. 16:16). Those who obey God’s Word do not have to guess whether or not they are saved based upon the feelings of their heart. They know they aresaved because their salvation is based on the unchanging Truth of God’s Word.
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“Don’t Judge Me!”
Mike Johnson
Matthew 7:1 says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Many people know this passage but often misunderstand it. They have the mistaken idea that if we do not agree with them on specific Bible questions or their manner of life, we should not say anything about it. According to many, if we point out sin and error, we have done wrong as we have judged them and have violated Matthew 7:1. This passage does not teach, as some seem to think, that it is improper for Christians under any circumstance to point out the wrongdoing of those who are involved in doctrinal error or even immortality. Consider now a closer look at Matthew 7:1 and the concept of “judging.”
To begin with, consider John 7:24, where Jesus says, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” This verse helps us see there are some ways in which we are to judge and other ways in which we are not to judge. Righteous judgment would be judgment in which the standard is God’s Word. Hebrews 5:14 helps us see this concept as it says we are to discern between good and evil. Some judgment is required to do this.
Consider Galatians 6:1, which says, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” This verse says spiritual people are to restore those overtaken in a “trespass.” It would take some judgment concerning a fallen person’s action to restore him. Besides, how can we restore such a person without pointing out his error? Would a person be guilty of judging, as condemned in Matthew 7:1, for carrying out the responsibility enjoined in Galatians 6:1?
On various occasions in the Bible, people involved in sin received rebuked. Galatians 2:11-14 reveals an incident where Paul rebuked Peter “before them all” for having a sinful attitude. To view Matthew 7:1 as some interpret it today, someone would have needed to tell Paul, “Paul, you have no right to judge him. You are not God.” However, Paul had every right to rebuke Peter, who was guilty of sin. Paul also admonished the people of Athens because they worshiped idols (Acts 17:16-34). He was not judging in the wrong sense (as spoken against in Matthew 7:1) but was carrying out God’s Will in exposing error. In the same way, Aquila and Priscilla were not guilty of judging when they took Apollos aside and taught him the truth about the baptism of John (Acts 18:24-28).
2 Timothy 4:2 tells us we are to “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” How can one accomplish this without, in some sense, judging? Today, if we “convince” and “rebuke,” many would say we are wrong because we are guilty of judging. Yet, we would be doing what God precisely said to do.
What about Matthew 7:1? Does God’s Word contradict itself? It does not. The solution involves taking a closer look at the context of Matthew 7:1. Verses 3-5 show us the judging under consideration is hypocritical judging. These verses speak of one who has a plank in his eye, condemning another who has a speck in his eye. The text does not justify the plank or the speck. Instead, it teaches that the one with the plank should not condemn the one with the speck. A person must take the plank out of his eye, and then he can see clearly to take the speck out of someone else’s eye. Thus, Matthew 7:1 does not condemn all judging, but instead, it speaks against hypocritical judgment.
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Analyzing Arguments in Favor of Instrumental Music
Mark Mayberry
Christianity is a religion of faith. To walk by faith means that we live in harmony with God’s Word. This has special application to our expression of worship: It must be according to God’s will! Our faith, practice and worship must be grounded in the teachings of the Bible. The New Testament furnishes us with a pattern for worship. Sadly, many people are content to follow manmade systems of religion without ever determining whether or not they are pleasing to the Lord.
Let’s consider one specific issue: What kind of music should we use in worship? Every so often one of our neighbors will ask, “Why is it that churches of Christ do not use instrumental music in worship?” The answer is simple. We do not use mechanical instruments of music in worship because there is no New Testament authority for such a practice. Vocal music is all that God ever authorized. Of those passages in the New Testament that speak of music in worship, without exception the focus is on singing (Matt. 26:30; Mk. 14:26; Acts 16:25; Rom. 15:9; 1 Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Heb. 2:12; Jas. 5:13). The New Testament teaches that God desires us to worship him in song, and we must be content with that divine decree. Ephesians 5:18-19 says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
In spite of the plain teaching of Scripture, many still try to justify the use of mechanical instruments of music. Let us examine some of the arguments made in favor of instrumental music. A diligent study of each point will show that these arguments do not hold water.
“It Is An Expedient.”
Some try to justify instrumental music by saying, “It is an expedient.” Webster defines an expedient as something “useful for effecting a desired result; suited to the circumstances or the occasion; advantageous, convenient.” Certain things in religion can be justified as expedients, but there are biblical principles that must be respected.
In order for a thing to be an expedient, it must first be lawful. It must fall within the bounds of that which God has authorized. If there is no command, approved example, or necessary inference in the New Testament to justify a practice, then we should avoid it (Matt. 15:7-9; Col. 3:17; 2 Jn. 9).
Consider the tragic example of Uzzah in the Old Testament (2 Sam. 6:6-7). He surely thought he was justified when he reached out to steady the ark when the oxen stumbled, but he sadly discovered that an act cannot be an expedient if it is unlawful (Num. 4:15).
Furthermore, an expediency has to do with a best choice among various options. Certain things may fall within the realm of God’s commandments, and assist us in obeying his will. For example, communion plates and cups help in serving the Lord’s Supper. A church building is often the most expedient way of carrying out God’s command to assemble. When Jesus gave the great commission, he said, “Go teach.” Since the Lord did not specify how they were to go, the apostles were free to choose the most expedient method of travel.
However, man has no options when the Lord specifies exactly what he wants done. In such cases we are not free to do something else and call it an expedient. If we go beyond what is specified, and offer a substitute, we are guilty of adding to God’s Word (Deut. 4:2; Lev. 10:1-2).
In giving the great commission, Jesus said, “Preach the gospel.” He specified what they were to preach. No one is at liberty to preach anything other than the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:8-9). This principle is also illustrated through the Bible’s teaching on baptism. The New Testament repeatedly pictures baptism as a “burial” (Acts 8:38-39; Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12), and the Greek word itself means “to dip, plunge, or immerse.” Some would claim that sprinkling is simply one way to carry out God’s command regarding baptism. Not true! Sprinkling is a substitute. God has specified the “mode” of baptism he desires, and no other will do.
When God commanded us to make music in worship, he specified what kind of music he desired: “singing” (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Thus we cannot justify instrumental music as an expedient. It is not merely an aid, but is in fact an addition to God’s commandment. The use of instrumental music is unauthorized and cannot be practiced “by faith.”
“It Was Used In the Old Testament.”
Many would defend the use of instrumental music by saying, “It was used in the Old Testament” (2 Chron. 29:25; Psa. 150). True, but we are no longer under the Old Testament! The Law of Moses served its purpose and it has now been abolished (Gal. 3:22-25; Eph. 2:13-16; Col. 2:14-16). Those who are living today are under law to Christ (1 Cor. 9:21). As a result, no one can seek to be justified by the Law of Moses (Gal. 5:14). The Old Testament called for animal sacrifices, burning incense, circumcision, a distinction between clean and unclean meats, etc. You can’t take one and leave the rest. Paul warned the Judaizing teachers, saying, “I testify to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to the whole law” (Gal. 5:3). The same statement could be made to those who would reach back to the Law of Moses in an effort to justify instrumental music.
“It Is Not Explicitly Forbidden.”
Others would argue for the use of instrumental music by saying, “God didn’t say not to use it!” However, such a premium on silence could justify almost anything. The Bible does not have to specifically condemn something for it to be wrong. Faith is based upon the Word of God (Rom. 10: 17; 2 Cor. 5:7). Our Father has clearly and positively stated that he wants us to worship him in song. When God specifies what he wants, unauthorized alternatives are excluded.
There is a maxim of law, which states that the expression of one thing is the exclusion of another. It must be so, for otherwise legal contracts would not be definite, and there would be no precise understanding of law. In the Patriarchal dispensation, God commanded Noah to make an ark of gopher-wood. This positive command disallowed the use of any other kind of wood. In the Mosaic dispensation when the Passover was instituted, God specified that a lamb was to be killed – not a heifer or a goat; it was to be one year old – not two or three; it was to be without blemish – not with a blemish; it was to be offered on the fourteenth day of the month – not some other day; the blood was to be applied to the door-posts and lintels – not elsewhere. The same principle applies here! In the Christian dispensation, God told us to worship him in song, and this eliminates playing an instrument.
“It Is Used In Our Homes.”
Many would support the use of instrumental music by saying, “It is used in our homes.” We also have lawn mowers, hair dryers and washing machines at home, but does that prove anything? We do many things in our private lives which have no part in the public worship (Mk. 7:1-8; 1 Cor. 11:20-22).
“It Will Be Found In Heaven.”
Others would advocate the use of instrumental music by saying, “The Book of Revelation speaks of it in heaven” (Rev. 5:8; 14:1-2; 15:1-2). First, let us realize that the Book of Revelation is filled with symbolic imagery, and it is a perversion of the text to literalize those symbols. Revelation describes various colored horses, bowls of wrath, burning incense, four-headed beasts, a sea of glass, etc. Heaven is described in physical terms which we can understand, but we must never forget it is a spiritual realm. Nothing material will be found there (1 Cor. 15:50). Revelation 14:2 describes the majestic chorus of 144,000 voices as they sing praises to God. The heavenly chorus was characterized by great volume (as the voice of many waters and great thunder), and beautiful harmony (the voice of harpers).
Furthermore, we must understand that Revelation is picturing a different realm or dispensation. Those who lived under the Mosaic dispensation will be judged by the Law of Moses. Those of us who live under the Christian dispensation will be judged by the Gospel of Christ. Our focus should be upon what is required of us during this Christian age. Whatever God chooses to do in the future is his business.
“It Is Supported By The Greek.”
Some would defend the use of instrumental music by saying, “The use of instrumental music is justified by the Greek.” Such a statement shows a great deal of ignorance concerning the Greek. The expression translated “make melody” in Ephesians 5:19 is from the Greek word psallo. Its root meaning is “to pull, rub, strike, pluck, or vibrate.” In Classical Greek, the word did in fact describe the playing of a mechanical instrument. However, words change over time and in the Koine Greek of the New Testament this word applied exclusively to singing. Forty-seven scholars worked to produce the KJV and 101 scholars translated the ASV. Every time psallo appeared, it was translated “sing” (Rom. 15:9; 1 Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Jas. 5:13). Were all these scholars wrong? Of course not! It is interesting to note that many of these translators were members of churches which used instrumental music. They could have tried to justify their practice, yet they remained true to their scholarship!
Conclusion
It is essential that we have Bible authority for everything that we do or practice (Col. 3:17; 1 Pet. 4:11). Which New Testament passage justifies the use of instrumental music? There is none! We must learn “not to go beyond the things that are written” (1 Cor. 4:6, ASV). Christians are commanded to sing, and the instrument we worship God with is the heart! Paul said, “Make melody in your heart to the Lord.”
Guardian of Truth — January 18, 1990
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Why Churches Grow
J.F. Dancer
- Brethren are friendly and are deeply concerned about saving souls.
- Elders plan ways in which the membership is informed, kept busy and knowledgeable of one another (Heb. 13:17; 1 Thess. 5:12; 1 Pet. 5:1-4).
- Members worship in a well planned, Scripturally and orderly service.
- Classes are continually examined and improved to accomplish the most good and generate the best interest (Eph. 4:12-16).
- A preacher who will “preach the Word” and will be a good example to both the church and the world in his daily life (1 Tim. 4:12; 2 Tim. 4:1-5).
- Not one member goes astray without the elders and the church being interested to the point of finding out the problem (Gal. 6:1).
- Discipline is exercised with love and impartiality (2 Thess. 3:6-15).
- The work planned is constantly before the brethren and is centered around preaching the Word (2 Cor. 8:21; 1 Tim. 3:15).
- A well organized personal work program that tries to involve every member of the church (1 Cor. 14:40; Eph. 4:16).
- New teachers are trained and used so that every part of the church is exercised and made to truly feel a “part of the body.”
- Love and respect is cultivated by brethren working together.
- Neither the preacher nor any other teacher becomes a “hobbiest” on any subject (Acts 20:20. 27; 2 Tim. 4:2).
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Gratitude
The story is told of a poor woman with two children, who had not a bed for them to lie upon, and scarcely any clothes to cover them. In the depth of winter they were nearly frozen, and the mother took the door of a cellar off the hinges, and set it up before the corner where they were crouched down to sleep that some of the draft and cold might be kept from them. One of the children whispered to her, when she complained how badly off they were. “Mother, what do those dear little children do who have no cellar door to put up in front of them?” Even there, you see, the little heart found cause for thankfulness.
There is a very touching little story told of a poor woman with two children, who had not a bed for them to lie upon, and scarcely any clothes to cover them. In the depth of winter they were nearly frozen, and the mother took the door of the cellar off the hinges, and set it up before the corner where they crouched down to sleep, that some of the drought and cold might be kept from them. One of the children whispered to her, when she complained of how badly off they were, ‘Mother, what do those dear little children do who have no cellar door to put up in front of them?’ Even there, you see, the little heart found cause for thankfulness.
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Editor: Mike Johnson
www.seekingthingsabove.org
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