Is Singing "Church Songs" Wrong?

Kenneth Sublett, Piney.com, Hohenwald, Tennessee

There Are No Clean Hands: The Left wing and the Right wing flap together the better to deceive!

See music as a BURDEN
BUT:
Jesus died to unload to give us REST.

"ARIUS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE FIRST, WHO AVAILED HIMSELF OF THIS MEANS [SONGS] OF IMPRESSING HIS DOCTRINES ON THE POPULAR EAR,

BEGUILING THE IGNORANT, as Philostorgius terms it, by the sweetness of his music, into the impiety of his doctrines."

In Acts 1:20 psalmos psalmos is the book of Psalms and in Rom. 15: sing is psallo

"Psallo is best translated by chant,
........not sing.

The Greeks sharply distinguish chanting (psalmodia)
........ from singing (tragoudi).

The first (speak or chant) is a sacred activity;
........ the second (singing), a secular one.

In English, unfortunately, the distinction is not sharp.
........ Constantine Cavarnos

"A Greek would
........ never
say tragoudo (I sing),
........ ........ instead of psallo;
the two terms have connotations and
........ associations which are worlds apart -

the first is related to the earthly realm,
........ the second to the heavenly." 

Psalmus , i, m., = psalmos, i. q. psalma,
I. a psalm (eccl.
Lat.; cf.: carmen, hymnus), Tert. adv. Prax. 11 ; Lact. 4, 8, 14; 4, 12, 7; Vulg. Isa. 38, 20.--Esp., the Psalms of David, Vulg. Luc. 20, 42; id. Act. 13, 33 et saep.

Canto I. Neutr., to produce melodious sounds (by the voice or an instrument), to sound, sing, play (class. in prose and poetry; rare in Cic.)

2. Of the singing pronunciation of an orator, to declaim in a singing tone, to sing, drawl: si cantas, male cantas, si legis, cantas

C. Hence, because the oracles were of old uttered in verse, of any mysterious, prophetic, or warning utterance, to predict, warn, point out, indicate, make known, say

III. In the lang. of religion, as v. n. or a., to use enchantments, charms, incantations, to enchant, to charm,

David as one of the Monarchy kings hand-picked to lead the already-sentenced Israelites into captivity and death, was not inspired as a worship leader or to define the nature of worship. As far as I know, David never played the harp as "public worship." However, he did "rise up to play" like the Israelites at Mount Sinai but he confessed to Michal that he was "making himself vile" and would be honored by the participating women. David was separating the Ark of the Covenant to his own new tent.

So, don't try to get authority for Music AS worship from the Monarchy period.

Ben Sirach in Ecclesiasticus Chapter 48

1. Then the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, and his word burned like a torch.
2. He brought a famine upon them, and by his zeal he made them few in number.
3
. By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens, and also three times brought down fire.
4. How glorious you were, O Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! And who has the right to boast which you have?
5. You who raised a corpse from death and from Hades, by the word of the Most High;
6. who brought kings down to destruction, and famous men from their beds;
7. who heard rebuke at Sinai and judgments of vengeance at Horeb;
8. who anointed kings to inflict retribution,
........ and prophets to succeed you.

God makes little difference between Israel and Judah when He says:

O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. Hosea 13:9

I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? Hosea 13:10

I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. Hosea 13:11

THERE IS NO MUSICAL CONCEPT CONNECTED WITH THE WORSHIP OF GOD IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE.

Almost all "church singing" consists of Contemporary Christian Music and almost none of it meets the test of the Biblical Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs all defined in the Septuagint as from the Inspired Word.

In Greek, music is symphonia and applies to secular, let's get drunk parties, and to the end-time Babylon Harlot worship which is musical and has repeated patterns in the Old Testament of the king/queen of Tyre and Babylon as the incarnations of Lucifer.

Music to the Greek mind was primarily singing and dancing.
Melody in a "musical sense" was the natural poetic descriptions of reality: "the fog crept in on little cat's paws" would be "melody."
This
melody is not related to our HARMONY. Therefore, we have made a bad translation.

Socrates says that drawing and music are imitations of reality. Therefore, music is acting.

In was against the Greek world which Paul and John in Revelation warned Christians.

It was well known that Apollo was the name for the "god" of archery (twanging bow strings and singing arrows to kill), of instrumental music and the god of musical harmony for the entire world or cosmos.

"With the wine-drinking (which is the literal meaning of the Hebrew for feasting), went music and dancing." (Heaton, E. W., Everyday Life in Old Testament times, Scribners, p. 93)

"Worship was form more than substance; consequently, conduct in the marketplace was totally unaffected by worship in the holy place. Amos spoke from the conviction that social justice is an integral part of the Mosaic covenant, which regulates relations not only between God and people, but also among people." (King, p. 44).

"In pagan traditions, musical instruments are invented by gods or demi-gods, such as titans. In the Bible, credit is assigned to antediluvian patriarchs, for example, the descendants of Cain in Genesis 4:21. There is no other biblical tradition about the invention of musical instruments." (Freedman, David Noel, Bible Review, Summer 1985, p. 51).

In the Old and New Testament the "Destroyer" is Apollyon or Abaddon. These are names for the Satan figure in the Garden who spoke through the "serpent" which was not a snake but an enchanter, soothsayer or musician to "deceive" Eve into eating of the tree. In Jeremiah 31 Assyria was the "tallest tree in Eden" and would finally be destroyed to the beat of all kinds of musical instruments.

David was a secular king chosen by God to lead the Israelites into the sentence of death they had earned by the musical worship of Apis at Mount Sinai. When David "praised," the word is that of a lost soul. Halal or praise means to "make yourself vile, pollute yourself, or to become a buffoon, slobber down your beard, or make a fool of yourself." The notion of David (a like the nations' king) was that God could not punish the insane. Paul would see the Corinthians as "mad" which has the same meaning as hall.

All secular minds believed that the "gods" had to be serviced in a sexual sense, fed, housed or perhaps just bamboozled by acrobatics. Paul in Ephesians 4 when speaking of God's wrath used a word meaning to become a "bufoon." Stand up commedians in the pulpit are just carrying out the sentence to make a fool of themselves: the audience is not really laughing WITH them so much as laughing AT them perhaps without knowing the difference.

The Monarchy was a replacement for the rule of God and would carry out the death sentence earned at Mount Sinai by virtually letting Israel self-destruct and by sending Judah into Babylonian captivity for 70 years where they shed their interest in musical idolatry.

Stephen said that God 'turned them over to worship the starry host.' Therefore, be careful how you pick up "acts of worship from the Monarchy period." And you will find no "music" as worship before then.

Before the temple, melody was made with the voice and heart:

However, go on down to chapter 48 to see that the Monarchy was like a prison in which God locked the people until they would go into captivity and death by their own evil deeds.

Neither the temple sacrifice nor noise (not music) was worship. It was "sacrifices added because of transgression." They prayed to sacrificed animals and God turned them over to that pagan form of worship but He didn't need it and could not stomach it.

The common people were excluded from the temple when the "sounding" began as a signal that you had not better be on your feet.

The Levitical (oppressors not musicians) who forced service (bondage) were in the courts (representing the world) and never in the holy place (church) and assuredly not in the most holy place where each believer meets God without "accompaniment."

Worship, said Jesus, is in the spirit or mind and therefore if I see you performing or hear you performing then I am giving heed (the primary NT worship word) to you or worshiping you. Jesus defined the place further by saying that prayer is for the closet and not for the pulpit as "an act."

And rather than "in truth" I am singing false doctrine out of the blue book or red book but not out of the Bible.

The synagogue was never a pagan worship center but it was a school of the Bible. Not even allegorizing or commentary of the rabbi was allowed: only the Bible read and explained where words of Aramaic were not grasped.

"Hallel, in Jewish ritual, selection from the Psalms, chanted as part of the liturgy during certain festivals. The more frequently used selection includes Psalms 113-118 and is known as the Egyptian Hallel, presumably because Psalm 114 begins, "When Israel went out of Egypt"

It is sung in synagogues on the first two days of Passover, on Shabuoth, on Sukkot, on each morning of the eight days of Hanukkah, and at the close of the Seder.

"The Hallel through the generations, on specific occasions: Pesachim 117a
"Hallel requires a full stomach and a satisfied spirit: Taanis 25b-26a
The reading is beloved to the people, and so they listen closely: Megillah 21b

"The Hallel as an Institution of the Prophets, to use to pray for salvation from danger: Pesachim 117a [2x] Saying the Hallel daily is blasphemous: Shabbos 118b

The ekklesia defines the church only in that it defines a called meeting of mature males. However, when the people assembled together they always "synagogued" in the church assemblies. This is why Paul never commanded "singing."

The command was to Teach (preach) the Word of Christ or Spirit or that which had been written (Rom. 15). Both the singing and melody is in the heart.

Why? Why, because "singing" was always a secular or pagan practice while reading or teaching was a religious practice.

"Singing served as a means of inducing ecstatic prophecy (speaking in tongues).

Thus the essential relationship between music and prophecy can be clearly seen. This relationship also explains why the expression for "making music" and "prophesying" was often identical in the ancient tongues. origen contra celsum 8.67. The Hebrew word Naba signifies not only "to prophesy" but also "to make music." (Quasten, Johannes, Music and Worship in Pagan and Christian Antiquity, p. 39)

When a Greek read from his language he essentially "sang" because that was the nature of the language. Singing, nevertheless, has always been a secular practice where "attacking the nerve endings" was the desired goal of entertainment but NEVER worship.

Singing is not a natural way of communicating. Rather, it is poetic and therefore at least "two times removed from the Biblical text."

Furthermore, singing is "charismatic" or esctatic. That is, the Greeks understood that children sang but singing as performance meant that one had "gone outside of himself" in order to do it publically.

Then, singing is abrading: we normally sing, like the court jester, when we want to say something we could not get away with in prose. Of instance, a praise leader might "sing a love song to Jesus" but would get despised for being "really serious about it."

Anath
This Canaanite Goddess' name means 'to answer,' and she was later considered to be the same Goddess as Egyptian Neith. Like the original Athena, she ruled battle, the hunt, and the passage of souls from one world to the next. She was also a Death Goddess who wore the goatskin aegis. The aegis has been described as a cloak, apron, breastplate, or shield. In Anath's case, it shifted in function as religious ceremony changed. Originally it was probably a garment worn by each Libyan woman when she came of age, marked with snakes and Moon symbols.

Later it was remade into a garment worn during animal sacrifices, when it was decorated with severed penises, representing both types of death men experience, loss of erection and the ending of their lives.

As Anath's image was melded into that of the Minoan Bird Goddess, the penises became snakes and the aegis a cloak. The result effectively concealed Athena's ancient Libyan origins. The sacred rite in which Anath's consort, represented by the last of the grain harvest and dying during the ritual of its reaping and division into food and seed was cut out altogether. Such drastic action was required to further match her to Libyan Athena, who consorted with no man unless she wished to conceive a child by other than parthenogenetic means.

Anath herself remained a powerful Goddess in the Middle East. She was worshipped by many Israelites, who considered their god her consort. The Phoenicians also adored her, naming settlements for her. One of them was called Panorma by the Greeks, connecting her to their 'universal mountain mother' Gaea or Rhea.

Atthis was also connected with Athena. She was the:

'Dawn Goddess' for whom Attica was named. Part of a pre-Hellenic trinity with Kranae 'rocky' and Kranaechme 'rocky point,' she was among the original divinities of the region. Various sacred rocks, cliffs, and summits may derive from their worship. Sadly, little detail remains of them, beyond the similarity between Atthis and Eos 56., and how her sisters may have been Cybele-like in character.

Eos note 56 was the Pre-Hellenic Dawn Goddess. She is directly connected to ZOE or LIFE or the taking of life. She is much like Lucifer.

Latin Spelling: Hesperus Eosphorus English Spelling: Hesper
Roman Name: Luciferus English Spelling: Lucifer Translation: Light-Bringer

HESPEROS-EOSPHOROS was the STAR-GOD of the Evening & Morning Star (the Planet Venus). He was depicted as a white-winged god crowned with a starry oreole - a male version of Astraia. In vase-paintings usually only his face was shown shining in the heavens.

Helios is the young Greek god of the sun. He is the son of Hyperion and Theia. By the Oceanid Perse, he became the father of Aeëtes, Circe, and Pasiphae. His other two daughters are Phaethusa ("radiant") and Lampetia ("shining"). He had a son, named Phaeton, whom he once allowed to guide his chariot across the sky. The unskilled youth could not control the horses and fell towards his death.

Each morning at dawn he rises from the ocean in the east and rides in his chariot, pulled by for horses - Pyrois, Eos, Aethon and Phlegon -- through the sky, to descend at night in the west. He sees and knows all, and was called upon by witnesses.

Kirke from which we get the word CHURCH was:

Initially a Hunter Goddess and Lady of the Beasts of Kolchis named Aeaea 'ululation,' she became the funerary Goddess of the island known by her name. Kalypso 'concealer,' Argeia 'bright,' and often Medea 'wise one' who was sometimes called her neice instead. Klymene's daughters were the keepers of golden horned cattle in the lands of the Dead, the Heliades or Merope 'eloquent' or 'bee eater,' Helia 'sun,' Phoebe 'bright,' Aetheria 'heavenly one,' Dioxippe 'divine mare,' Lampetia 'beaming one,' Koronis 'crow or raven,' Aegile 'bright,' Lamethusa 'light being,' Phatusa 'bright being,' and Elektryone 'beaming on

Being "Afflicted" is from the Hebrew andspeaks of what they would do to Jesus in the hope that he was their chosen messiah, Dionysys.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Is 53:4

Afflicted:

Anah (h6031) aw-naw'; a prim. root [possibly rather ident. with 6030 through the idea of looking down or browbeating]; to depress lit. or fig., trans. or intrans. (in various applications, as follow): - abase self, afflict (-ion, self), chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble self, hurt, ravish, sing [by mistake for 6030], speak [by mistake for 6030], submit self, weaken, * in any wise.

Mock is:

Sachaq (h7832) saw-khak'; a prim. root; to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by impl. to play: - deride, have in derision, laugh, make merry, mock (-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in (make) sport. Parallel with 6711

And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart. 1Chr.15:29

Anah (h6030) aw-naw'; a prim. root; prop. to eye or (gen.) to heed, i. e. pay attention; by impl. to respond; by extens. to begin to speak; spec. to sing, shout, testify, announce: - give account, afflict [by mistake for 6030], (cause to, give) answer, bring low [by mistake for 6030], cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, * scholar, (give a) shout, sing together by course, speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness. See also 1042, 1043.

See singing "church" songs outside of church.

When God sings in the Old Testament, He is laying a burden on people. For instance:

THE burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them. Is.23:1

And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Is.23:15 (The as is described in 23:16)

Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. Is.23:16 (remembered as a male)

Burden is--

Massa (h4853) mas-saw'; from 5375; a burden; spec. tribute, or (abstr.) porterage; fig. an utterance, chiefly a doom, especially singing; mental, desire: - burden, carry away, prophecy, they set, song, tribute.

The "instrumentalists" to serve the temple were not "musicians" but burden afflicters. Their service was:

Abodah (h5656) ab-o-daw'; or abowdah ab-o-daw'; from 5647; work of any kind: - act, bondage, / bondservant, effect, labour, ministering (-try), office, service (-ile, -itude), tillage, use, work, * wrough

Abad (h5647) ab-o-daw'; or abowdah ab-o-daw'; from 5648; work of any kind: - act, bondage, / bondservant, effect, labour, ministering (-try), office, service (-ile, -itude), tillage, use, work, * wrough

The name of the Destroyer is:

Abad (h6) aw-bad'; a prim. root; prop. to wander away, i. e. lose oneself; by impl. to perish (caus. destroy): - break, destroy (- uction), / not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, * and surely, take, be undone, * utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.

Jesus fired the doctors of the law because they took away the key to knowledged and substituted burdens of spiritual anxiety:

And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Lu.11:46

Dusbastaktos (g1419) doos-bas'-tak-tos; from 1418 and a der. of 941; oppressive: - grievous to be borne.

Baskaino (bas-kah'ee-no; akin to 5335; to malign, i.e. (by extens.) to fascinate (by false representations): - bewitch.

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? Ga.3:1

When Jesus fired the doctors of the law he also fired the singers and other performing clergy. He died to remove the burden:

Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Portizo (g5412) for-tid'-zo; from 5414; to load up (prop. as a vessel or animal), i.e. figuratieve: to overburden with ceremony or spiritual anxiety: - lade, be heavy laden.

The most ancient writers and modern medical science knows that any kind of harmonic singing or music "creates spiritual anxiety" and that is why it is used: to take away the key to knowledge.

God sang a song in Isaiah 5 which shows that the nation was destroyed by wine, women and music in their religious festivals. Amos 5 and 6 agree.

Secondly, the Greek psallo translated melody in the external sense is not a musical but a panic word: the Levitical singers were warrior musicians who, along with the clashing of swords on shields, the twanging of bow strings and 'making a joyful noise before the Lord' was to panic, abrade, grind the enemy into bits and make them turn coward and run. This was the Jewish warrior's chant as he tried to, like David, "sing to the Gentiles with my foot on his neck."

According to Psalm 41, Judas and clergy musicians would try this on Jesus. The DSS translation makes this perfectly clear:

I have collected some evidence that the Twanging bow from which melody is derived is the "singing" of the bow string and the singing of the arrow on the way to pierce a literal heart. Therefore, Paul absolutely outlawed external melody. Modern harmony works because it first grinds you into bits emotionally before the endorphins (morphine within) kicks in and makes you feel "spiritual." That is why the SOP which Jesus fed Judas is related to the meaning of melody.

"Melody" in a "musical" sense does not require instruments.

Aristotle, Rhetoric" Melody Deceives "for instance "having gone and having conversed with him," or, "having gone, I conversed with him."Also the practice of Antimachus is useful,

that of describing a thing by the qualities it does not possess; thus, in speaking of the hill Teumessus, hesays,

There is a little windswept hill;

"for in this way amplification may be carried on ad infinitum. This method may be applied to things good and bad, in whichever way it may be useful.

"Poets also make use of this in inventing words, as a melody "without strings" orâ "without the lyre"; for they employ epithets from negations, a course which is approved in proportional metaphors..

"Additionally, human observation seems to reinforce the truth that God knows what He's doing. Without instruments people tend to sing better, pay attention to the words better, and generally get more internally from the singing portion of the worship service.

With instruments people tend to listen to the instrument rather than sing, ignore the words of the song, and come away mostly with only an appreciation of pretty music. But whether humans can make good sense of God's command really isn't the point; God has commanded, can we refuse?

Under the Sacrificial System, the instrumentalists made a Great Crashing Sound to be remembered. Perhaps to get God's attention.

By the musical idolatry at Mount Sinai, all non Levites became "strangers" and only the trumpet "got the attention" of God to save them in a physical sense:

And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. Nu.10:9

The priests sounded the Trumpets

Then the sons of Aaron shouted,

they sounded the trumpets of hammered work, they made a great noise to be heard for remembrance before the Most High. Ecclesiasticus 49:16.

A close reading of Hebrews 6 shows that to repeat this "sacrificial" system where a great noise was made is to reject the Word and this is the unforgivable sin.

Jamison-Fausett-Brown notes that:

"In the Jewish temple, musical instruments and singing resounded during the whole time of the offering of the sacrifices, which formed the first part of the service.

But at the offering of incense, solemn silence was kept ("My soul waiteth upon God," Ps 62:1; "is silent," Margin; Ps 65:1, Margin),

Duwmiyyah (h1747) doo-me-yaw'; from 1819; stillness; adv. silently; abstr. quiet, trust: - silence, silent, waiteth.

the people praying secretly all the time. The half-hour stillness implies, too, the earnest adoring expectation with which the blessed spirits and the angels await the succeeding unfolding of God's judgments. A short space is implied; for even an hour is so used (Re 17:12 18:10,19). 

Only the official "congregation" then gathered.

Then all the people together made haste and

fell to the ground upon their faces to worship their Lord, the Almighty, God Most High. Ecclesiasticus 49:17

The Singers made their own melody.

In all that he did he gave thanks to the Holy One, the Most High, with ascriptions of glory;

he sang praise with all his heart, and he loved his Maker. Ecclesiasticus 40: 8.

He placed singers before the altar, to make sweet melody with their voices. Ecclesiasticus 40: 9.

He gave beauty to the feasts, and arranged their times throughout the year, while they praised God's holy name, and the sanctuary resounded from early morning. Ecclesiasticus 40: 10.

And the singers praised him

with their voices in sweet and full-toned melody. Ecclesiasticus 49:18


Therefore, the Bible is the Curriculum of Christ the Spirit. It is not for cutting off the "apple" and claim that there is only a little CORE.

The Bible is the textbook and church is synagogue or school of the Bible. Only by leaving the Bible as it is without cut N paste sermonizing or versifying someones sentimental poetry can the church TEACH one another (with the singing and melody in the heart) and let the Word, which Jesus said is Spirit and Life (John 6:63) do God's work in God's way.

Human musical performance is the most works-intensive thing one can do in trying to do something to or with God. Musical teams actually claim that they can lead you into the presence of God. That is, if only the CORE is left then the doctrine that Christ is the One and only Mediator repudiates Christ: this is the definition of anti-Christ.

On the other hand, to be a Christian means that the work of Christ is done when Christ is the One and only Teacher:

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2 Pe. 1:19

Take heed means worship: we worship whatever we hear or whomever does the stand up performance in violation of the example of Jesus in the synagogue.

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1 Peter 1:11

Christ put His Spirit into His Words and if the word "fire" can get you executed by the word of a man how can we DARE get paid for teaching that Christ does not have the power to put His Mind or Spirit (1 Cor 2) into words and preserve them?

A string of DNA from your skin can make a child which looks like you. Think of the Bible as a string of DNA: if you cut N paste it then you will not get Christ-like children. You don't have to understand it all, you don't have to strip out a few facts 'upon which you will build your church': all you have to do is like Paul told Timothy "give attention to the public reading of the Word to doctrine to exhortation." Give attention means worship.

Trust a 70 year old student of the Bible, Stephen: THERE IS NO MUSICAL WORD OR CONCEPT CONNECTED WITH THE COLLECTIVE WORSHIP OF A SPIRIT GOD.

David playing to the sheep or on his bed is not a command, and David's strumming between reciting stanzas as a "pause and think" was never music. In the Greek world, combining voice and instrument meant that you were not supposed to understand anything from it but just get your nerve endings stroked. That is why Paul equated speaking in tongues to musical instruments of warfare.

Only children, women or effeminate men engaged in both singing and playing and they were usually used for festivals at which both male and female were abused sexually because musicians were not respected.

No problem with being a singer or musician but there is a total disconnect between music and spiritual religion just as surely as there is a disconnect between sexual favors and spiritual worship: both sex and music were essential to pagan worship. And the Vineyard lady confesses that the new praise music is to reach a climax with God. One of the ladies defending Madison's new "holy entertainment" uses identical terms to show that when the body starts moving people are trying to have a spiritual orgasm: a preacher claimed that he did it often.

Sorry about that, but here is what one "singing" passage really says when we cut through the false teaching:

The Psalmist's Pattern:

I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Ps.77:3
........I call (Mention, burn incense) to remembrance my song (h5058) in the night:
........ ........ I commune with mine own heart: and
........ ........ my spirit made diligent search. Psalm 77:6

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved;
........ and I will meditate in thy statutes. Ps.119:48

Mediatate is: Siyach (h7878) see'-akh; a prim. root; to ponder, i. e. (by impl.) converse with oneself, and hence aloud or (trans.) utter: - commune, complain, declare, meditate, muse, pray, speak, talk (with).

O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day. Ps.119:97

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. Ps 119:98

I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. Ps.119:99

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Rev 19:10

Someone has said that "we love drama because we know that it isn't true." In the same way we know that the singer has not been subjected to the trauma defined by his song. Therefore, in the adult world we just do not try to teach or educate people with singing: it really doesn't even work with children.

The Psalmist knew the concept of teaching the Word to others but letting the singing and melody be in the heart and directed to God:

Sing praises to the LORD (singular), enthroned in Zion;

proclaim among the nations what he has done. Psalm 9:11

EXTERNAL In Truth

INTERNAL In Spirit
make known his deeds among the people. Psalm 105:1
O give thanks
 
call upon
unto the Lord
 
his name:
talk (h7878) ye of all his wondrous works. Psalm 105:2

Sing

unto him

sing psalms

unto him:

Glory ye

in his holy name:

let the heart of them rejoice

that seek the Lord. Psalm 105:3

I remember an old preacher writing that he read his lessons or the Bible during the night. Next day as a poor plowboy he said that he sang the lessons to himself.

When we hear something, however complex, it can go smoothly in one ear and out the other and we believe that we know it. But we do not: we know nothing after listening to a song or sermon. It is only when we take time to mediate on what we have heard, question it and play it back to ourselves that we can say that we know it.

Therefore, because Paul defined a "teaching" process it is important that we speak the truth and then meditate or sing it to ourselves and to God.

The Unity of The Spirit Removes the Burden

One of the "singing" passages is Romans 15 which shows how the unity of the body depends on speaking the same things:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Rom 15:4

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 15:6

Romans 14 shows how people with diverse backgrounds--both musical in Rome--could "church" or "synagogue" together and carry out the task of the assembly. Therefore, glory in the church is by Christ even down to today:

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Eph 3:21

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, Eph 4:1

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Eph 4:2

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Eph 4:3

By speaking the Words of Christ we do not allow an "office" or role for those Paul called "super apostles" who dominate and take a wage as solely an occupation. Satan knows that the "pulpit" and "choir" is the preferred place to put his agents:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive; Eph 4:14

But speaking the truth in love, may grow (build up the body) up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: Eph 4:15

As one cannot fornicate without implicating Christ as our Head, one cannot sing without being united or divided from Christ. The way it was prophesied that Jesus would "sing to the Gentiles" was to teach His Word.

The history of all "music" replacing "teaching" or synagoguing intends to worship the things of the world in order to prosper, to balance the budget, to collect the multitudes. But, then Jesus never spoke to the multitudes without hiding himself in parables which are like songs.

The Romans Pattern:

The background of the church in Rome included Jews but the judging was not over Jewish issues. The other backgrounds were the:

Worshipers of Orpheus: These were the vegetarians. However, their "worship" was highly charismatic and used music and dance go "make contact" with their god.

Worshipers of Dionysus: These were meat-eaters and wine-drinkers but they were quite identical to the Orphics in their worship. When the Jews piped and tried to get Jesus to sing and dance the Greek words define the worship of Dionysus (Bacchus).

Paul had the solution Jesus as Son practiced with the Father: just speak the Words as they have been delivered. This would continue the synagogue system as school rather than worship center.

Cycle One

Cycle Two

WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Romans 15:1

And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. Romans 15:10

Romans 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. Romans 15:3

And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. Romans 15:11

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning (teaching), that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4

And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Romans 15:12

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Romans 15:5

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify (tell of His works) God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister (deacon) of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: Romans 15:8

Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God. Romans 15:15

And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will

(2) that the offering (bloodless sacrifice) up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:16

(1) confess to thee among the Gentiles, and

(1) That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God,

(2) sing unto thy name. Romans 15:9

ministering the gospel of God,

The Ephesian Pattern:

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Eph 5:18
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak (preach) unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

 

External

 

Speaking (g1321 didasko Preach) in
 
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
to yourselves

Internal

singing
and (kai)
making melody
in your heart
to the Lord; Eph 5:19

Now, look at Peter's Agreement with Paul that the Word of Christ is the Spirit and the teaching must be one to another to prevent false prophets acting as Sophists from selling you false doctrine.

Peter's Commission

Ephesian's Commission

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1 Pe 1:11
 
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Eph 4:16

as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,

for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2 Peter 1:19

"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Eph 5:14

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2 Pet 1:20

Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, Eph 5:15

These were sophists who composed and sold their speeches.

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:

understanding what the will of the Lord is. Eph 5:17

but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet 1:21

be filled with the Spirit Eph 5:18

BUT there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Pet 2:1

Speaking

to yourselves

Speaking to one another is the only guard against false prophets. 

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles (God's Words) of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth:

in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

that God in all things may be glorified

singing and making melody in your heart

through Jesus Christ,

to the Lord; Eph 5:19

to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Pet 4:11

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Eph 5:20

The Colossian Pattern:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
External
teaching (g1321 didasko Preach)
and (kai)
admonishing
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
one another
Internal
singing
with
grace
in your hearts
to the Lord. Col 3:16

Paul's Commission and the Parallel Pattern:

Pauls Commission

Colossian's Commission

Ephesian's Commission

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Col.1:18

 

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Col.2:19

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Col.3:4

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Eph 4:16

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; Col 1:19

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Col.1:12

IF ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Col 3:1

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Col 3:2

for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word (Logos) of God; Col 1:25

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Col 3:10

"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Eph 5:14

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generation,

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body (church)

Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, Eph 5:15

but is now disclosed to the saints. Col 1: 26

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free:

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles Col 1:27

but Christ is all, and in all. Col 3:11

understanding what the will of the Lord is. Eph 5:17

To present to you the word of God in its fullness Col 1:25

Let the word of Christ dwell

be filled with the Spirit Eph 5:18

We proclaim him, 

admonishing and teaching

everyone

with all wisdom,

as you

teach and admonish

one another

with all wisdom, and

 Speaking

to yourselves

so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. Col 1: 28

as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs

in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace

with gratitude in your hearts (proof of unity)

singing and making melody in your heart

of God in truth: Col 1:6

to God. Col 3:16

to the Lord; Eph 5:19

To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Col 1:29

giving thanks to God the Father through him. Col 3:17

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Eph 5:20

The 100% Historical pattern Clement Stromata 5

It is, then, proper that the Barbarian philosophy, on which it is our business to speak, should prophecy also obscurely and by symbols, as was evinced. Such are the injunctions of Moses: "These common things, the sow, the hawk, the eagle, and the raven, are not to be eaten."  For the sow is the emblem of voluptuous and unclean lust of food, and lecherous and filthy licentiousness in venery, always prurient, and material, and lying in the mire, and fattening for slaughter and destruction.

Again, he commands to eat that which parts the hoof and ruminates; "intimating," says Barnabas,
"that we ought to cleave to those who fear the Lord,
and meditate in their heart on that portion of the word which they have received,
to those who speak and keep the Lord's statutes, to those to whom meditation is a work of gladness,
and who ruminate on the word of the Lord.

The Restoration Movement Pattern:

Thomas Campbell: "The author and ultimate object of our holy religion, is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by his Spirit, speaking in Christ and his holy apostles.

"The principle of this holy religion within us, is faith, a correspondent faith; that is, a belief, or inwrought persuasion by, and according to, the word of truth,

in all points corresponding to the revelation which God has made of himself through Jesus Christ by the Spirit.

Hence, being rooted and grounded in the truth of this revelation, by faith in the divine testimony,

we contemplate and worship God inwardly;
that is, adore and reverence him
in our souls,

according to the characters and attributes under which he has revealed himself to us.

Thus we worship the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit, relying upon his teachings in and by the word, to lead us into all the truth which he has testified for our edification and salvation;

and also upon his internal influence to excite, instruct, and comfort us, by the truth; to help our infirmities, and to enable us to think and pray as we ought, both as to the matter and manner of our prayers. See Rom. viii. 26, and Jude 22, 21, with a multitude of other scriptures.

Thus we have the internal religion, the habitual worship of the real believer, the sincere bible-taught Christian with its principle; which is the faith above described. See Rom. x. 12-15.

"But that this may be the case, the next immediate ordinance of the Christian religion, namely,

the reading, I mean the musing upon, or studying the Holy Scriptures;

taking them up in their connexion, and meditating upon the subjects they propose to our consideration, with a fixed contemplation of the various and important objects which they present.

This dutiful and religious use of the bible, (that most precious, sacred record of the wonderful works of God,

the only authentic source of all religious information,) is inseparably connected with, and indispensably necessary to, the blissful and all-important exercises of prayer and praise.

"And again, 'Be you filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always to God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph. v. 18-20.

"Hence it is evident, that if we would be spiritually minded, spiritually exercised in this delightful and heavenly employment,

we must be filled with the Spirit;
and
if we would be filled with the Spirit,
we
must be filled with the word;
the
word of Christ must dwell in us richly;
for we have no access to the Spirit but in and by the word.

Thomas Campbell knew very well that this did not mean that the Bible is the personal Holy Spirit. Rather, the Spirit as defined by the Bible and church history is the Mind of Christ which Christ made available through His Word which is Spirit and Life.

Well, run out for now. But singing non-Biblical text is post-Restoration movement and anti Restoration movement until Alexander Campbell became a publisher to meet the needs of the revivalistic songs which had and have a strong Voodoo component.

Take care:

Ken


Ken,

Let me make sure I understand what you are saying. Do you think there should be no music of any kind (not even singing) in a church building because the synagogue was a school? So we should just come together and hear a message from scripture by a teacher? Forgive me if this doesn't represent your beliefs. Sometimes, I have a hard time following you.

Steven

I don't pretend to suggest or much care what people do for that hour on Sunday. What I am telling you is what the Bible says and that the body of church history agrees: Music was not a worship concept because it replaces "giving heed to God and His Word."

However, if you will look at the Greek for the concept of "assembling" you will discover that the word is SYNAGOGUE. That is, the church of Christ is a time and place to teach the Word and honor Christ: it is not the time and place to honor the sentimental composers of modern erotic hymns.

"Singing" as an act without regard to the resource is just another ancient superstition: that by singing and praising you can pay your dues to the gods and help make sure that they do not fail to carry out their part of the legalistic compact.

One of the ways to determine what Paul said is to determine what the Greek mind would have understood. The Britannica notes that:

"These musical fragments show that Greek music was predominantly vocal, although instrumental pieces were sometimes presented.

"The music was homophonic; i.e., it consisted of single melodic lines. One of the most important compositions was the dithyramb, a poetic text set to music and sung by a chorus in honour of Dionysus. (the Jews tried to get Jesus into this song and dance as they played the flute.)

These choruses became more elaborate and more dramatic and eventually evolved into Greek tragic drama. Poetic texts were also sung by individuals, the most striking example being the epic poems of Homer, in which the singer accompanied himself on a lyre.

"Ancient Greek was a pitched language, so melody had to be an outgrowth of the natural inflections of the spoken language.

"Greek vowels had long and short values that corresponded to long and short notes in the musical settings. Thus musical rhythms were derived from metric forms, and melodic movement was governed by the natural rise and fall of the text.

"Ancient Greece appears never to have had a developed instrumental art. Percussion, brass, wind, and string instruments were all played, but the two primary instruments were the aulos, a double-reed pipe that accompanied the chorus in the dithyramb (to Dionysus or Bacchus), and the kithara, a hand-held lyre used to accompany solo songs.

"The exact nature of the accompaniment style is unknown, but since no evidence of counterpoint or harmony appears in contemporary accounts,

the accompaniment probably played a version of the melodic line, occasionally adding two-note plucked chords.

And an early scholar asks:

"Is God, therefore, the contriver both of the mind, and of the voice, and of the tongues, unable to speak eloquently?

Yea, rather, with the greatest foresight, He wished those things which are divine to be without adornment,

that all might understand the things which He Himself spoke to all." (Lactantius, The Divine Institutes, Ante-Nicene Fathers, VII, p. 188).

So "if God had known about 19th century harmony" He MIGHT have changed His mind? Not really? Because the direct command is not to sing in any sense but to teach or preach. Furthermore, He makes ample warning throughout the Old Testament that "music" is both the cause and MARK which says: "We will not listen to the Word of God."

If you want to test the modern practice, double check who the author of the song is: that is the person we are worshiping because we are giving heed to their sentimental and usually emasculating and error-teaching "scripture replacement."

It is a fact that the historical churches chanted the psalms in a unison form (the meaning of English melody) but it was a collective teaching effort. If we did that our children could leave for college with a BA in Bible instead of being essentially Biblical illiterate from years of singing contemporary songs and preaching cut N paste sermons.

Contemporary songs confess and I don't see how you can debate the fact:

> We believe in the ancient pagan superstition that praise pumps up the gods.

Praise does its work among humans as much as it does among the heavenly host.

> That the poems of human composers are more important to "give heed to" than the "word of Christ as it has been taught."

You cannot sing "my" words without silencing the Words or Spirit of Christ.

That is the eternal meaning of Music:

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Job 21:7

Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Job 21: 8
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Job 21: 9

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. Job 21: 10

They send forth their little ones like a flock,
........ and their children dance. Job 21: 11

They take the timbrel and harp,
........ and rejoice at the sound of the organ. Job 21: 12

They spend their days in wealth,
........ and in a moment go down to the grave. Job 21: 13

Therefore they say unto God,
........ Depart from us; for we desire not
........ the knowledge of thy ways. Job 21: 14

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
........ and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? Job 21: 15

Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me. Job 21: 16

How oft is the candle of the wicked put out and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. Job 21: 17

They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away. Job 21: 18

The Book of Enoch and parallel documents claim, with Jude, that God will come with ten thousand of His host. He will execute judgement and burn up someone. Who is it? According to the literature (true or not) is that:

They ignored the Word of God and did not obey His laws.

They did this primarily by the introduction of mixed-sex choirs, instrumental music, wine and more.

So, does it matter whether we deliberately violate the clearest direct command in the New Testament with or without instruments? Probably not: the error is a calculated and cold plan to cut the Word of Christ out of sermonizing and versifying human opinion.

Don't blame me! I am not sure "how much we can get by with" but I am pretty sure that not honestly letting the Word of God say what it will say is getting on dangerous ground.

Is singing Contemporary Hymns Idolatry? All church music is Contemporary Christian Music!

Ken

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