Baptist Questions Answered #4

Baptist Questions Answered -- Part 4

(Editor's Note: This series of articles deals with various questions presented by, David Martin, a Baptist preacher. Our intention is simply to understand some of the questions our friends and neighbors often have concerning our beliefs.

9. Why does the "Church of Christ" insist that their name is scriptural when it cannot be found anywhere in the Bible? The church is referred to as the "church of God" eight (8) times in the Bible, but never is it called the "church of Christ." The verse they use is Romans 16:16, but it doesn't say "church of Christ." Where does the Bible call the church the "church of Christ"?

Please provide your source for the accusation. I don’t know of anyone in the church who says that “church of Christ” is the only name for the Kingdom of God. You stated well that “church of God” would be scriptural as would the church, the assembly, and a few others that are found in scripture, including Romans 16:16 where Paul refers to the “churches of Christ” as a name/descriptor of the first century church. Since the church is the bride of Christ and belongs to Christ and is the Kingdom of God, these are all descriptors and are used to refer to the church God accepts as His. Again, these names are all found in scripture and are a true description of Christians assembling together to worship God in spirit and in truth.

Questions for you. Where in scripture does the name “Baptist church” appear? If Baptist cannot be found in the New Testament churches as a name or a descriptor and you don’t even believe baptism is necessary, isn’t this misleading?

Since the word translated as "church" comes from the Greek word "ekklesia" and means called out; who do the called out belong to? If you say to Christ then the "church of Christ" is a good descriptive term as would be "church of God" or "church of the First Born."

Revelations 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Although this is referring specifically to the book of Revelations, the same restriction applies to all the word of God. I am not to add to nor take away from the word of God. God knows how to write and be understood and he says what he means and I have no right to change that.

1Co 14:15 “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. Jas 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

A piano is not an aid in that you are changing what you are doing. The word "sing" means exactly that, we are to sing with the heart, Ephesians 5.19. One does not sing a piano but one plays a piano or drums or tambourine, etc. If Ephesians 5.19 authorizes a piano then every person should be playing the piano since every person is to sing.

I would like to visit with you someday, but since I can’t find a command, example or inference that the first century church used musical instruments and I am at a loss to find a scripture that tells me that God approves of adding it, I can’t worship with you in spirit and in truth. In order for me to sing in your assembly, I am forced to go against my conscience and take part in a song service accompanied by a piano, which God has said nothing about. Is a piano adding to God’s word or simply aiding?

Please worship with us. In deference to your beliefs, if you don’t want to use the hymnal, you don’t have to. If you don’t want to sit on the pew, you don’t have to. I’ll ask the song leader not to use a pitch pipe while you are in attendance and he won’t. You don’t have to use the baptistry and if you can prove by scripture that it is not an aid in obeying God’s command to be baptized, then we will empty it and get rid of it and go to the river.

As far as scriptural authority, common sense tells me that the first century Christians sat on something, and they either knew the songs, hymns and spiritual songs or they used some type of paper reference. I doubt that they used a pitch pipe and I don’t even know how a pitch pipe works so would never use it anyway. I promise we won’t use it when you are around though if it causes you problems. The only thing we want to do is worship God in spirit and truth and that means the way He has commanded, so we are acceptable to Him. An aid is something that can be used by others and if I disagree then I don’t have to use it and we can still worship together in spirit and truth and be acceptable to God. It is your obligation to show me how these things are contrary to the word of God and I will give them up. Even so, just because someone else is doing something doesn’t justify your doing something else, right or wrong.

Questions for you. Do you have to use a piano in worship to be pleasing to God? (If you answer yes, please provide a scripture or example of a New Testament church using one). If you answer no, then will the Baptist church respect my beliefs enough to not use the piano and any other instruments of music if I worship with you? If not, then are you really concerned about worshipping in spirit and in truth or the way you like it/the Baptist way? Are you more concerned about what God hears or about what man hears? Are the members of the church of Christ that much better singers? If so, would you agree to let us study and work with your members to help them learn to sing with the spirit and the understanding - without musical instruments? Did God reject worship in the Old Testament when His people had corrupted it?

10. If the "Church of Christ" claims to worship God only as "authorized" by scripture because they sing only (and do not use instrumental music), then where do they get the "authority" to use hymnals, pitchpipes, pews, and indoor baptistries in their worship services? If the answer is that they are "aids to worship," where does the Bible allow for that? Where is your required authorization? If a pitchpipe can be an "aid to worship" for the song service in the "Church of Christ," then why can't a piano be an "aid to worship" for Baptists who may need more help in singing?

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